Neurogenic Tremors

Exploring Effective Trauma Treatment Approaches and Exercises

Suffering from the after-effects of a traumatic event can be debilitating. For many, the chronic stress and toll taken on the physical and emotional health as a result of past trauma leads to mental health disorders, substance abuse, and other challenges – even years down the road.

Fortunately, our trauma-informed treatment approaches at Icarus in Nevada are available to help ease the load of PTSD and other trauma and offer a path to healing and recovery.

Among our many evidence-based approaches to the treatment of trauma are neurogenic tremors and the exercises associated with them. If you’ve never heard of neurogenic tremors, stay with us until the end of the article – this could potentially alter the course of your life for the better. And remember, our caring team is ready and waiting to answer any questions and provide support for trauma healing at Icarus Nevada!

What Are Neurogenic Tremors?

When most people hear the word “tremors,” it’s automatically associated with something negative. After all, most tremors that we’re accustomed to hearing about are attached to things like alcohol withdrawal and detoxing, side effects from multiple sclerosis, and other muscular or neurological disorders.

These tremors, while associated with the nervous system, are proving to be a beneficial form of therapy for those who suffer from the side effects of trauma – otherwise known as trauma release exercises.

Understanding the Nervous System

Think of the nervous system as a scanner for the body. It scans for multiple things – including the presence of danger. Our nervous system works by scanning the environment and digesting information in the form of sounds, smells, sights, and feelings.

After this scan, depending on what the results are – certain body systems and operations kick in as a response to the results of the scan. If we sense danger, we go into what’s known as fight or flight mode.

Our first instinct is to fight our way out of the danger. If this isn’t feasible, we move to the next workaround, which is flight – or to run away from the source of the danger. When the situation is too grave and overwhelming for us to handle, we simply just freeze.

Overcoming the Fight or Flight Response

When a scan is complete and we feel secure again, the body goes into restorative mode and we begin the healing process. This is why many of us get sick when we go on vacation. Our body is relaxed and feels completely secure. Did you know that when we’re sick, this is actually a good sign? Getting sick is the process of the body combatting something that’s harming it.

Once you realize you’re sick, you’ve already begun the process of healing. So what does this all mean?

These are what are known as physiological processes. To put it simply, when the nervous system scans our situation, the body produces a physiological response that overrides our psychological process to do what must be done to survive. Some people refer to this as instinct.

The Body’s Ability to Heal Itself

Have you ever been involved in a traumatic or stressful event and found yourself shaking uncontrollably? This is a central nervous system response that we have in common with animals. Do you have a dog? Next time your dog gets angry or territorial over another animal or dog, pay close attention to their body. We can almost guarantee that you’ll notice your dog trembling.

So how does this all factor into treatment for chronic stress and other disorders like PTSD and trauma?

When this happens, our body attempts to eliminate additional tension by rapidly contracting and relaxing our muscles through tremors to calm the body from a heightened state of adrenaline. Throughout the years, these tremors have been looked down upon as a sign of weakness.

The Intelligence and Memory of the Nervous System

Our nervous system operates in an automatic state, which is actually what causes these neurogenic tremors. These involuntary muscle movements also act as warning signs. For example – let’s say you burnt your hand at a young age attempting to touch a pizza pan in the oven. Years down the road, you might cringe at the smell of pizza and not have a clear reason why.

This is actually part of your body’s shutdown process that’s associated with the same response system as rapid muscle contraction and neurogenic tremors. When we say shut down, we mean the mind attempts to dillute the intensity of the situation. You cringe at the smell of pizza because your physiological response is to make it difficult for your mind not to recall the trauma that was experienced.

Turning Neurogenic Tremors Into Therapy

So now you know that the physical tension caused by these neurogenic tremors is a form of defense mechanism. How do we transition away from this defensive mechanism and turn it into a restorative action?

When we see someone shaking, it’s usually a natural response that we comfort them. We see this trembling as a sense of vulnerability and normally take a deep breath and continue to pull ourselves together. While all of these things may feel comforting, the reality is we are trapping these sensations and pushing them back into the nervous system.

It may feel natural and almost mandatory that you stop shaking. However, this is only a psychological response. We feel this way because we don’t want others to see us trembling, as our initial concern is maintaining the appearance that we “have it together.”

Let’s take a look at the process of allowing the energy release from these neurogenic tremors and how they can work wonders for effective PTSD treatment and recovery.

Getting a Grip On Your Neurogenic Tremors

Technically, the term neurogenic tremors defines the act of triggering the involuntary muscle movements mentioned above. When we can manifest neurogenic tremors on our own, we’re shocking the nervous system of the human body. The shaking turns down the autonomic systems, or anticipatory stress response, that prepares us for the fight or flight mode.

As a result of the shaking, there’s a contraction and relaxation which in turn releases energy and tension stored in our muscles and tissue deep within the body. These deep muscular patterns burn so much excess energy that they can combat panic disorder, chronic pain, and generalized anxiety disorder, and trigger deep brain stimulation that has a plethora of collateral benefits.

Releasing Emotions: Trauma Release Exercises

Neurogenic tremors are a way of freeing our traumatic experiences to manifest tremors from the deepest muscular areas of our bodies, spreading through the extremities and spending energy in every possible location.

In some cases, those who practice neurogenic tremors feel a huge emotional release combined with vivid flashes of their trauma. However, some do not share this intense experience but still reap the benefits of the exercise.

The Benefits of Neurogenic Tremors for Chronic Stress

For some people, talk therapy does not have enough impact on PTSD and trauma symptoms. Sometimes, talking about or reliving the memory of certain trauma is just too painful, and can end up causing more harm than good if broached too quickly. One of the primary benefits of neurogenic tremors is they allow the tension and physicological release of this energy without the need to speak about the events.

However, as stated above, some individuals do experience a deep emotional response (in rare cases). This is why it’s important that your first few neurogenic tremors are guided by a holistic professional.

Ultimately, these tremors reduce overactive HPA mechanisms (our body’s stress response) and end up stabilizing the way we respond to anxiety and emotions, and the storage of extra energy and the release of said energy.

Giving Your Body Space to Heal from Traumatic Memories

Have you ever experienced stress or anxiety and felt like you were going to explode? When this tension is stored within the body, we can’t live life to the fullest. We have challenges with cognitive processes because of blockages created by this stored energy.

Many people experience unwanted thoughts and behaviors. All of this is involuntary – and it makes it more difficult when we don’t know why we’re experiencing these thoughts or actions.

3 Ways of Allowing Yourself to Shake-Away Trauma

To experience the mental health benefits of neurogenic tremors, there are several ways to begin the process. Once you begin feeling additional tension in the body and feel like you would benefit from a release, try one of the following actions to kick off the process.

1) Swing Your Hands

Begin by swinging your hands and arms in front of your body or at your sides. Pretend you are walking, running, or skipping.

2) Practice Shaking

This might sound silly, but simply practice shaking. Mimic the physical actions your body invokes when you experience the real thing. Start shaking any region of your body that feels tight or tense.

3) Crawl

The final action is getting on the floor and crawling on all fours. You’d be surprised at the energy this spends, allowing your body to start releasing high volumes of tension.

Understanding the Differences In Tremor Types

One important thing to be aware of is the different types of tremors that exist so you can discern between good tremors and bad tremors. As a final tip, we break down multiple forms of tremors in addition to the psychogenic tremor and dystonic tremor to give you an understanding of what’s going on in your body when you do experience this type of shaking.

It’s important to know without any doubt that you’re experiencing the beneficial tremor and not something else. Use the following list as a reference:

• An isometric tremor occurs when you contract your muscles against an object that doesn’t move. You don’t have to worry about this type of tremor, as it’s voluntary. Pushing against a wall or punching something is a form of an isometric tremor.
• A postural tremor is when you attempt to hold your body still against natural forces. For example, when you hold your arms directly in front of you, or lay down and lift your legs directly into the air – you’ll find it’s nearly impossible to keep them still. This type of tremor shouldn’t come with any worries unless the shaking gets exceptionally violent or happens frequently.
• An orthostatic tremor can potentially be a cause for alarm. These take place as one of many tremor syndromes. When you attempt to stand or walk on certain occassions and your legs shake uncontrollably, this is what’s known as an orthostatic tremor. It’s a rare medical condition not related to stress hormones, but instead other neurological challenges. Usually, this is a slow tremor. If you notice the tremor frequency increase or this happens often, consult your physician.

Get Effective Support for PTSD and Trauma at Icarus Nevada

At Icarus Behavioral Health Nevada, we offer a full array of treatments for substance abuse and now include programs solely for mental health disorders – most notably trauma and anxiety. If you or someone you love is struggling with PTSD or another type of trauma-informed disorder, get help right away.

Our compassionate staff is standing by to help you see the light through the darkness caused by trauma. Contact our admissions team today for a confidential consultation and get support options today!