Though essential tremor is the most common movement disorder, many people have not heard of it. This neurological condition causes uncontrollable shaking and differs from Parkinson’s disease, also a movement disorder. Treatment options for essential tremor include medications, therapies and procedures including deep brain stimulation, offered at Yale New Haven Hospital, and high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU). “Focused ultrasound is minimally invasive, does not involve surgery and is completed as an outpatient procedure,” said Hae-Young Hawong, DO, PhD, a neurologist with Yale New Haven Health and an assistant professor of Neurology, Yale School of Medicine. “Many patients experience immediate tremor reduction right after the procedure, and clinical studies report improvement in up to 75 percent of patients for as long as five years.” HIFU, offered by Greenwich Hospital, will be available at Adams Neuroscience Center at Yale New Haven Hospital when it opens in 2027. http://ynh.care/11S
