Catch the beat of that … Parkinson’s tremor
You’re in your car, playing some tunes, waiting to turn at a stoplight. Suddenly you notice the blinker has just caught the beat of the song you’re listening to.
“That’s amusing,” you think, before your mind wanders to more weighty matters.
This may be a trivial thing, but the Parkinson’s part of me is like that car blinker. My tremor has a rhythm to it, and sometimes it lines up with another beat.
(Move over, Travis Barker. )
I discovered it one day when I was driving with music playing.
My right hand started mildly shaking on the steering wheel.
Nothing unusual – just another reminder of my disease – but I realized the shaking perfectly matched the rhythm of the song I was listening to.
I was amused.
Most people with Parkinson’s disease experience tremors – a shaky hand or arm, foot or leg, or even voice. I’m guessing that sometimes those shakes are rhythmic, too.
It’s kind of like an internal metronome that tick, tick, ticks to the beat of someone else’s creation.
For me, it happens with the most unlikely of songs. That first time in the car, it was with Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” It’s not a song I even like, but there I was, smiling while watching my hand dance on the wheel as if it had a mind of its own.
It’s my new game to look for tremor songs.
If I were to make a playlist
. . . here are some that would be included. They’re not all perfectly matched to my tremor, but they’re close.
- “Every Breath You Take” by The Police
- “Believer” by Imagine Dragons
- “Don’t Stop” by Fleetwood Mac
- “I Will Wait” by Mumford & Sons
- “Eye in the Sky” by Alan Parsons Project
- “All Star” by Smash Mouth (RIP Steve Harwell)
Scientists have studied how internal cadences, or rhythms, affect the way we move, talk, and even think.
Not surprisingly, abnormal rhythms in the brain have been linked to Parkinson’s and related disorders. That’s just one thing that can cause tremors.
But external musical rhythms can actually be used to alleviate tremors and other Parkinson’s symptoms, studies show.
I’m not sure if the internal beats that can be linked to songs are unique to each person with Parkinson’s, or whether they change depending on certain factors.
But I’m always on the lookout for a new match.
Photo credits, from top down: Tim Bernhard, Adrian Olichon, Pixabay, Hal Gatewood, Josh Sorenson
Humor me: If you’ve experienced this, I’d love to hear about it. Add a comment below.
I haven’t noticed specific songs that are in rhythm with my tremor but when my tremor is aggravating me, listening to music sometimes helps reduce my tremor. Also tapping on the pinkie side of my hand at a slower beat helps make it less annoying.
I’m always looking for ways to make tremors less annoying, so I appreciate your comment. I’ll definitely try the pinkie tapping thing! Thanks for reading.
My husband was diagnosed of Parkinson’s Disease a couple of years ago, he had severe fatigue, difficulty with mobility and sleeping. He was placed on Sinemet 3 times daily, which helped but only for a short while. So we decided to try alternative treatment and began on PD-5 protocol , It has made tremendous difference for my husband, he had improved walking balance, muscle strength and he is now very active. His Parkinson’s is totally under control, we got the treatment from binehealthcenter . com. This treatment is a breakthrough for PWP!
Thanks for sharing the story of your husband discovering something the works for him. Alternative medicine can be a viable option for dealing with symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. And I’ll add that it’s important to watch out for those who are just trying to make a buck off of people’s afflictions.