Essential tremor group helps Katy residents

March has been designated as "National Essential Tremor Awareness Month" due to a House resolution passed by Congress in December, 2010.

Essential tremor is a progressive neurological condition which causes a rhythmic, involuntary and uncontrollable trembling of the hands, head, voice, legs or trunk. It is frequently misdiagnosed as Parkinson's disease. ET is due to abnormal communication between certain areas of the brain, including the cerebellum, thalamus and brain stem. In the majority of people, ET is inherited.

To find out information about the Katy Essential Tremor Support Group, contact Betty Schwarz, support group leader, at: 281-347-2194 or e-mail: schwarzrb@comcast.net.

The local support group meets the first Thursday of the month at Heritage Grand Clubhouse, 25125 N. Heritage Grand Circle, Katy.

Despite the nearly 10 million people in the United States directly affected by ET, little awareness of the disorder exists. U.S. Rep. Dennis Moore, Third District, Kansas, sponsored Resolution 1264 because he saw firsthand the everyday struggles that an ET patient must conquer: He witnessed one of his close friends experiencing difficulty buttoning his shirt, lifting a glass of water and signing his name.

Catherine Rice, executive director of the International Essential Tremor Foundation, responded to the passage of the resolution saying, "This designation of March as National Essential Tremor Awareness Month will provide our organization with another platform to educate the public about the condition, as well as raise much needed funds to find a cure."

To receive more information about essential tremor, call the IETF at 888-387-3667 or visit www.essentialtremor.org