I have essential tremor and have been to hell and back for the past 62 years. The effects of essential tremor can have a serious impact on a person’s life, with lack of understanding and awareness of the condition leading to ineffective treatment but also bullying. I want to prevent any child or adult going through verbal and physical abuse like i did.
There are over 4000 people in Scotland with essential tremor. The main treatment at the moment is brain surgery or deep brain stimulation (DBS) which some people with the condition do not want to endure. DBS is expensive. The cost to the NHS in Scotland is approximately £30,000. The cost of a focus ultrasound scanner is approximately £10,000. The focus scanner is also a much less invasive procedure.
The introduction of a focus ultrasound scanner together with an awareness raising campaign of essential tremor could help Scotland take the lead in looking at innovative, more effective treatments for the condition.