Just for grins - ask your MD Psychiatrist wife what she thinks of this here FReeper’s theory:
It’s an Intention Tremor, unusual in that it involves the upper body rather than extremities, but a direct result of both alcohol and stroke.
I’m taking my cue from the non-loss of consciousness, the violent shaking, the quick recovery and the subject’s known medical history. Also the onset seemed to be *positional* - it occurred when she turned her head in a particular direction.
My guess is that she was temporarily dried out, had a good jolt of caffeine and hit that special nerve. They probably secreted her away with a bottle of booze and she was back to “normal” within a half hour.
The best person,by far,to pass judgment here is a skilled,experienced Neurologist.Such a physician is best trained to determine if this was a "seizure" or any other neurological (that is,connected to the brain or central nervous system) event.
If it's determined that it's not neurological then one could consult a psychiatrist to see if it might be psychiatric/psychological in nature.
These are not diagnostic comments. They are for information only.
Broad Classification of Tremors
TREMOR TYPE:
Action Tremor: Includes postural, isometric, and kinetic tremors
Occurs in conjunction with with a voluntary contraction of muscle
Kinetic Tremor: Occurs with any form of voluntary movement Includes classic essential, cerebellar, dystonic, and drug-induced tremors
Intention Tremor: Subtype of kinetic tremor amplified as the target is reached
Presence of this type of tremor implies that there is a disturbance of the cerebellum or its pathways
The woman holding the cell phone in front of Hillary just below eye level could have triggered an intention tremor.
Alcohol, caffeine and other drugs could influence this type of tremor.
Diagnostic algorithm for tremors.
Diagnosis of Tremor with an Organic Cause
DRUG- AND METABOLIC-INDUCED TREMORS Dozens of medications can cause or exacerbate tremor. Patients with new-onset tremor should have a comprehensive medication review with specific attention to medications (prescribed and over-the-counter) started proximal to the onset of tremor. Medications particularly prone to inducing or exacerbating tremor are those that stimulate the sympathetic nervous system (e.g., amphetamines, terbutaline, pseudoephedrine) and psychoactive medications (e.g., tricyclic antidepressants, haloperidol, fluoxetine [Prozac]). When medication review reveals a likely culprit, a trial off of this medication should be attempted.
Selected Medications and Substances That May Exacerbate Tremor
Amiodarone
Amphetamines
Atorvastatin (Lipitor)
Beta-adrenergic agonists (e.g., albuterol)
Caffeine
Carbamazepine (Tegretol)
Corticosteroids
Cyclosporine (Sandimmune)
Epinephrine
Fluoxetine (Prozac)
Haloperidol
Hypoglycemic agents
Lithium
Metoclopramide (Reglan)
Methylphenidate (Ritalin)
Pseudoephedrine
Terbutaline
Theophylline
Thyroid hormones
Tricyclic antidepressants
Valproic acid (Depakene)
Verapamil
Hope this helps.......
Most tremors are symmetric, but brain tumors can cause tremors to lateralize to one side. Caffeine and fatigue are often exacerbating factors in essential tremor; alleviating factors are difficult to find. A search must be made for associated diseases (e.g., sleep disorders because fatigued muscles may amplify physiologic tremor; polyneuropathy because lack of innervations may cause small involuntary movements that are interpreted as tremor).
A family history of neurologic disease or tremor suggests a genetic component, as is often seen in essential tremor. A thorough medication history should be obtained to rule out drug-induced tremor.
The patient should also be screened for drugs of abuse and alcohol consumption because alcohol overuse and withdrawal can cause tremor. Conversely, small amounts of alcohol can temporarily relieve essential tremor and can be a clue to the diagnosis.
Source:
Differentiation and Diagnosis of Tremor
PAUL CRAWFORD, MD, and ETHAN E. ZIMMERMAN, MD, Nellis Family Medicine Residency, Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada Am Fam Physician. 2011 Mar 15;83(6):697-702.