Understanding PTSD Tremors: What They Are and How Veterans Can Find Relief

Understanding PTSD Tremors: What They Are and How Veterans Can Find Relief
Table of Contents

Key Takeaways

  • Veterans experiencing trauma may develop involuntary shaking or trembling (sometimes termed “PTSD tremors”) that reflect nervous‑system activation, trauma exposure or co‑occurring conditions rather than only neurological disease.

  • These tremors can be triggered by hyperarousal, startle responses, or trauma re‑experiencing, especially in veterans with combat exposure, brain injury or co‑morbid anxiety or substance use issues.

  • Recognizing tremors as part of the broader picture of trauma and mental‑health conditions (rather than isolated symptoms) allows for more effective trauma‑informed care including physical regulation, somatic therapies and dual‑diagnosis treatment.

  • Treatment approaches should assess both neurological and psychological causes, integrate nervous‑system regulation (e.g., somatic release exercises) with trauma work, and be tailored for veterans who may have a complex mix of PTSD, substance use, anxiety or brain injury.

 

When someone hears the phrase “tremors,” they might instinctively think of a neurodegenerative disease or a neurological disorder. But for many veterans dealing with Post‑Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or other trauma‑related conditions, trembling, shaking or “tremors” may also show up as an unexpected physical symptom. In this article we’ll take a closer look at “PTSD tremors” — what we mean when we use that term, why they may occur, how they differ from other medical tremors, and how veterans and their families can address them through trauma‑informed care at Aliya Veterans.

What Do We Mean by “PTSD Tremors”?

“Tremors” refer to involuntary, rhythmic muscle movements — shaking, quivering, trembling of the hands, arms, legs, body, or even voice. When a veteran with PTSD experiences tremors, they may appear in a few contexts:

  • Trembling or shaking during or immediately after a trauma trigger, flashback or panic‑attack type episode.

  • A chronic or recurring tremor linked to long‑standing hyperarousal or nervous‑system dysregulation associated with PTSD.

  • A tremor that may not have a purely neurological origin, but instead reflects the body’s stress response, psychological trauma and the nervous system’s “fight‑flight‑freeze” activation.

Importantly, the phrase “PTSD tremors” does not mean that PTSD alone causes a classic neurological tremor in every case — rather, tremors can be part of the broader physical‑symptom picture of trauma, especially in veterans who have sustained high levels of stress, exposure to combat, blast injuries, or have co‑occurring anxiety, depression, or substance use disorders.

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Why might tremors occur in PTSD or trauma contexts?

Here are some of the key mechanisms and contributory factors:

1. Hyperarousal & sympathetic nervous system activation

When someone with PTSD is triggered — perhaps by a sound, memory, or situation that brings them back to the traumatic event — the body may go into a high‑alert state: elevated heart rate, increased breathing, muscle tension, sweating, trembling. The body is primed for “fight or flight”. According to the NHS, physical sensations in PTSD may include trembling. Additionally, in anxiety‑related trembling, muscle priming and sympathetic activation play key roles. 

2. Psychogenic or functional tremor pathways

Certain tremors have a psychogenic or “functional” origin, meaning they occur without a primary structural neurological disease, but are linked to psychological distress, trauma, or conversion‑type responses. The concept of psychogenic movement disorders includes tremor arising from underlying psychological conditions. BrainFacts+1 For example, one case report found a veteran with loud noise‑induced tremors, attributed to PTSD and psychological origin. PubMed

3. Trauma‑related neurologic or physical injury

In some veterans, tremors may result from brain or nervous‑system trauma — for instance, blast‑induced traumatic brain injury (TBI) or other combat‑related head/nerve injuries. These can create tremor disorders (post‑traumatic tremor) which may coincide with PTSD. Also, a study of veterans found that PTSD, anxiety and depression were strongly associated with tremors. 

4. Substance use, withdrawal and co‑occurring conditions

Veterans with trauma histories may also struggle with substance use disorders (SUDs). Some substances (or their withdrawal) can cause tremors (e.g., alcohol withdrawal tremors). In addition, chronic stress, poor health habits, or comorbid medical conditions linked to PTSD may increase risk of tremor.

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Why it matters to address tremors in your trauma/healing journey

  1. Physical manifestation of mental‑health distress: Tremors are not just a “nervous reaction” — they reflect the intensity of trauma on your nervous system and body. Ignoring them can mean ignoring a key part of your healing.

  2. Impact on quality of life and functioning: Uncontrolled tremors can interfere with work, relationships, hobbies, self‑esteem, and may reinforce isolation (“I don’t want people to see me shake”).

  3. Potential indicator of co‑occurring issues: Within the veteran and first‑responder population, tremors in the presence of PTSD may signal underlying anxiety disorders, substance use disorders, head injury/brain trauma, or neurological conditions.

  4. Opportunity for trauma‑informed treatment: Recognizing tremors as part of your stress/trauma response allows you and your care team to apply targeted interventions — not just for tremor reduction, but for trauma relief, nervous‑system regulation, and reclaiming control.

What Steps Can Veterans Take? How Aliya Veterans Can help

1. Seek a comprehensive assessment

  • Make sure a health provider (psychiatrist/neurologist) assesses the tremor to rule out purely neurological causes or physical injury. Tremors that begin after head trauma, or with progression, may need a neurologic work‑up.

  • At the same time, get a trauma/mental‑health assessment for PTSD, anxiety disorders, substance use disorders and other co‑occurring conditions.

  • At Aliya Veterans, we specialize in trauma‑related disorders for veterans and first responders and can coordinate dual‑diagnosis care (trauma + SUD) under one roof.

2. Integrate trauma‑informed and nervous‑system regulation interventions

  • Treatments like Tension & Trauma Releasing Exercises (TRE) use the body’s own tremor mechanism to release tension stored in the body, offering a way to work with rather than fight the tremor. 

  • Use mindfulness, yoga, deep‑breathing, progressive muscle‑relaxation, grounding exercises to reduce hyperarousal and “fight‑flight” activation. 

  • Incorporate evidence‑based trauma therapies: Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills, cognitive processing therapy, trauma‑informed somatic therapies.

3. Address co‑occurring conditions

  • If you have anxiety disorder, depressive disorder, substance use disorder (SUD), or physical injury (e.g., blast TBI), these need to be treated alongside PTSD. In one veteran‑study, PTSD/anxiety/depression were strongly linked with tremor.

  • Emerging symptoms (e.g., tremor worsening, spreading, impacting function) may require neurologic referral and targeted treatment (medication, physical therapy). 

4. Build lifestyle support and resilience

  • Regular physical exercise, good sleep hygiene, avoidance or moderation of stimulants (caffeine), limiting alcohol & substances that might exacerbate tremors.

  • Nutrition, hydration and physical wellness support overall nervous‑system regulation.

  • Peer support: connecting with other veterans, sharing experiences around tremors and trauma helps reduce isolation and shame.

5. Choose a trauma‑informed veteran‑specific provider

  • At Aliya Veterans we provide programs specifically for combat veterans, first‑responders and their families — including trauma and stress disorders, substance use disorders, and integrated mental‑health care.

  • We understand how tremors may manifest as part of the trauma/mental‑illness picture, and tailor treatment accordingly — rather than simply “treating the tremor” in isolation.

  • If you’re noticing tremors, shaking, trembling tied to triggers, stress, flashbacks or anxiety — reach out. We can conduct a comprehensive intake, integrate care, and support your recovery journey from body to mind.

Final thoughts

If you’re a veteran experiencing tremors — whether occasional hand‑shakes when triggered, persistent leg‑shaking when anxious, or unexplained body trembling — know this: the body is speaking. It’s communicating trauma, stress, arousal, nervous‑system dys‑regulation. These tremors are not a sign of personal weakness. They are a clue — and a call to care.

At Aliya Veterans, you don’t have to face this alone. We offer a health program built around veterans and first‑responders — integrating mental health care, trauma treatment, substance use treatment, and physical wellness. Tremors are one piece of the puzzle. Let’s work together to bring the whole picture into view — body, mind, mission.

Reach out today. Get an evaluation. Begin the journey to regulation, freedom from chronic hyper‑arousal, and reclaiming your life beyond the tremors.

 

David Szarka
Medically Reviewed by David Szarka, MA, LCADC
Written by Aliya Veterans Writers
Evan Gove
Latest posts by Evan Gove (see all)
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