Essential tremor.

A 66-year-old woman presents with tremor of the hands. She first noticed a mild tremor six years earlier, but the tremor has been worsening for the pa st two years. It occurs when she is using her hands, interfering with some activities of daily living. For example, she can no longer eat soup without spilling, put in her contact lenses, or apply lipstick. A writer, she is n o longer able to write in longhand or type her manuscripts and must dictate them. The tremor causes a great deal of embarrassment in social situations . How should this patient be evaluated and treated?