Essential Tremor patient can pursue dream career thanks to an implant fitted by The Walton Centre

In 2015, third year medical student Dan Pearson began to notice tremors in his hands when doing working with his hands. After a GP referral to The Walton Centre, Dan’s diagnosis of Essential Tremor was confirmed. 

Essential Tremor is a neurological disorder that causes an uncontrollable shake or trembling in a part of the body, which can be disruptive to everyday life for up to a million people in the UK each year (https://tremor.org.uk/).

Dan said: “I was doing a lab project as part of my studies and noticed when I was pipetting samples that my hands were shaking. They started to get worse as the year progressed and that’s when I wanted to see experts at The Walton Centre. They knew immediately it was Essential Tremor and gave me a range of treatment options, mainly medication to start with.”

But after a few years of medication, the 28 year old from Rainhill noticed that the symptoms were coming back. It was at this point that Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) was suggested. DBS involves implanting electrodes in certain areas of the brain, which are causing the tremors, through which electrical impulses are then delivered to regulate brain activity. Dan was referred to Mr Jibril Farah, a Consultant Neurosurgeon specialising in DBS here at The Walton Centre.

Dan continued: “Mr Farah was brilliant at giving me options and the space to decide what is best for me as an Essential Tremor patient and a medical student. I went away and read some literature he suggested, but ultimately decided to go ahead with DBS procedure.

“During testing the electrodes in my head they turned them on and my symptoms disappeared. I couldn’t believe it. I was so emotional. I knew I’d made the right decision.”   

Following further appointments with the DBS team to get the calibration right, Dan has progressed his medical career and is now considering which area to specialise in. He said: “Having the DBS procedure was definitely the right choice. I went from barely able to hold a pen to paper, to now writing coherently. More importantly it’s given me my options back career-wise. Where surgical options would’ve been out of the question, I can now consider these without my condition being a big contributing factor. I can’t thank The Walton Centre enough for that.

“I think everyone needs a greater understanding of Essential Tremor. Too many see people’s symptoms and jump to conclusions.”

 

 

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Notes to editors

Further information, or to arrange an interview, please contact the Communications Team at The Walton Centre on 0151 556 3397 or wcft.communications@nhs.net

The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust is the only hospital trust in the UK specialising in neurology, neurosurgery and pain services. Although the majority of patients come from Merseyside, Cheshire, North Wales, Lancashire and the Isle of Man, for some specialist treatments of complex disorders we see patients from all parts of the country, referred by their GPs or other neurologists, neurosurgeons and pain clinicians.

The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust was rated as ‘Outstanding’ by the Care Quality Commission. The independent regulator of all health and social care services in England published its rating on Friday 21 October 2016, following announced and unannounced inspection visits to the Trust in April 2016.

For more information please visit: www.thewaltoncentre.nhs.uk or follow the Trust on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.

 

The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust, Lower Lane, Fazakerley, Liverpool L9 7LJ
0151 525 3611