The Tremor

Specials

Specials

Surgery is a fast-paced, high stress job. Surgeons undergo years of meticulous training to do what they do, and the pressure can be intense. Many, often to their own horror and shame, begin to develop a condition, about which there is still a huge amount of stigma - tremor. Tremor is an unconscious, uncontrolled movement, often in the hands, and can effect the fine motor skills required to do the intricate work of surgery. The causes are complex, and are not the same for everyone. Many are psychological, related to anxiety and compounded by stress and pressure. But in the macho, competitive world of surgery, many who develop the condition are afraid of being labelled 'unfit' for the work they love. They are told to take beta-blockers, and not to talk about it. Many suffer in silence. When Dr Lilli Cooper developed a tremor herself she asked around for support, and found none.