Treatment FAQs

The FDA approved the Exablate Neuro device for treating essential tremor at the end of 2016.

Close to 1,000 treatments have been performed worldwide.

First of all, focused ultrasound is proven safe and effective to treat essential tremor in patients who have not responded to medication. Secondly, because there is no surgical incisions or implants and the treatment is guided by MR imaging, the risk of infection is significantly reduced or eliminated, hospitalization is minimized or avoided altogether, and patients can quickly get back to living their lives

In order to have the Neuravive focused ultrasound treatment, you must have a confirmed diagnosis of essential tremor that does not respond to medication (such as propranolol or primidone). It is estimated that 30-50% of patients do not get acceptable tremor relief from medication. If you do not get tremor relief from medication, then Neuravive may be an option. Please discuss with your neurologist

For short periods of time during the treatment you may experience nausea, pain or other sensations.

You will be asked to do tasks such as drawing spirals so the treating physician can evaluate the improvement of your tremor and identify any potential side effects that you may be experiencing during the treatment.

Many patients report immediate and lasting improvement of the tremor in their treated hand.

The treatment usually takes about 3 hours. Depending on clinical considerations of the treating physician, patients often remain in the hospital for 24 hours.

There is the possibility that your tremor may return months or even years after the Neuravive treatment, or that the tremor may not improve at all. And while the treatment may improve your tremor, it’s important to understand that it does not treat the underlying disease nor prevent its progression.

There is a small risk that you could develop temporary or permanent muscle weakness, unsteadiness when walking, sensory loss, or numbness or tingling in your fingers or elsewhere in your body.