Key Points
- Michael lived with essential tremor for most of his life, but when it began impacting his work and daily life, he sought treatment.
- He shares his path to finding focused ultrasound, his “remarkable” results, and how he is helping to raise awareness.
Michael Werner is a healthcare attorney in Washington, DC, who leads the life sciences practice at his firm and specializes in providing regulatory and public policy advice for companies developing new healthcare technologies. Despite his years of work with biotechnology and medical device companies, he had never heard of focused ultrasound until he sought treatment options for his essential tremor, a condition that he had dealt with for most of his life.
“I have always had unsteady hands. I was never very good at using a hammer or a screwdriver or those types of things. But I am an athletic person, and I played a lot of sports, so I was always confused about why my hands weren’t steady.”
Then, in his mid-fifties, he started to develop a significant tremor.
“I began to notice that the tremors in both of my hands were impacting my life. I struggled to button my shirt or carry a plate of food. The tremors worsened when I gave a talk for work or spoke in public, like at my daughter’s wedding. People even commented after my speech that day on how badly my hands were shaking, and I couldn’t hold the glass still to toast the newlyweds.”
Michael finally talked to his doctor about essential tremor treatment options. After seeing a number of physicians and he and his wife doing their own research, he says he was resigned to undergo deep brain stimulation (DBS).
“I was concerned about the risks and maintenance of DBS, but I wanted the tremors to stop. It wasn’t until I spoke with a neurosurgeon at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) that I began to consider an alternative. He asked why I chose DBS over focused ultrasound. At that point, no one had suggested it as a good treatment option for me. The NIH neurologist referred me to the team at the University of Virginia (UVA).”
Michael and his wife soon traveled to Charlottesville and spoke with UVA neurosurgeon Shayan Moosa, MD.
“The entire team at UVA was incredibly helpful and patient. Dr. Moosa said that focused ultrasound might be a good option for my specific case.”
Michael was intrigued. And as luck would have it, he discovered that a professional connection could help confirm his decision to try focused ultrasound.
“I found out that a colleague of mine, Bob Smith, works with the Focused Ultrasound Foundation, and I reached out. I asked if he could connect me with someone who had undergone the procedure, and through the Foundation, I was connected with a patient named Beverly, who had previously been treated with focused ultrasound for essential tremor. I’m so grateful to her for her guidance, as she explained step-by-step what to expect and shared tips to make the treatment day easier. That conversation helped me solidify my decision.”
Michael was treated in May. Going into treatment, he recalls being nervous but hopeful that focused ultrasound could put an end to his tremors.
“The procedure was easy, and it was over quickly – I think they had to do just three treatment sonications.* And the effects were immediate. I was astounded that I could go in for neurosurgery at 8:00 am and have coffee – with a still hand, no less – with my wife later that morning. To this day it’s been remarkable. From something as banal as holding a golf club steadier to being able to tie my tie or drink without spilling, focused ultrasound has been a game-changer for me.”
The procedure did result in some mild – though temporary – side effects, however.
“For a bit afterward, I noticed my tongue tingling when I ate certain foods. It was not enough to impact life, but it was a curious symptom that resolved rather quickly. I also may have experienced some gait issues, though they were so minor it is hard to even attribute them to the procedure.”
And Michael is looking forward to having the second side of his brain treated next year.**
“I had tremors equally in both hands, but I chose to have my right side – my dominant side – treated first. I certainly notice the difference in my right and left hands now that the one is steady. I can’t wait to go back to have my left side treated next year.”
Having undergone the procedure, Michael has become an advocate for focused ultrasound and recently participated in the Foundation’s “fly-in” event on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, which involved meeting with lawmakers to educate them about the technology and advocate for increased research funding and shortening the time between approval and reimbursement.
“I’m no stranger to fly-ins – I’ve done countless of these events for clients at my firm—but this time, being the patient was obviously a different experience. I showed the representatives and their teams a short video on my phone of the difference in my tremor before and after and procedure, and it really spoke for itself. I also enjoyed meeting other focused ultrasound patients – including Beverly.
“I hope I can do my part to help increase awareness of this technology, especially among policymakers. I understand the importance of building champions to help increase patient access to new technologies. I also want to sincerely thank the UVA clinical team and the Focused Ultrasound Foundation. They changed my life.”
*Sonications are the individual doses of focused ultrasound – or zaps, as some patients think of them – to treat the target tissue.
**Focused ultrasound for essential tremor is only approved to treat one side of the brain in a single session. Patients typically need to wait 9-12 months before they can have the other side of the brain treated.
The patient story shared above is a personal account of an individual’s experience with focused ultrasound treatment. Please be aware that each patient’s situation is unique, and outcomes may vary. The information provided in this story should not be considered as medical advice or a guarantee of specific results. It is important to consult with a qualified healthcare provider to discuss your condition and determine the best treatment options for you. The Focused Ultrasound Foundation does not endorse any specific treatment or medical procedure and encourages all patients to seek professional medical guidance tailored to their individual needs.