The University of Virginia recently led an international clinical trial determining the effectiveness of focused ultrasound on the treatment of essential tremors. Having an essential tremor can disrupt everyday life, making it difficult to write, feed oneself, and participate in many other daily activities. Of the 76 participants, those that received the experimental treatment reported dramatic improvement, whereas those that received the “sham” treatment showed no significant improvements. Some reported side-effects included numbness in the hands or face and gait disturbances, though most of these were temporary. The focused ultrasound device has been approved by the FDA but whether insurance companies will pay for the treatment and who will be eligible has yet to be finalized.