Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, this week revealed a nervous system condition that she said she has had for decades but is not considered dangerous or an impairment to doing her job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Collins, who at times has visible trembling in her hands and head, told NBC affiliate WCSH in Maine on Wednesday that she has had \u201can extremely common condition that is called a benign essential tremor\u201d throughout her nearly 30 years in Congress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI have had it for the entire time that I have served in the United States Senate,\u201d said Collins, who has represented Maine since 1997. \u201cIt has absolutely no impact on my ability to do my job or how I feel each day.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Collins, 73, added that the tremor is \u201cinconvenient at times, but that\u2019s all.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Benign essential tremor can happen at any age, but it is most common in people over 40, according to the Mayo Clinic. The tremor can worsen over time, but it\u2019s not life-threatening and doesn\u2019t cause other health problems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIf you talk to anybody in Washington, they will tell you that I am the hardest-working person that they have ever worked with, and the fact is I\u2019ve never missed a single vote in all the time that I\u2019ve been honored to represent the people of Maine,\u201d Collins told WCSH. \u201cI think that\u2019s pretty good evidence of the fact that I am blessed with great health.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Collins\u2019 office said in a January news release that she has never missed a vote as senator, boasting a streak of nearly 10,000 consecutive votes that her office said was the second-longest in Senate history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She is seeking a sixth term in the Senate and is expected to face Democrat Graham Platner, 41, in the fall after Gov. Janet Mills, 78, dropped out of the Democratic primary last week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Platner, a combat veteran, talked about his health in an interview with WCSH in October.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI have a couple herniated discs. My shoulder\u2019s a wreck. My knees bother me. The VA gives me physical therapy for those things. I was also diagnosed with PTSD,\u201d said Platner, who has a 100% disability rating from the Veterans Administration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He told WCSH in November that his disability rating would not affect his ability to serve as a senator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The general election is expected to be one of the most contentious during this year\u2019s midterms. Collins last won re-election in 2020 won with 51% of the vote, beating her Democratic opponent by nearly 9 percentage points.<\/p>\n\n\n\n