We Know: All About Restless Legs Syndrome

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We Know: All About Restless Legs Syndrome

What is restless legs syndrome?

Restless legs syndrome is a disorder that affects the nervous system by causing the legs to feel uncomfortable with a sensation of crawling, numbness and even pain. These bothersome sensations are often relieved by moving the legs, making sleep difficult for sufferers.

What are symptoms of restless legs syndrome?

Need to move legs: If you feel an undeniable urge to shift, move or stretch your legs, you may have restless legs syndrome.

Nighttime inactivity: Restless legs syndrome tends to flare up most often at nighttime, when the body is inactive and every sensation is heightened.

Leg twitching: This is different than the urge to move your legs. Leg twitching is uncontrollable and can occur several times during the course of one sleep cycle. The result is a restless sleep for both you and your partner. This sort of uncontrollable twitching, which can actually wake you from sleep, can also occur in the arms.

Tingling: Any sort of odd sensation of the legs that persists predominately at night or while inactive could be restless legs syndrome. Particularly, numbness, a sense of crawling or a pins and needles feeling in the legs are good indicators of restless legs syndrome.

What causes restless legs syndrome?

While no known cause exists for restless legs syndrome, it is believed to be connected to a chemical imbalance of the brain involving dopamine. It is also possible that this condition may be hereditary. Stress has been shown to worsen the symptoms of restless legs syndrome in current sufferers but is not a cause. Some pregnant women have been known to develop the disorder during their last few months of pregnancy and then it clears up on its own after birth.

Who is most commonly afflicted with restless legs syndrome?

Anemia sufferers: The iron deficiency can either go hand in hand with or cause restless legs syndrome.

Pregnant women: As mentioned earlier, pregnant women have an increased risk of developing restless legs syndrome, although their symptoms often disappear after delivery.

Women: In general, women are more likely to develop restless legs syndrome than men.

Prescription drug users: Antihistamines, steroids and antidepressants have all been linked to the onset of restless legs syndrome or the aggravation of a current condition.

What sorts of treatments are available for sufferers of restless legs syndrome?

Have a set bedtime: Going to bed and waking up at the same time everyday can sometimes lessen the symptoms of restless legs syndrome.

Exercise: Having a regular fitness plan can help ease the urge to move your legs once you crawl into bed. Just don't exercise close to bedtime as this can aggravate the condition.

Avoid stimulants: Eliminating caffeine and alcohol from your diet, at least on a trial basis, can help reduce the symptoms. If you see no improvement after reducing or eliminating your intake of these substances, they may not be contributing to your condition, so resuming intake is okay.

Evaluate your medication: If you're taking prescription drugs as mentioned above, they could be causing or making your condition worse. Discuss your medication with your doctor before stopping any treatment plan you're on.

Medication: If none of the above work or your condition is not caused by an underlying problem like iron deficiency, your doctor may prescribe a dopamine antagonist to ease your symptoms. Even though this drug is typically prescribed to treat Parkinson's disease, it has been shown to reduce the crawling and uncomfortable feelings associated with restless legs syndrome.