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What is it?
Restless Leg syndrome, also known as RLS, is a neurologic condition that affects an estimated 10% of the population. The condition causes jumpy, tingly, or a feeling of 'restless' legs. It is a relatively harmless condition that can affect sleep cylces and ability to comfortably rest.
Symptoms
- A strong desire to move legs when sitting or lying down.
- A feeling of crawling, discomfort, itchy-ness, or some describe it as a 'desire to crawl out of their own skin'.
- Occasional jumping of the legs at night while sleeping or while resting in bed.
- Symptoms tend to get worse at night.
- These sensations improve with movement of the legs, such as walking, stretching, etc.
Causes
- RLS tends to be genetically linked, so incidence is higher when one or more immediate family members also suffer from it.
- It is often related to anemia or iron and vitamin B12 deficiencies.
- Evidence suggests that RLS can be exacerbated by taking certain cold or allergy medications, especially ones containing antihistamines.
- Other drugs that can make symptoms worse are: calcium-channel blockers (used to treat high blood pressure and heart conditions), most anti-nausea medications, major tranquilizers (including haloperidol and phenothiazines), and the anti seizure medication, phenytoin.
- Some women experience it when they are pregnant but symptoms disappear after delivering.
- Patients with end-stage renal disease may experience RLS.
- Researchers are also currently investigating the role of impaired transmission of dopamine signals in RLS.
Who gets it?
Anyone can get this condition but it seems more common in middle age. However, children can get it. In fact, most are able to remember early signs of it in their youth. If it seems that your child suffers from the symptoms listed above, it is important to check with a doctor. Some parents may confuse these symptoms for 'hyperactivity' or ADD. However, there is increasing evidence linking RLS and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
How is it diagnosed?
There is no official diagnosis or lab test for this condition. Most assess if they have seeing if their symptoms match the basic list of criteria.
A doctor might also check your iron blood levels to see if this might be influencing your symptoms. Some medical professionals may try to look more deeply at your sleep cycles to see if there are any other issues with your sleeping that would contribute to restlessness. People who have more severe cases may experience lots of jerking movements in their sleeping, disrupting their healthy sleep cycles.
Treatment
- Treatment can vary from natural routes to more drastic pharmaceutical drugs.
- A healthy diet and lifestyle seem to be essential in managing this condition. This should include regular exercise, stretching, walking, yoga and meditation.
- Avoid drinking alcohol or caffeine as they can make RLS worse.
- If possible, try to eliminate the medications that are known to make RLS worse.
- In 2005 and 2006, the FDA approved the first two RLS drugs: ropinirole (Requip) and pramipexole (Mirapex). These following classes of medications have also been found to help the symptoms of RLS: dopaminergic agents, sedatives, anticonvulsants, and pain relievers.
- Some really find that regular and light excercise can help with feelings of restlessness. Yoga can really make a difference in helping to keep the muscles stretches and relaxed, as tight muscles may contribute to the perception of restless legs. Yoga also helps as it trains the body and the breath for meditation.
- Meditation can make a difference. Even the most basic form of meditation can help to calm the mind which can help with disorders that interrupt sleep. Greater awareness of the mind and breath not only acts to calm the mind and relax the body, but it can also help us to stop identifying with the body so strongly. As a result, body sensations and symptoms that would normally be really aggravating may not be as upsetting otherwise.
What is the long-term prognosis?
The long-term prognosis is generally positive. There does not appear to be any permanent or degenerative damage caused by RLS. However, some do experience a worsening of symptoms over time. This is noted by an increase of symptoms in waking, day hours. If this happens, the current medication treatment plan needs to be careful reviewed.
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