Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS)
What Is Restless Legs Syndrome? What
Can You Do About It?
Restless Legs Syndrome is a medical condition which causes
an uncomfortable feeling in the legs. These feelings will
become more intense when lying down or when sitting. The only
way an affected individual can soothe this annoying feeling
is by getting up and moving around. This is common for the
feelings to occur during sleep, the person must first awaken
and then move. Restless legs syndrome is considered as a sleeping
disorder because of the constant disruption of sleep.
The most common symptom is the uncomfortable feeling in the
legs and arms. It is hard to describe the feelings, but, the
sufferers will know that the feelings aren't cramps or pain
in the muscles. RLS can cause a tingling, prickling or burning
sensation. Some sufferers claim their legs feel as if tiny
bugs are crawling under the skin. These feelings are more
prominent during nighttime and are brought about by inactivity.
These symptoms can subside and then recur and the intensity
varies.
Another symptom of RLS is the involuntary leg flexing and
extension which is called Periodic Limb Movements of Sleep
(PLMS), most of them who suffer this problem aren't even aware
of it because it only occurs during sleep. However, PLMS does
keep you from entering a deep sleep and as well as cause disruptive
sleep for anyone else sleeping in the same bed.
RLS appears to be associated with a release of the chemical
dopamine which controls muscle movement. It may be hereditary
since it is proven that it runs in the blood of 50% of the
sufferers. Stress and pregnancy can intensify the symptoms.
A deficiency of iron can cause symptoms to appear as the nerves
in the hands and feet that have become damaged because of
alcoholism or diabetes.
It is quite difficult to diagnose RLS. Firstly, the symptoms
can actually be caused by a series of other conditions including
stress, muscle cramps and nerves. Secondly, those with symptoms
simply don't seek medical attention. However when RLS is suspected,
diagnosis has to be made by evaluating the answers to a number
of different questions asked by your doctor. The questions
will generally involce describing the feelings including their
frequency and what makes them go away and describing your
sleeping patterns. A visit to a sleep center where your sleep
can be closely monitored is often prescribed to help make
a correct diagnosis.
The most obvious symptom of RLS is the uncontrollable leg
movement. Walking, stretching, twitching and exercise are
the types of movements most choose. However, if RLS is found
to have an underlying cause such as an iron deficiency, treating
the root cause typically helps the symptoms of RLS fade away.
Lifestyle changes and medication are the common recommended
treatments for the symptoms of RLS. Muscle relaxants, medicines
to treat Parkinson's disease and epilepsy, antidepressants
and opiods are commonly prescribed. Since these medications
are designed to treat other medical conditions, therefore
their use as a treatment for RLS can have mixed results.
As for the non-prescription treatments, they include over-the-counter
pain relievers, hot or cool packs, massage, yoga, exercise
and development of a sleep routine that encourages better
sleep.
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