Restless Legs Syndrome is a nerve condition characterised by annoying feelings with the lower limbs with the powerful desire to slowly move the lower limbs, typically experienced when attempting to rest. This odd sensation, typically with the calves, is explained as a kind of cramp, soreness or maybe a creeping, moving sensation. Some liken the feeling to shooting darts of electrical power, or perhaps squirming creatures inside the lower limbs. The feelings range in seriousness from not comfortable to aggravating to painful.
The most distinctive aspect of the condition is always that when lying down and trying to relax triggers the symptoms. Consequently, the majority of people with restless legs syndrome experience difficulty falling asleep as well as staying asleep. If left untreated, the problem can lead to lethargy and also day time low energy.
Those with restless legs syndrome feel unpleasant sensations within their legs, particularly when seated or lying down, together with the hard to resist impulse to move about. Most of these sensations usually take place deep inside the leg, between the knee and ankle joint; more infrequently, they can affect the foot, upper thighs, arms, and even the hands. Although the feelings may occur on only one side of the body, they will most often have an impact on both sides. Because moving the lower limbs relieves the discomfort, people with restless legs syndrome commonly keep their lower limbs moving to lower or stop the sensations. They may pace the floor, constantly moving their lower limbs when sitting, and move about in bed.
Most of the affected individuals find the sensations of restless legs syndrome to generally be significantly less obvious throughout the day and much more evident later in the day or during the night, particularly in the course of the onset of sleep. For some people, the symptoms disappear by early morning, allowing for more refreshing sleep at that time. Other triggering situations are periods of inactivity such as long car trips, sitting in a movie theatre, long-distance flights, immobilisation in a cast, or relaxation exercises.
What’s causing it is unidentified but people with a family background of restless legs syndrome comprise somewhere around 50% of the cases, and those with lower iron levels or anaemia, chronic illnesses such as kidney failure, all forms of diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, and peripheral neuropathy, some women that are pregnant in their final trimester and individuals using certain drugs are most often more prone to to be affected by restless legs syndrome.
Restless legs syndrome may affect anyone of all ages, even though the problem is more prevalent with advancing age. It occurs in both genders, while the frequency can be marginally higher in women. From time to time those with this will encounter spontaneous improvement over a duration of weeks or months. Although rare, spontaneous improvement after a number of years could also take place. Whenever these improvements come about, in most cases during the first stages of the disorder. Normally, however, sensations become more intense over time.
Typically the clinical diagnosis of restless legs syndrome is tricky to arrive at. Doctors usually depend generally on patients’ descriptions of the sensations and details using their medical history, which includes earlier health concerns, family history, and also present medicines. Patients can be asked about frequency, duration, and also the level of the symptoms in addition to their inclination to daytime sleep activities and sleepiness, interference of sleep, or daytime functionality. If a patient’s background is suggestive of restless legs syndrome, lab studies can be conducted to rule out other concerns and confirm the conclusion restless legs syndrome. Blood testing, studies to determine electrical activity in the muscles as well as the nerves, and Doppler assessments in order to measure muscle signals with the lower limbs may well be recommended. Such tests are able to find any associated injury or disorder in nerves and neural roots or some other leg-related movement problems.
For the latest research on restless legs syndrome, see:
Restless legs syndrome brain stimulation study supports motor cortex ‘excitability’ as a cause
Article by: Craig Payne December 30, 2022