Restless Leg Syndrome

Restless Leg Syndrome

Also known as Willis-Ekbom disease or Willmaack-Ekbom syndrome, Restless Leg Syndrome, RLS, is a neurological disorder characterized by an irresistible urge to move in order to stop uncomfortable symptoms that range from pain or aching in the muscles to a sense of an itch or tickle you can’t stop, a crawling feeling, or numbness.

For me, it feels like a painless muscle spasm. I can’t remain still, and while moving stops the sensation, it’s only temporary. I usually get it at bedtime, occasionally sitting before bed. Doing leg lifts in bed until the muscles are too tired to do one more often stops the sensations. I rarely get the symptom where the legs jerk or move on their own, though I have experienced it.

Symptoms disrupt sleep and can cause problems (sleepiness, loss of quality of life) in the waking hours. Some people experience symptoms during the day and in the arms, torso, and head, but most get them at night in the legs.

Diagnosis

No specific tests have been devised to diagnosis the disorder. Four symptoms are used to diagnose RLS: more severe at night with an irresistible urge to move; accompanied by uncomfortable sensations; symptoms begin after a period of relaxation or staying still; and movement gives temporary relief.

Being a spectrum disorder—ranging from a minor annoyance to a major disruption of sleep—finding the cause may be difficult but certain things need to be ruled out. Low iron levels account for twenty percent of cases and can be relieved with iron therapy. Conversely, seventy-five percent of people have increased iron stores. Treatment with drugs can be controversial, especially in cases with no known cause. It is not curative and can have major side effects. No specific method has been established to prevent symptoms other than in cases where a specific underlying cause has been found.

There are conditions that can be associated with RLS such as varicose veins, folate or magnesium deficiency, diabetes, ADHD, which has a similar dysfunction related to neurotransmitter dopamine, though neither condition has been proven to cause the other.

Two Types

Primary RLS is an idiopathic condition, meaning it has no known cause, and usually begins slowly at forty to forty-five years of age and may disappear for months or years. It is often progressive, worsening with age. Secondary RLS has a sudden onset after forty and may have daily symptoms from the beginning. This type is usually associated with specific medical conditions or the use of certain drugs.

Some medications such as over-the-counter antihistamines or antidepressants may cause or worsen RLS. Surgery can worsen both types and back surgery or injury can cause it. Many cause vs effect conditions or behaviors (excess weight, lack of exercise, mental illnesses) are not well studied.

General Facts

Sixty percent of cases are inherited. Two and a half to fifteen percent of the population is affected, and RLS is twice as common in women. Race also plays a role—Caucasians more prone to RLS than those of African descent. It occurs in three percent of Mediterranean or Middle Eastern people and one to five percent of people of Far Eastern descent. (Don’t know how accurate these facts are. Wikipedia is not always reliable.)