Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS)

• At an office desk
• During classes, seminars or lectures
• Riding in a car or during any kind of travel on airplanes or trains
• Watching a movie

People with RLS describe an irresistible urge to move the legs when the sensations occur. Usually, moving the legs, walking, rubbing or massaging the legs, or doing knee bends can bring relief, at least briefly.

Restless Legs Syndrome symptoms worsen during periods of relaxation and decreased activity. RLS symptoms also tend to follow a set daily cycle, with the evening and night hours being more troublesome for RLS sufferers than the morning hours. People with Restless Legs Syndrome may find it difficult to relax and fall asleep because of their strong urge to walk or do other activities to relieve the sensations in their legs. Persons with Restless Legs Syndrome often sleep best toward the end of the night or during the morning hours.

Periodic Limb Movements (PLMD)


Many people with RLS also have a related sleep disorder called Periodic Limb Movements in sleep (PLMD). PLMD is characterized by involuntary jerking or bending leg movements during sleep that typically occur every 10 to 60 seconds. Some people may experience hundreds of such movements per night, which can wake them, disturb their sleep, and awaken bed partners.
People who have Restless Legs Syndrome and PLMD have trouble both falling asleep and staying asleep and may experience extreme sleepiness during the day. As a result of problems both in sleeping and while awake, people with RLS may have difficulties with their job, social life, and recreational activities.

Other conditions such as diabetes or peripheral neuropathy can be the underlying cause for RLS in some patients. Once the primary cause of the pain is treated, there is a chance that the RLS symptoms will diminish as well:

• Unpleasant feeling in the legs and/or , often described as creeping, crawling, tingling, pulling, or painful
• Leg sensations are relieved by walking, stretching, knee bends, massage, or hot or cold baths
• Leg discomfort occurs when lying down or sitting for prolonged periods of time
• The symptoms are worse in the evening and during the night.

• Involuntary leg (and occasionally arm) movements while asleep
• Difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep
• Sleepiness or fatigue during the daytime
• Cause of the leg discomfort not detected by medical tests
• Family members with similar symptoms

Diagnosis

The following characteristics have to be present in a patient for an RLS diagnosis:

• A strong urge to move your legs that cannot be resisted. The need to move is often accompanied by uncomfortable sensations. Some words used to describe these sensations include - creeping, itching, pulling, creepy-crawly, tugging or gnawing.
• Your Restless Legs Syndrome symptoms start or become worse when you are resting. The longer you are resting, the greater the chance the symptoms will occur and the more severe they are likely to be.
• Your Restless Legs Syndrome symptoms get better when you move your legs. The relief can be complete or only partial but generally starts very soon after starting an activity. Relief persists as long as the motor activity continues.
• Your Restless Legs Syndrome symptoms are worse in the evening especially when you are lying down. Activities that bother you at night do not bother you during the day.

• Restless Legs Syndrome occurs in about 5 to 10 percent of the general population.
• Women are twice as likely to have RLS compared to men.
• As many as 25% of women develop RLS during pregnancy.
• RLS symptoms get worse with age.

Treatments

Patients who suffer from mild to medium Restless Legs Syndrome symptoms, doctors recommend some simple lifestyle alterations which can greatly reduce the risk of getting Restless Legs Syndrome.

Consult Your Physician:

Because of less sleep at night, people with Restless Legs Syndrome may feel sleepy during the day on an occasional or regular basis. The severity of symptoms varies from night to night and over the years as well. For some individuals, there may be periods when Restless Legs Syndrome does not cause problems, but the symptoms usually return. Other people may experience severe symptoms daily.

To find out if your symptoms are Restless Legs Syndrome, consult your physician to find out the best method of treatment for you.