Study Materials » Restless Legs Syndrome

Restless Legs Syndrome

Restless Legs Syndrome is a type of disease which occurs due to inactive body conditions such as sitting or lying down for a long time. Various causes of restless legs syndrome are discussed, such as chronic disease, pregnancy, etc. Additionally, the symptoms and treatment of restless legs syndrome are also aligned.

Restless legs syndrome RLS is also known as Willis-Ekbom Disease, which results in uncomfortable or unpleasant senses in the legs and a tempting impulse to move them.  Restless leg symptoms usually happen in the late evening hours and are commonly more at night time when an individual is in an inactive condition, such as lying in bed or sitting.  Restless leg syndrome also takes place when the person is sitting or inactive for a long time, such as watching a movie or when travelling by plane.  Increasing symptoms may increase in severity during the nighttime as; it might be tough to get good sleep. Moving or touching the legs or mobile condition normally relieves uneasiness, but the senses frequently reappear once the person stops moving.  Restless leg syndrome is generally categorized as a sleep disorder since the indications are generated by inactive conditions and trying to sleep. Chronic diseases, previous or current medications, pregnancy, lifestyle, etc. are commonly known as restless leg syndrome causes

Causes

Various commonly known restless legs syndrome causes are somehow responsible for RLS. This type of syndrome may take place from the parents or the way of living also. Even in some cases, doctors are also not aware of the causes of restless leg syndrome, but genes may play a part. Almost half of the individuals suffering from RLS have a blood member with the same condition.

  • Chronic Diseases: Chronic diseases are one of the causes of RLS due to some long-lasting therapeutic situations, including RLS symptoms, Parkinson’s disease, iron deficiency, renal disease or kidney failure, peripheral neuropathy, and diabetes.
  • Medications: Some of the medications may cause the symptoms to worsen, which include anti-nausea meds, some antidepressants, antipsychotics, and cold or allergy medicines that contain antihistamines.
  • Pregnancy: Pregnancy is one of the well-known restless legs syndrome caused in women. Women suffer from RLS during pregnancy, particularly during the last trimester. Indications normally disappear within the months after the delivery.
  • Lifestyle: The deficiency of sleep or alternative sleep sickness such as apnea can prompt the signs or make them inferior and also the increasing use of tobacco, alcohol, and caffeine use.

Restless Legs Syndrome Symptoms

The main symptom is an impulse to move the legs. Common associated features of Restless legs syndrome symptoms include:

  • Sensations begin during rest or inactive conditions: The sense is naturally initiated while you are lying down or sitting for a long time, like in a car, movie theatre, or aeroplane.
  • Relief while moving:  The sense of RLS decreases while making movements, such as jiggling the legs, walking, stretching, or pacing.
  • Worsening of indications in the afternoon or evening time: Symptoms take place majorly at night time.
  • Nightly leg Jiggling: Restless legs syndrome symptoms are linked with an additional, more mutual complaint known as periodic limb movements of sleep, which results in the twitching and kicking of legs while you sleep.

The majority of people normally define restless legs syndrome symptoms as persuasive, uncomfortable senses within the feet or legs. RLS normally takes place on both physique edges, and the senses do not distress the hands.

The senses, which normally take place within the legs, not on the skin and hands, are designated as:

  • Crawling
  • Itching
  • Creeping
  • Aching
  • Pulling
  • Throbbing

Treatments

Most of the time, treating a primary illness like deficiency of iron significantly relieves indications of RLS. Improving an iron shortage may include receiving iron supplements or intravenously. If anyone is suffering from restless legs syndrome without any linked condition, handling the restless legs syndrome majorly focuses on changing the lifestyle of the patients.

Medications

Numerous prescription medicines, the majority of them are established to treat others but are accessible to decrease the restlessness in the legs. These include:

  • Medications that increase the dopamine level in the brain are the types of medicines that affect the stages of the biochemical envoy dopamine in the brain. Pramipexole (Mirapex) and Rotigotine (Neupro) are permitted by various organizations such as the Food and Drug Administration for dealing with the sensitivity to severe restless legs syndrome symptoms. These medications also possess short-term side effects such as lightheadedness, nausea, and fatigue.
  • Medications disturbing calcium channels are the type medications, which are known as gabapentin enacarbil (Horizant), gabapentin (Neurontin, Gralise), and pregabalin (Lyrica), which work for certain folks with restless legs syndrome.
  • Sleep medications and Muscle relaxants help you to get better sleep at night, but these medications don’t remove the sensations of the legs, and these medications cause drowsiness in the daytime. These drugs are normally used to treat RLS if other treatments are not effective.
  • Opioids are the narcotic drugs that are used in severe conditions of restless legs syndrome, and these are given in a limited amount and can be addictive if taken in high doses. Some of the opioids are tramadol (Ultram, ConZip), oxycodone (Oxycontin, Roxicodone, others), codeine, and hydrocodone (Hysingla ER).

Conclusion

Restless legs syndrome is a type of syndrome in which the affected person feels an unpleasant or uncomfortable sensation in the legs and urges them to move for relief. Restless legs syndrome causes are also noticed, and they can be a chronic disease, pregnancy in women, medications, side effects, etc. Furthermore, restless legs syndrome treatment is not accurate to date as the majority of drugs used to treat RLS are not made to do so. Such as treating the deficiency of iron can lower the restless legs syndrome symptoms.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Get answers to the most common queries related to the USMLE Examination Preparation.

What are the symptoms of RLS?

Ans :  Crawling ...Read full

Name two narcotic medications used to treat RLS?

Ans :  Oxycodone  ...Read full

What are the simple restless legs syndrome treatments?

Ans :  Use cold and warm packs ...Read full

What are the two common restless legs syndrome causes?

Ans :  Iron deficiency anaemia ...Read full