Restless legs syndrome is a sleep disorder, in which the person feels a strong urge to move the legs in order to get a temporary relief from the restlessness created in legs. Nearly 15% of the adult are the victims of this disorder.

In most of the cases, people describe this discomfort sensation caused in Restless legs syndrome (RLS) as itching, tingling, prickly, or pulling sensation of leg muscles, and in rare cases described as pain in muscles.

Most often, this discomfort is found in legs itself, but sometimes even the arms and torso gets affected. This discomfort feeling is worst during the early evening times, and during sleep.

Restless legs syndrome can be broadly classified as Primary RLS, and Secondary RLS.

• Primary RLS: This is when the disorder is caused due to unknown factors, except from family history. This is also known as familial RLS.
• Secondary RLS: This is when the disorder is caused due to other conditions like pregnancy, iron deficiency, or due to some chronic disorder.

Symptoms of Restless Legs Syndrome

Uncomfortable leg sensation is the most common symptom. Other various symptoms of restless legs syndrome include:

• Strong urge to leg movement to get temporary relief from discomfort sensation in legs.
• Tired, Itching, tingling, pulling, creeping, crawling, burning sensation in leg muscles, and sometimes even in arm muscles.
• Worsening of discomfort sensation when at resting and relaxing for longer period such as attending a meeting, long travels in car or in an airplane.
• Worsening of discomfort sensation during early evening and during night. As a result restlessness is created during evening and night time. And also resulting in extreme daytime sleepiness.
• Getting relief from the discomfort as long as the legs are moving.

Causes of RLS

Primary restless legs syndrome is most commonly found (i.e. nearly 60% of cases) RLS type. Thus, in most of the cases, the cause is due to the family history. Abnormalities of the 12q, 14q and 9p chromosomal genes have been detected as the cause for RLS.

When comes to Secondary RLS, the causes include medical conditions:

• Iron Deficiency: A low level of ferritin in blood serum is considered as the main cause. Particularly when the serum ferritin level is below 45-50µg/L.
• Iron Overload: This disorder is most common in people with haemochromatosis.
• Magnesium Deficiency: Even deficiency of magnesium can result in RLS as shares the same proteins as that of Iron for transferring ion to cells.
• Pregnancy: During the pregnancy, particularly during second and third trimesters restless legs syndrome is found. This is also mainly due to the deficiency of Iron during these periods.
• Renal Failure: commonly known as kidney failure, which result in anaemia can also cause RLS.
• Other chronic diseases like Parkinson’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis, Huntington’s disease, Tourette’s syndrome, Spinal cord lesions and Peripheral neuropathy.
• Certain medications used for diaseases like Hypoglycemia (Lower blood glucose levels), antiemetics, antidepressants, and antipsychotic.
• Psychiatric causes such as stress, fatigue, etc.
• Alcohol intake, cigarette smoking and sometimes even by caffeine intake.

When it comes to diagnosis, unfortunately there is no particular test for diagnosing this disorder. When a person experiences the above mentioned symptoms, then it can be confirmed as restless legs syndrome.

Restless Legs Syndrome Treatment

Unfortunately, there is no permanent cure for primary RLS, only the symptoms can be reduced. For the treating secondary RLS the following methods are followed:

• Drug Treatment: Most often, drugs are used for treating RLS. Requip (ropinirole) and Mirapex (pramipexole) are the FDA approved drugs for treating RLS. There are even other drugs mainly containing of dopamine agents, benzodiazepines, opioids or anticonvulsants can be used for treatment.
• Iron Supplements: If the cause of RLS is due to Iron deficiency, then iron supplements, Vitamin B12, folate is prescribed for treating.
• Behavioral Therapy: Behavioral and lifestyle changes have shown effective in treating mild to moderate cases of restless legs syndrome.

Self Care Tips:

Apart from the treatment techniques mentioned above, you can go for these self care tips, which can show effective in reducing the symptoms of mild to moderate RLS cases.

• Walking, moving of legs, and stretching the leg muscles.
• Try to maintain regular time for going to sleep and waking up in the morning. For initiating the sleep quickly, sleeping sideways with a pillow in between the knees can be helpful.
• Regular exercise.
• Taking a healthy and balanced diet.
• Avoiding alcohol intake, cigarette smoking, caffeine intake, etc.
• Avoid the intake of drugs like over the counter drugs, and antidepressants, which are worsening the RLS symptoms.
• Taking a hot or cold bath.
• Relaxation techniques like messaging and acupuncture can also be helpful in reducing the symptoms of RLS.
• When a person is complaining of burning sensation as a symptom of Restless Legs Syndrome, then keeping the feet cold can be helpful. For instance by putting the feet out of the blanket can make the feet cold.