JEDDAH, 5 October 2005 — We often hear people complain about not sleeping well at night or having restless nights with painful and tired limbs. They associate it with a hectic day at work or a busy day at home. But very few of us know about (RLS) — restless legs syndrome.
Restless legs syndrome is a neurological movement disorder marked by uncomfortable sensations in the legs and an almost irresistible urge to move and shake one’s legs in order to relieve those sensations. People who are suffering from RLS describe the feeling as an agitated inability to rest their legs. Some people experience sensations deep within the legs, which they describe as creepy crawly, pulling, burning, tugging, or itchy kinds of feelings. But surprisingly a few of them have difficulty describing the feeling at all.
Generally these sensations start at rest and become worse at night, while lying down, which leads to chronic sleep problems and stress. Restless legs syndrome is a common condition, and anyone can develop RLS any time, and having a family member with RLS may increase ones risk as the condition may be genetic.
Some specific medical problems like varicose veins, pregnancy, and kidney failure may increase ones likelihood of suffering from RLS.
The main primary symptoms of RLS is an irresistible urge to move the legs, which is accompanied by all or some of the other sensations described by those suffering with RLS. These sensations become worse at night, at rest, and especially when lying down. The symptoms may range from mild to intolerable and cause many sufferers to experience motor restlessness like tossing in bed and pacing the floor.
The sensations that are associated with RLS can also be extremely uncomfortable and restless for the patient and make both falling and staying asleep difficult. This results in sleep deprivation, which again causes them to feel tired during the day. These people have difficulty in concentrating, and will suffer negative consequences in their social life and at work.
Primary RLS runs in the family and is an inherited and genetic neurological movement disorder. Majority of RLS sufferers begin to experience symptoms of RLS in their middle years, but some may develop the symptoms early in their life.
People who have RLS include those who suffer from periodic limb movement disorder, a condition that causes leg muscles to involuntarily jerk or twitch throughout the night.
Secondary RLS occurs as the result of some other underlying conditions like: kidney disease, pregnancy, rheumatoid arthritis, attention deficit disorder (ADD), anemia, nerve damage due to diabetes or other conditions, and Parkinson’s disease.
It is important for all those who are suffering with RLS to note that this disorder is not caused by psychological conditions. But stress, anxiety and other psychological problems can exacerbate the sufferings.
The medication for RLS would be prescribed depending upon the age and severity of the symptoms and the overall health of the sufferer.
To alleviate RLS, a variety of self-care measures may help you including walking or stretching when your legs feel uncomfortable, taking a hot or cold bath, massaging the legs when symptoms occur, practicing relaxation techniques such as yoga and meditation and elevating the feet by using a pillow or two in bed. Alternative medicines like homoeopathy and acupuncture also help to cure the restless legs syndrome.