Is anyone familiar wuth "Restless leg syndrome"?

Question

I think I have that,, but there isn't much info out there about it,, I heard it mentioned,, any one with more info would be appreciated.

Answer 1

Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a neurological disorder with unpleasant sensations in the legs and an uncontrollable urge to move when at rest to try to relieve these feelings. RLS sensations are often described by people as burning, creeping, tugging, or like insects crawling inside the legs, and a wide variety of descriptions is included in diagnostic criteria. Often called paresthesias (abnormal sensations) or dysesthesias (unpleasant abnormal sensations), the sensations range in severity from uncomfortable to irritating to painful.
Lying down and trying to relax activates the symptoms or makes them worse. Most people with RLS have difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep. People are exhausted with daytime fatigue and sleepiness. Many people with RLS report that job, personal relations, and activities of daily living are strongly affected as a result of this exhaustion, because they are unable to concentrate, or have impaired memory.
RLS probably affects 5-10% of people, but may be underdiagnosed and, in some cases, misdiagnosed. Some people with RLS will not seek medical attention, believing that they will not be taken seriously, that their symptoms are too mild, or that their condition is not treatable. Some physicians wrongly attribute the symptoms to nervousness, insomnia, stress, arthritis, muscle cramps, or aging.
RLS occurs in women and men, probably slightly more often in women. Although the syndrome may begin at any age, even as early as infancy, most patients who are severely affected are middle-aged or older. In addition, severity appears to increase with age. Older patients experience symptoms more frequently and for longer.
Most people with RLS also experience a more common condition known as periodic limb movement disorder (PLMD). PLMD is involuntary leg twitching or jerking movements during sleep that typically occur every 10 to 60 seconds, in periods or throughout the night. The symptoms cause repeated awakening and disrupted sleep. Unlike RLS, the movements caused by PLMD are involuntary-people have no control over them. Although many patients with RLS also develop PLMD, most people with PLMD do not experience RLS. Like RLS, the cause of PLMD is unknown.
What are the symptoms of restless legs?
People with RLS feel uncomfortable sensations in their legs, especially when sitting or lying down, often more in the evening than the day, with an irresistible urge to move about. Although the sensations can occur on just one side of the body, most often they affect both sides.
Because moving the legs (or other affected parts of the body) relieves the discomfort, people with RLS often keep their legs moving to reduce the unpleasant sensations. They may pace the floor, constantly move their legs while sitting, and toss and turn in bed.
Most people find the symptoms to be less noticeable during the day and more pronounced in the evening or at night, especially going to sleep. For many people, the symptoms disappear by early morning, allowing for more refreshing sleep at that time. Other triggering situations are periods of inactivity such as long journeys, or other behaviours that reduce movement.
The symptoms of RLS vary in severity and duration from person to person. Mild RLS occurs episodically, with only mild disruption of sleep onset, and causes little distress. In moderately severe cases, symptoms occur only once or twice a week but result in significant delay of sleep onset, with some disruption of daytime function. In severe cases of RLS, the symptoms occur more than twice a week and result in burdensome interruption of sleep and impairment of daytime function. There is a standard symptom scoring system.
What causes RLS?
In most cases, the cause of RLS is unknown (and then doctors call it idiopathic RLS). Family history of the condition is common, perhaps in half the sufferers. People with familial RLS tend to be younger when symptoms start and have a slower progression of the condition.
In other cases, RLS appears to be related to the following factors or conditions, although researchers do not yet know if these factors actually cause RLS.
People with low iron levels or anaemia may be prone to developing RLS. Once iron levels or anaemia is corrected, patients may see a reduction in symptoms.
Chronic diseases such as kidney failure, diabetes, Parkinson's disease, and peripheral neuropathy are associated with RLS. Treating the underlying condition often provides relief from RLS symptoms.
Some pregnant women experience RLS, especially in their last trimester. For most of these women, symptoms usually disappear within four weeks after delivery.
Certain medications-such as antinausea drugs (prochlorperazine or metoclopramide), antiseizure drugs (phenytoin or droperidol), antipsychotic drugs (haloperidol or phenothiazine derivatives), and some cold and allergy medications-may aggravate symptoms. Patients can talk with their physicians about the possibility of changing medications.
How is RLS diagnosed?
Currently, there is no single diagnostic test for RLS. The disorder is diagnosed clinically by evaluating the patient's history and symptoms. In 1995, the International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group identified four basic criteria for diagnosing RLS:
a desire to move the limbs, often associated with paresthesias or dysesthesias,
symptoms that are worse or present only during rest and are partially or temporarily relieved by activity,
motor restlessness, and
nocturnal worsening of symptoms.
A 10-question scoring system is available for RLS diagnosis and severity scoring.
A more detailed description of diagnostic criteria in adults, children, and cognitively impaired adults is available.
How is RLS treated?
Relief on movement is generally only temporary. However, RLS can be controlled by finding any possible underlying disorder. Often, treating the associated medical condition, like anaemia, peripheral neuropathy or diabetes, will alleviate many symptoms. For patients with idiopathic RLS, treatment is directed toward relieving symptoms.
For those with mild to moderate symptoms, prevention is key, and many physicians suggest certain lifestyle changes and activities to reduce or eliminate symptoms. Decreased use of caffeine, alcohol, and tobacco may provide some relief. Doctors may suggest the use of supplements to correct deficiencies in iron, folate, and magnesium. Studies also have shown that maintaining a regular sleep pattern can reduce symptoms. Some individuals, finding that RLS symptoms are lower in the early morning, change their sleep patterns. Others have found that a program of regular moderate exercise helps them sleep better. Taking a hot bath, massaging the legs, or using a heating pad or ice pack can help relieve symptoms in some patients. Although many patients find some relief with such measures, rarely do these efforts completely eliminate symptoms, and for many of these measures there is only anecdotal evidence that they work.
A variety of drugs have been tried, often not in large or long trials. Some seem to work well in reducing periodic leg movements, or daytime tiredness, or improving sleep, or reducing RLS symptom severity, but there is no magic bullet as yet.

Answer 2

Nobody really knows why some people have this, but R.L.S. (Restless Leg Syndrome) does appear to be some sort of "nervous tick" only affecting the legs, causing that person, just as soon as he sits down or lies down, to feel the urge to constantly move the legs around. It might well be psychological in origin, but so far it seems to be managing to elude clear understanding. Actually thousands of people have a very very very mild version of R.L.S. so that they would not even relate to it as such. My husband might well come under that heading. LOL he hardly ever uses the huge beautiful, amazingly comfortable leather recliner in the living room. Instead he has taken over MY little rocker across the room. He loves that chair, but as soon as he gets in it, I can't keep the little rug in front of it in its place because he wont keep his feet still. He's moving them alllll the time and the rug ends up across the room . He is, however, completely unbothered by it, and says he is unaware that he is moving his feet. But much more severe cases of R.L.S. can be very distressing for the sufferer, who will complain of a "crawly" feeling as if the legs are just moving on their own and refuse to obey the commands from the brain to "be still" I don't know how effective these advertised treatments actually are. I can only hope the help.

Answer 3

I would bet that more people are afflicted by this than we think. I like the answerer that suggested iron. I also find that stretching and exercise help. I just feel like I get the Wiggly Legs once in a while, and I have to fidget! Good luck.

Answer 4

I have had it for years and thought there was nothing to help it (I tried dietary changes, vitamins, minerals, etc.). Then I happened to mention it to my neurologist and he gave me samples of Requip tablets (you'll need a prescription) which greatly helped. You can directly look the medication up online at www.requip.com I take one tablet 45 minutes before bedtime and have no side effects.

Answer 5

You cant keep your legs still and if forced by lack of space etc to keep legs still usually results in leg and foot cramps and is very uncomfortable. Usually affects older people. There are meds that can help. Ask your Dr.

Answer 6

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Answer 7

When I was young "Restless Leg" was called growing pains, my mother used to sit up for hours rubbing my legs with oil, it didn't work but I always said it did as I felt bad for her. My daughter also had the same problem I used to use a hot pack & she assured me it felt a lot better. Search the new for "Growing Pains"

















KidsHealth > Parents > General Health > Aches, Pains, & Injuries > Growing Pains

Your 8-year-old son wakes up crying in the night complaining that his legs are throbbing. You rub them and soothe him as much as you can, but you're uncertain about whether to give him any medication or take him to the doctor.

Sound familiar? Your child is probably experiencing growing pains, a normal occurrence in about 25% to 40% of children. They generally strike during two periods: in early childhood, among 3- to 5-year-olds, and later on, in 8- to 12-year-olds.

What Causes Them?
No firm evidence exists to show that the growth of bones causes pain. The most likely causes are the aches and discomforts resulting from the jumping, climbing, and running that active children do during the day. The pains can occur after a child has had a particularly athletic day.

What Are the Signs and Symptoms?
Growing pains always concentrate in the muscles, rather than the joints. Most children report pains in the front of their thighs, in the calves, or behind the knees. Whereas joints affected by more serious diseases are swollen, red, tender, or warm, the joints of children experiencing growing pains appear normal.

Although growing pains often strike in late afternoon or early evening before bed, there are occasions when pain can wake a slumbering child. The intensity of the pain varies from child to child, and most kids don't experience the pains every day.

How Are Growing Pains Diagnosed?
One symptom that doctors find most helpful in making a diagnosis of growing pains is how the child responds to touch while in pain. Children who have pain for a serious medical disease don't like to be handled because movement tends to increase the pain. But children with growing pains respond differently - they feel better when they're held, massaged, and cuddled.

Growing pains are what doctors call a diagnosis of exclusion. This means that other conditions should be ruled out before a diagnosis of growing pains is made. A thorough history and physical examination by your child's doctor can usually accomplish this. In rare instances, blood and X-ray studies may be required before a final diagnosis of growing pains is made.

How Can You Help Your Child?
Some things that may help alleviate the pain include:

massaging the area
stretching
placing a heating pad on the area
giving ibuprofen or acetaminophen (Never give aspirin to a child under 12 due to its association with Reye syndrome, a rare but potentially fatal disease.)
When Should I Call My Child's Doctor?
Alert your child's doctor if any of the following symptoms occur with your child's pain:

persistent pain, pain in the morning, or swelling or redness in one particular area or joint
pain associated with a particular injury
fever
limping
unusual rashes
loss of appetite
weakness
tiredness
uncharacteristic behavior
These signs are not due to growing pains and should be evaluated by a child's doctor.

Although growing pains often point to no serious illness, they can be upsetting to a child - or a parent. Because a child seems completely cured of the aches in the morning, parents sometimes suspect that the child faked the pains. However, this usually is not the case. Support and reassurance that growing pains will pass as children grow up can help them relax.

Updated and reviewed by: Barbara P. Homeier, MD
Date reviewed: November 2004





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Answer 8

Lack of Iron. Eat right and excercise and take an iron supplement. I hate that. I always seem to get it on the train ride home from work. sucks... but iron works.

Answer 9

They have commercials about it on TV lately-talk to your doctor about Requip, and make peace with your legs!

Answer 10

I think its when you can't stop kicking your legs at night or something. sorry don't know that much about it but you should see your doctor if you think there is a problem.

Answer 11

Get Requip. You may want to visit your local sleep center.