Restless Leg Syndrome

21 Aug
Aug , 21 , 2019 admin

Restless leg syndrome

RLS is a condition that causes an uncontrollable urge to move your legs, usually because of an uncomfortable sensation. It typically happens in the evening or nighttime hours when you're sitting or lying down. Moving eases the unpleasant feeling temporarily.The movement makes it hard or impossible to get enough sleep.

Restless legs syndrome, can begin at any age and generally worsens as you age. It can disrupt sleep, which interferes with daily activities.

Simple self-care steps and lifestyle changes may help you. Electro-Medicine and Chiropractic manipulation may also help many time with restless legs syndrome.

Symptoms:

The chief symptom is an urge to move the legs. Common accompanying characteristics of RLS include:

  • Sensations that begin after rest.The sensation typically begins after you’ve been lying down or sitting for an extended time, such as in a car, airplane or movie theater.
  • Relief with movement.The sensation of RLS lessens with movement, such as stretching, jiggling your legs, pacing or walking. Stretching and exercise sometimes will help
  • Worsening of symptoms in the evening.Symptoms occur mainly at night, or when at rest
  • Nighttime leg twitching. RLS may be associated with another,  common condition called periodic limb movement of sleep, which causes your legs to move and kick, possibly throughout the night, while you sleep. This occurs when our bodies enter into deep REM sleep

People typically describe RLS symptoms as abnormal, unpleasant sensations in their legs or feet. They usually happen on both sides of the body. Upper extremities are rarely involved

The sensations, which generally occur within the limb rather than on the skin, are described as:

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

Sometimes the sensations are difficult to explain. Affected people usually don’t describe the condition as a muscle cramp or numbness. They do, however, consistently describe the desire to move their legs.

It’s common for symptoms to fluctuate in severity. Sometimes, symptoms disappear for periods of time, then come back.

Causes

Often, there’s no known cause for RLS. Researchers suspect the condition may be caused by aberrant impulses sent from the brain to legs bypassing body’s natural filtering system

Risk factors

RLS can develop at any age, even during childhood. The disorder is more common with increasing age and more common in women than in men.

Restless legs syndrome usually isn’t related to a serious underlying medical problem. However, RLS sometimes accompanies other conditions, such as:

  • Peripheral neuropathy.This damage to the nerves in your hands and feet is sometimes due to chronic diseases such as diabetes and alcoholism.
  • Iron deficiency.Even without anemia, iron deficiency can cause or worsen RLS. If you have a history of bleeding from your stomach or bowels, experience heavy menstrual periods, or repeatedly donate blood, you may have iron deficiency.
  • Kidney failure.If you have kidney failure, you may also have iron deficiency, often with anemia. When kidneys don’t function properly, iron stores in your blood can decrease. This and other changes in body chemistry may cause or worsen RLS.
  • Spinal cord conditions.Lesions on the spinal cord have been linked to RLS. Having had anesthesia to the spinal cord, such as a spinal block, also increases the risk of developing RLS.

Complications

Although RLS doesn’t lead to other serious conditions, symptoms can range from barely bothersome to incapacitating. Many people with RLS find it difficult to fall or stay asleep.

Severe RLS can cause marked impairment in life quality and can result in depression. Insomnia may lead to excessive daytime drowsiness, but RLS may interfere with napping.

Diagnosis

Taking a detailed medical history and a description of your symptoms. A diagnosis of RLS is based on the following criteria, established by the International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group and International Classification of Sleep Disorders:

  • You have a strong, often irresistible urge to move your legs, usually accompanied by uncomfortable sensations typically described as crawling, creeping, cramping, tingling or pulling.
  • Your symptoms start or get worse when you’re resting, such as sitting or lying down.
  • Your symptoms are partially or temporarily relieved by activity, such as walking or stretching.
  • Your symptoms are worse at night.
  • Symptoms can’t be explained solely by another medical or behavioral condition.

A detailed physical exam and neurological exam will be performed to rule out any other possible underlying condition.  Blood tests,  for iron deficiency, may be ordered to rule out other possible causes for your symptoms.

Treatment

Treatment is performed  with Electro-Medicine, Neuromodulation Therapy, and Chiropractic Manipulation. Many patients notice a decrease in their symptoms after  3 to 5 therapies. Some patients  requires longer. Generally a course of therapy of 4 to 6 weeks is required. The long term benefits have been seen, the condition is known to return. But additional therapies tend to control the condition. Treatment  help control the condition rather than cure it. However, the benefits, allow the patient to sleep and function better improving the quality of life