Restless legs syndrome (RLS)

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Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is the third most common reported sleep disorder, and one of the most common causes of severe insomnia. Including its mild form, this irritating disorder affects between 10 and 15 percent of the population. Although its classified separately as a movement disorder  its important to note that all sleep related movement disorders are technically parasomnias.

Together they comprise the movement and behavioral disorders related to sleep. The way people describe their symptoms is often imprecise and can vary considerably, but the common denominator is an unpleasant sensation in the legs.

Sufferers may say they feel a "creepy, crawly" sensation in their legs when they trying to sleep or when they're just resting quietly. Or they describe extreme discomfort, pain, pulling, searing, boring, or deep itching sensations down the legs. Some patients have even described this sensation as 'electric ants' or bugs running up and down the legs.

The symptoms are typically relieved only by movement or stimulation of the legs. Doctors call this paresthesias -"abnormal sensations". For some people the feelings are a minor annoyance, and for others they're sheer torture. In all cases there's an urge to move the legs, getting the legs moving eases the symptoms temporarily.


WHO GETS RLS (Restless Legs Syndrome)

It can strike people of any age, RLS (Restless Legs Syndrome) is most commonly reported among people over the age of 40, and is classified as early onset if it strikes before the person is 45 years old. It's 1.5 to 2 times more common in women than in men. Many people who are later diagnosed with RLS ( Restless leg syndrome ) reporting having symptoms in childhood , and there's mounting evidence to suggest that its often misdiagnosed among children as attention deficit /  hyperactivity disorder or " growing pains."

In more than half cases,  primary RLS (  Restless legs syndrome ) runs in families. If you have an immediate family member with RLS ( Restless legs syndrome ), your risk is three to six times greater of developing the disorder.

Current  exciting research shows that there may  be a gene marker for RLS (Restless leg syndrome ) that explains this familial connection.

WHAT CAUSES RLS ( Resless legs syndrome ) ?

RLS ( Restless legs syndrome ) may be primary or secondary .  Primary RLS ( Restless legs syndrome ) means that there is no underlying disorder causing it , whereas secondary RLS ( Restless legs syndrome) means that another condition ( medical or neurological ) or a medication is really at the root of it . In the latter case, treating the underlying condition or stopping and offending medication should resolve the RLS ( Resless leg syndrome ). Although the majority of cases of  RLS ( Restless legs syndrome ) are primary ( with presumed problems with the brain's iron and dopamine systems), there are some known causes and associations with other conditions.


  • Iron deficiency and anemia are known to increase the risk of RLS (Restless legs syndrome ).
  • Several types of medications may bring on or aggravate RLS ( Restless legs syndrome ) , including many cold and allergy medications , antinausea  medications, antidepressants ( except Wellbutrin, a adopmine-enhancing  medication that may actually help ), antiseizure drugs, and antipsychotic drugs.
  • About 20-40 percent of those with chronic kidney failure on dialysis have RLS (Restess legs syndrome). The RLS (Restless leg syndrome ) symptoms disappear after a successful kidney transplant. The strong link between kidney disease and RLS ( Restless legs syndrome ) is still greatly under-recognised ,especially among kidney specialists.
  • Peripheral neuropathy , Parkason's disease, Lyme-disease myelitis,and diabetes mellitus have all been linked with RLS ( Restless legs syndrome )
  • Caffeine, tobacco, and nicotine can aggravate or trigger RLS ( Restless legs syndrome ) symptoms.
There is no evidence that RLS  ( Restless legs syndrome ) is linked with any sort of underlying psychological problems. nor does it signal the onset of any other neurological disorder. However, because the distressing symptoms and resulting sleep deprivation of RLS ( Restless legs syndrome ) can be chronic, it can induce depressive and anxiety disorders.

PREGNANT WOMEN AND RLS ( Restless legs syndrome )


About 26 percent of pregnant women get RLS ( Restless legs syndrome ), and it gets worse in the second and third trimesters. Ten percent of them already had th disorder before they got pregnant,but it generally gets much worse during pregnancy. The remaining 16 percent didn't have the disorder before, and some worry that its going to harm the baby,or that it is a sign of something wrong. It isn't RLS ( Restless legs syndrome )in the mother does not pose any known risk for the baby. The problem that requires treatment is when the mother is losing significant amounts of sleep most nights because of the RLS ( Restless legs syndrome ). Dopamine medications,which are the most-recommended treatments for RLS ( Restless legs syn


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