Restless legs syndrome: Causes, treatments, and home ...

A person with restless legs syndrome experiences twitchiness and discomfort in the legs, usually after going to bed. As this can lead to insomnia, ... EverythingyouneedtoknowaboutrestlesslegssyndromeMedicallyreviewedbyUniversityofIllinois—WrittenbyAdamFelmanonJanuary18,2018SymptomsPregnancyTreatmentTypesHomeremediesWeincludeproductswethinkareusefulforourreaders.Ifyoubuythroughlinksonthispage,wemayearnasmallcommission.Here’sourprocess.Apersonwithrestlesslegssyndromeexperiencestwitchinessanddiscomfortinthelegs,usuallyaftergoingtobed.Asthiscanleadtoinsomnia,itisconsideredasleepdisorder.Restlesslegssyndrome(RLS)mayhappenbecauseofmentalorphysicalproblems,oritmaybeanadverseeffectofsomemedications.ItisalsoknownasWillis-Ekbomdisease.Restlesslegssyndromemaybeclassedasmildorsevere,dependingonthefrequencyandseverityofthesymptoms,howwellthesymptomscanberelievedbymovingaround,andhowmuchdisturbancetheycause.Itaffectsupto1in10peopleatsometimeduringtheirlife.ThevastmajorityofcasesofRLSresolveontheirownovertimeoroncesimplelifestylechangeshavebeenmade.SymptomsShareonPinterestRLSisclassifiedasasleepdisorder.Symptomscanoccurwhenapersonisawakeinaconfinedspace,suchasanairplaneseatoratthecinema.AsRLSleadstodifficultyfallingasleepandstayingasleep,thepersonmaybetiredduringtheday.Thiscanhaveanimpactonlearning,work,concentration,androutinetasksandactivities.Lackofsleepcaneventuallyleadtomoodswings,irritability,depression,anunderminedimmunesystem,andotherphysicalandhealthproblems.Whatdoesitfeellike?ApersonwithRLShasastrangeandunpleasantsensationinthelegs,andsometimesthearms,andastrongurgetomovethem.Peoplehavedescribedthesefeelingsas:achingburningcrawlingcreepingsimilartoelectricshocksitchingtuggingtinglingTheonlywaytorelievethediscomfortisbymovingthelegs.Thesensationstendtooccurwhentheindividualisrestingorinactive,andnotonlyduringthenight.Symptomsoftenworsenintheeveningandatnight,andmayberelievedforashortwhileinthemorning.Howlongwillrestlesslegssyndromelast?SymptomsofprimaryoridiopathicRLStypicallyworsenovertime,but,forsomepeople,weeksormonthsmaypasswithoutanysymptoms.IftheRLSstemsfromacondition,illness,pregnancy,ormedication,itmaygoawayassoonasthetriggerhasgone.PregnancyRLScanposeproblemsforwomenduringpregnancy.WomenwhoalreadyhaveRLScanfindthatsymptomsgetworseduringpregnancy.However,becomingpregnantcanleadtoRLSinitsownright.Symptomstendtogetworseasthepregnancyprogressesandareespeciallylikelyinthethirdtrimester.ThecauseoftheincreasedincidenceofRLSduringpregnancyisunknown,butthefollowingfactorsarebelievedtobeinvolved:lowlevelsofmineralsorvitamins,suchasironandfolatesleepdeprivationasaresultofchangesinthebodyanddiscomfortchangesinthehormonesincreasedsensitivityofthesensesThisconditionhasnotbeenwidelyresearchedduringpregnancy.However,someofthedrugtreatmentsusedoutsideofpregnancy,suchasrotigotineandgabapentin,havenotbeenassessedforsafeuseinwomenwhoarepregnant.Behavioraltreatments,suchasmildexerciseandahealthysleepingpattern,areoftenrecommendedasafirst-linetreatmentforwomenduringpregnancy.IfironlevelsarelowandthoughttobethecauseofRLS,oralironsupplementsaresafetoprescribeduringpregnancy.Inseverecases,higherconcentrationsmaybeadministeredintravenously(IV)throughadrip.Ifanothercauseissuspectedthatmayrequiremedication,andtheabovetreatmentsdonothavethedesiredeffect,drugsshouldbeprescribedatthelowestpossibledosagetoreducerisk.TreatmentShareonPinterestWarmbathsareasimplehomeremedythatcanhelprelievesymptoms.IfapersoncannotmanagesymptomsofRLSalone,theymaybeprescribedmedications.MedicationThemedicationwilldependontheindividualbutmightinclude:Iron:Supplementationwithironmayhelppeoplewhohavelowironlevels.This,inturn,mayhelpimprovesymptoms.Ironsupplementsareavailableforpurchaseonline.Alpha2agonists:ThesemayhelpincasesofprimaryRLS,buttheywillnotaffectonperiodiclimbmovementduringsleep.Painkillers:Ibuprofen,anon-steroidalanti-inflammatorydrug(NSAID),mayhelpwithmildsymptoms.Ibuprofenisavailableforpurchaseonline.Anticonvulsants:Thesetreatpain,musclespasms,neuropathy,anddaytimesymptoms.Neurontin,orgabapentin,isapopularanticonvulsant.Benzodiazepines:ThesearesedativemedicationsthathelppeoplewithpersistentandmildsymptomstosleepthroughtheeffectsofRLS.Restoril,ortemazepam,Xanax,oralprazolam,andKlonopin,orclonazepam,areexamples.Dopaminergicagents:Thesemedicationsraisethelevelsofdopamine,aneurotransmitter,inthebrain.TheycantreattheunpleasantlegsensationsassociatedwithRLS.Levodopaandcarbidopaarecommondopaminergicagents.Dopamineagonists:Thesealsoraisebraindopaminelevelsandtreatunpleasantlegsensations.Theymaycauseadverseeffectsinolderpatients,althoughsomereportmoresideeffectswithlevodopa.Opiates:TreatpainandcanrelieveRLSsymptoms.Doctorsmayprescribethesewhenothermedicationshavefailed.Codeineandpropoxyphenearelowdoseopiates,whileoxycodonehydrochloride,methadonehydrochloride,andlevorphanoltartratearecommonhigh-doseopiates.Parkinson’sdiseaseandepilepsydrugsaresometimesusedforRLSastheycanreduceinvoluntarymovements.IfcertainunderlyingconditionstriggerstheRLS,andthoseconditionsaretreated,theRLSmaygoawayorimprove.Thisisoftenthecasewithirondeficiencyandperipheralneuropathy.TypesTherearetwomaintypesofRLS:PrimaryoridiopathicRLSIdiopathicmeansthatthecauseisunknown.Itisthemostcommontypeandhasthefollowingcharacteristics:Itusuallybeginsbeforetheageof40.Itcanstartasearlyaschildhood.Itmayhaveageneticcause.OnceprimaryRLSstarts,ittendstobelifelong.Symptomsmaybesporadic,orgraduallyworsenandbecomemoreprevalentovertime.Inmildcases,thepersonmayhavenosymptomsforalongtime.SecondaryRLSAsecondarydisorderiscausedbyanotherdiseaseorcondition.SecondaryRLSusuallystartsaftertheageof45years,anditdoesnottendtobehereditary.ThistypesofRLSisdistinctlydifferent:Onsetissudden.Symptomsdonotusuallyworsenovertime.Symptomsmaybemoresevere.DiseasesandsymptomsthatcantriggersecondaryRLSinclude:diabetesirondeficiencykidneyfailureParkinson’sdiseaseneuropathypregnancyrheumatoidarthritisExactlyhowRLShappensisnotwellunderstood,butitmayberelatedtohowthebodyprocessesdopamine,aneurotransmitterthatplaysaroleincontrollingmusclemovements.Somemedications,suchasselectiveserotoninreuptakeinhibitors(SSRIs)andantidepressantsmaytriggerRLS.Thesedrugsaffecttheactivityofdopamine.Itisalsolinkedtopregnancy.Around20percentofwomenexperienceRLSduringthelasttrimesterofpregnancy,althoughthereasonsareunclear.Periodiclimbmovementdisorder(PLMD)PLMDisasimilarlyrelatedsleepdisorder,sometimescalledperiodiclimb(leg)movementduringsleep(PLMS).InpeoplewithPLMD,thelimbstwitchorjerkuncontrollablywhilesleeping.Itisalsoconsideredatypeofsleepingdisorder.Themovementmaycausetheindividualtowakeupfrequentlyduringthenight,andthiscanunderminethequalityandlengthofsleep.ItcanleadtoRLS.HomeremediesLifestylechangesandcommonmedicationsthatmayhelpalleviateRLSsymptomsinclude:Warmbathsandmassages:Thesecanrelaxthemusclesandreducetheintensityofsymptoms.Warmorcoolpacks:Somepeoplepreferwarm,somecold,andotherssaythatalternatinghotandcoldishelpful.Relaxationtechniques:StresscanmakeRLSworse,soexercisessuchasyoga,meditation,andtaichimayhelp.Exercise–usinglegsmorecanhelpalleviatesymptoms.Ifthepatienthasasedentarylifestyle,walkinginsteadofdriving,takingupasport,orexercisingthelegsinagymcanhelp.SleephygieneforrestlesslegssyndromeSleephygieneisimportant,astirednessmakessymptomsworse.Tipsinclude:Sleepinginacool,quietbedroom.Goingtobedatthesametimeeverynight,andgettingupatthesametimeeverymorning.Reducetheamountoflightyouareexposedtoforanhourbeforebed.Avoidstimulatingdrinks,suchascaffeineorsugar.Avoidingorreducingalcoholconsumptionandtobacco.ExerciseandphysicalactivitycanhelpRLS,butitcanalsoaggravateit.Mostpatientsfindmoderateexercisehelpful,buttoomuchcanmakesymptomsworse.Workingoutlateintheeveningmayalsobeunhelpful.OtheroptionsIn1998,asmallstudyof10peoplefoundthatmagnesiumreducedthesymptomsofinsomniainpeoplewithRLS,andsuggestedthatmaybeausefultreatmentforpeoplewithPLMD.However,thestudyconsidersmagnesiuminvestigational.Peoplewithkidneydiseaseshouldbecautiouswithintakeofmagnesium.Citingthiswork,theUniversityofMarylandMedicalCentersuggeststhatlowlevelsofmagnesiummaycontributetoRLS.Magnesiumisavailableinwholegrains,nuts,andgreenleafyvegetables.Somepeoplefindthatsprayingmagnesiumoilontotheaffectedpartcanhelp,butthisshouldnotbeusedwithoutfirstaskingadoctor.StudiesintotheeffectsofvitaminDonRLShaveproducedmixedresults.SomelinkhighVitaminDwithfewersymptoms,whileotherssuggestthatadditionalvitaminDislinkedtoahigherincidenceduringthesummermonths.Stayinghydratedmayalsohelp.Thiscanbeachievedbydrinkingplentyofwaterandavoidingcaffeineandalcohol.LastmedicallyreviewedonJanuary18,2018RestlessLegSyndromeSleep/SleepDisorders/InsomniaMedicallyreviewedbyUniversityofIllinois—WrittenbyAdamFelmanonJanuary18,2018LatestnewsModeratealcoholconsumption‘shouldnotberecommendedforhealthreasons’COVID-19:Dovaccinesprotectbetterthaninfection-inducedimmunity?Cleaneating:Whatdoestheresearchsay?AchangeindietmayreduceriskoflethalprostatecancerRegularlyconsumingfishmayprotectbrainhealthRelatedCoverageWhatisperiodiclimbmovementdisorder?MedicallyreviewedbySuzanneFalck,MDPeriodiclimbmovementdisorder(PLMD)ischaracterizedbyrepetitiveandinvoluntarymovementsofthelimbsduringsleep,andistheonlycondition…READMORERestlesslegssyndromemayraisecardiovasculardeathriskAnewstudyfindsthatthecommonsleepdisturbanceraisestheriskofcardiovascular-relatedmortality,particularlyamongelderlywomen.READMOREWhattoknowaboutpolyneuropathyMedicallyreviewedbySuzanneFalck,MDPolyneuropathyisdamagetomultiplenervesoutsideofthebrainandcentralnervoussystem.Thiscancausepain,discomfort,andmobility…READMOREWhatisperipheralneuropathy?MedicallyreviewedbyHeidiMoawad,M.D.Peripheralneuropathyismostcommonamongpeoplewithdiabetes,causingimpairmentintheperipheralnervoussystemFindouthereaboutothermedical…READMORE