Restless Leg Syndrome: Causes, Home Remedies, and More

Restless leg syndrome (RLS), also called Willis-Ekbom Disease, is a neurological disorder that affects millionsTrusted Source of Americans each year. People who ... HealthlineHealthConditionsDiscoverPlanConnectSubscribeEverythingYouNeedToKnowAboutRestlessLegSyndrome(RLS)MedicallyreviewedbyWilliamMorrison,M.D.—WrittenbyAnnPietrangelo—UpdatedonOctober14,2021SymptomsofrestlesslegsyndromeCausesofRLSRiskfactorsforRLSDiagnosisHomeremediesforRLSRLSmedicationsRLSinchildrenWhattoeatforRLSRLSandsleepRLSinpregnantwomenRelatedconditionsFactsandstatisticsaboutRLSWhatisrestlesslegsyndrome?Restlesslegsyndrome,orRLS,isaneurologicaldisorder.RLSisalsoknownasWillis-Ekbomdisease,orRLS/WED.RLScausesunpleasantsensationsinthelegs,alongwithapowerfulurgetomovethem.Formostpeople,thaturgeismoreintensewhenyou’rerelaxedortryingtosleep.ThemostseriousconcernforpeoplewithRLSisthatitinterfereswithsleep,causingdaytimesleepinessandfatigue.RLSandsleepdeprivationcanputyouatriskforotherhealthproblems,includingdepressionifnottreated.RLSaffectsabout10percentofAmericans,accordingtotheNationalInstituteofNeurologicalDisordersandStroke.Itcanoccuratanyage,thoughit’susuallymoresevereinmiddleageorlater.WomenaretwiceaslikelyasmentohaveRLS.Atleast80percentofpeoplewithRLShavearelatedconditioncalledperiodiclimbmovementofsleep(PLMS).PLMScausesthelegstotwitchorjerkduringsleep.Itcanhappenasoftenasevery15to40secondsandcancontinueallnightlong.PLMScanalsoleadtosleepdeprivation.RLSisalifelongconditionwithnocure,butmedicationcanhelpmanagesymptoms.Whatarethesymptoms?ThemostprominentsymptomofRLSistheoverwhelmingurgetomoveyourlegs,especiallywhenyou’resittingstillorlyinginbed.Youmightalsofeelunusualsensationslikeatingling,crawling,orpullingsensationinyourlegs.Movementmayrelievethesesensations.IfyouhavemildRLS,symptomsmaynotoccureverynight.Andyoumightattributethesemovementstorestlessness,nervousness,orstress.AmoreseverecaseofRLSischallengingtoignore.Itcancomplicatethesimplestactivities,likegoingtothemovies.Alongplaneridecanalsobedifficult.PeoplewithRLSarelikelytohavetroublefallingasleeporstayingasleepbecausesymptomsareworseatnight.Daytimesleepiness,fatigue,andsleepdeprivationcanharmyourphysicalandmentalhealth.Symptomsusuallyaffectbothsidesofthebody,butsomepeoplehavethemononlyoneside.Inmildcases,symptomsmaycomeandgo.RLScanalsoaffectotherpartsofthebody,includingyourarmsandhead.FormostpeoplewithRLS,symptomsworsenwithage.PeoplewithRLSoftenusemovementasawaytorelievesymptoms.Thatmightmeanpacingthefloorortossingandturninginbed.Ifyousleepwithapartner,itmaywellbedisturbingtheirsleepaswell.Whatcausesrestlesslegsyndrome?Moreoftenthannot,thecauseofRLSisamystery.Theremaybeageneticpredispositionandanenvironmentaltrigger.Morethan40percentofpeoplewithRLShavesomefamilyhistoryofthecondition.Infact,therearefivegenevariantsassociatedwithRLS.Whenitrunsinthefamily,symptomsusuallystartbeforeage40.TheremaybeaconnectionbetweenRLSandlowlevelsofironinthebrain,evenwhenbloodtestsshowthatyourironlevelisnormal.RLSmaybelinkedtoadisruptioninthedopaminepathwaysinthebrain.Parkinson’sdiseaseisalsorelatedtodopamine.ThatmayexplainwhymanypeoplewithParkinson’salsohaveRLS.Someofthesamemedicationsareusedtotreatbothconditions.Researchontheseandothertheoriesisongoing.It’spossiblethatcertainsubstanceslikecaffeineoralcoholcantriggerorintensifysymptoms.Otherpotentialcausesincludemedicationstotreat:allergiesnauseadepressionpsychosisPrimaryRLSisn’trelatedtoanunderlyingcondition.ButRLScanactuallybeanoffshootofanotherhealthproblem,likeneuropathy,diabetes,orkidneyfailure.Whenthat’sthecase,treatingthemainconditionmayresolveRLSissues.Learnmoreaboutthecausesofrestlesslegsyndrome»RiskfactorsforrestlesslegsyndromeTherearecertainthingsthatmayputyouinahigherriskcategoryforRLS.Butit’suncertainifanyofthesefactorsactuallycauseRLS.Someofthemare:Gender:WomenaretwiceaslikelyasmentogetRLS.Age:AlthoughyoucangetRLSatanyage,it’smorecommonandtendstobemoresevereaftermiddleage.Familyhistory:You’remorelikelytohaveRLSifothersinyourfamilyhaveit.Pregnancy:SomewomendevelopRLSduringpregnancy,particularlyinthelasttrimester.Thisusuallyresolveswithinweeksofdelivery.Chronicdiseases:Conditionssuchasperipheralneuropathy,diabetes,andkidneyfailure,mayleadtoRLS.OftentreatingtheconditionrelievessymptomsofRLS.Medications:Antinausea,antipsychotic,antidepressant,andantihistaminemedicationsmaytriggeroraggravatesymptomsofRLS.Ethnicity:AnyonecangetRLS,butit’smorecommoninpeopleofNorthernEuropeandescent.HavingRLScanaffectyouroverallhealthandqualityoflife.IfyouhaveRLSandchronicsleepdeprivation,youmaybeahigherriskof:heartdiseasestrokediabeteskidneydiseasedepressionearlydeathDiagnosingrestlesslegsyndromeThereisn’tonesingletestthatcanconfirmorruleoutRLS.Alargepartofthediagnosiswillbebasedonyourdescriptionofsymptoms.ToreachadiagnosisofRLS,allthefollowingmustbepresent:overwhelmingurgetomove,usuallyaccompaniedbystrangesensationssymptomsgetworseatnightandaremildorabsentintheearlypartofthedaysensorysymptomsaretriggeredwhenyoutrytorelaxorsleepsensorysymptomseaseupwhenyoumoveEvenifallthecriteriaaremet,you’llprobablystillneedaphysicalexamination.Yourdoctorwillwanttocheckforotherneurologicalreasonsforyoursymptoms.Besuretoprovideinformationaboutanyover-the-counterandprescriptionmedicationsandsupplementsyoutake.Andtellyourdoctorifyouhaveanyknownchronichealthconditions.Bloodtestswillcheckforironandotherdeficienciesorabnormalities.Ifthere’sanysignthatsomethingbesidesRLSisinvolved,youmaybereferredtoasleepspecialist,neurologist,orotherspecialist.ItmaybehardertodiagnoseRLSinchildrenwhoaren’tabletodescribetheirsymptoms.HomeremediesforrestlesslegsyndromeHomeremedies,whileunlikelytocompletelyeliminatesymptoms,mayhelpreducethem.Itmaytakesometrialanderrortofindtheremediesthataremosthelpful.Hereareafewyoucantry:Reduceoreliminateyourintakeofcaffeine,alcohol,andtobacco.Striveforaregularsleepschedule,withthesamebedtimeandwake-uptimeeverydayoftheweek.Getsomeexerciseeveryday,suchaswalkingorswimming.Massageorstretchyourlegmusclesintheevening.Soakinahotbathbeforebed.Useaheatingpadoricepackwhenyouexperiencesymptoms.Practiceyogaormeditation.Whenschedulingthingsthatrequireprolongedsitting,suchasacarorplanetrip,trytoarrangethemforearlierinthedayratherthanlater.Ifyouhaveanironorothernutritionaldeficiency,askyourdoctorornutritionisthowtoimproveyourdiet.Talktoyourdoctorbeforeaddingdietarysupplements.Itcanbeharmfultotakecertainsupplementsifyouaren’tdeficient.TheseoptionsmaybeusefulevenifyoutakemedicationtomanageRLS.Learnmoreabouthomeremediesforrestlesslegsyndrome»MedicationsforrestlesslegsyndromeMedicationwon’tcureRLS,butitcanhelpmanagesymptoms.Someoptionsare:Drugsthatincreasedopamine(dopaminergicagents)Thesemedicationshelpdecreasemotioninyourlegs.Drugsinthisgroupinclude:pramipexole(Mirapex)ropinirole(Requip)rotigotine(Neupro)Sideeffectsmayincludemildlightheadednessandnausea.Thesemedicationscanbecomelesseffectiveovertime.Insomepeople,theycancausedaytimesleepinessimpulsecontroldisorders,andworseningofRLSsymptoms.Sleepaidsandmusclerelaxants(benzodiazepines)Thesemedicationsdon’tcompletelyeliminatesymptoms,buttheycanhelpyourelaxandsleepbetter.Drugsinthisgroupinclude:clonazepam(Klonopin)eszopiclone(Lunesta)temazepam(Restoril)zaleplon(Sonata)zolpidem(Ambien)Sideeffectsincludedaytimesleepiness.Narcotics(opioids)Thesemedicationscandecreasepainandstrangesensationsandhelpyourelax.Drugsinthisgroupinclude:codeineoxycodone(Oxycontin)combinedhydrocodoneandacetaminophen(Norco)combinedoxycodoneandacetaminophen(Percocet,Roxicet)Sideeffectsmayincludedizzinessandnausea.Youshouldnotusetheseproductsifyouhavesleepapnea.Thesemedicinesarepowerfulandaddicting.AnticonvulsantsThesemedicationshelplessensensorydisturbances:gabapentin(Neurontin)gabapentinenacarbil(Horizant)pregabalin(Lyrica)Sideeffectsmayincludedizzinessandfatigue.Itmaytakeseveralattemptsbeforeyoufindtherightmedication.Yourdoctorwilladjustthemedicationanddosageasyoursymptomschange.Learnaboutover-the-countermedicationsforrestlesslegsyndrome»RestlesslegsyndromeinchildrenChildrencanexperiencethesametinglingandpullingsensationsintheirlegsasadultswithRLS.Buttheymayhaveahardtimedescribingit.Theymightcallita“creepycrawly”feeling.ChildrenwithRLSalsohaveanoverwhelmingurgetomovetheirlegs.They’remorelikelythanadultstohavesymptomsduringtheday.RLScaninterferewithsleep,whichcanaffecteveryaspectoflife.AchildwithRLSmayseeminattentive,irritable,orfidgety.Theymaybelabeleddisruptiveorhyperactive.DiagnosingandtreatingRLScanhelpaddresstheseproblemsandimproveschoolperformance.TodiagnoseRLSinchildrenuptoage12,theadultcriteriamustbemet:overwhelmingurgetomove,usuallyaccompaniedbystrangesensationssymptomsworsenatnightsymptomsaretriggeredwhenyoutrytorelaxorsleepsymptomseaseupwhenyoumoveAdditionally,thechildmustbeabletodescribethelegsensationsintheirownwords.Otherwise,twoofthesemustbetrue:There’saclinicalsleepdisturbanceforage.AbiologicalparentorsiblinghadRLS.Asleepstudyconfirmsaperiodiclimbmovementindexoffiveormoreperhourofsleep.Anydietarydeficienciesmustbeaddressed.ChildrenwithRLSshouldavoidcaffeineanddevelopgoodbedtimehabits.Ifnecessary,medicationsthataffectdopamine,benzodiazepines,andanticonvulsantsmaybeprescribed.Learnmoreabouthowchildrenareaffectedbyrestlesslegsyndrome»DietrecommendationsforpeoplewithrestlesslegsyndromeTherearen’tanyspecificdietaryguidelinesforpeoplewithRLS.Butit’sagoodideatoreviewyourdiettomakesureyou’regettingenoughessentialvitaminsandnutrients.Trytocuthigh-calorieprocessedfoodswithlittleornonutritionalvalue.SomepeoplewithsymptomsofRLSaredeficientinparticularvitaminsandminerals.Ifthat’sthecase,youcanmakesomechangestoyourdietortakedietarysupplements.Italldependsonwhatyourtestresultsshow.Ifyou’redeficientiniron,tryaddingmoreoftheseiron-richfoodstoyourdiet:darkgreenleafyvegetablespeasdriedfruitbeansredmeatandporkpoultryandseafoodiron-fortifiedfoodssuchascertaincereals,pasta,andbreadVitaminChelpsyourbodyabsorbiron,soyoumightalsowanttopairiron-richfoodswiththesesourcesofvitaminC:citrusjuicesgrapefruit,oranges,tangerines,strawberries,kiwi,melonstomatoes,peppersbroccoli,leafygreensCaffeineistricky.ItcantriggersymptomsofRLSinsomepeople,butactuallyhelpsothers.It’sworthalittleexperimentationtoseeifcaffeineaffectsyoursymptoms.AlcoholcanmakeRLSworse,plusit’sknowntodisruptsleep.Trytoavoidit,especiallyintheevening.Learnmoreabouthowyourdietcanrelievesymptomsofrestlesslegsyndrome»RestlesslegsyndromeandsleepThosestrangesensationsinyourlegscanbeuncomfortableorpainful.Andthosesymptomscanmakeitalmostimpossibletofallasleepandstayasleep.Sleepdeprivationandfatiguearedangeroustoyourhealthandwell-being.Inadditiontoworkingwithyourdoctortofindrelief,thereareafewthingsyoucandotoimproveyourchancesofrestfulsleep:Inspectyourmattressandpillows.Ifthey’reoldandlumpy,itmaybetimetoreplacethem.It’salsoworthinvestingincomfortablesheets,blankets,andpajamas.Makesurewindowshadesorcurtainsblockoutsidelight.Removealldigitaldevices,includingclocks,awayfromyourbed.Removebedroomclutter.Keepyourbedroomtemperatureonthecoolsidesoyoudon’tgetoverheated.Putyourselfonasleepschedule.Trytogotobedatthesametimeeachnightandgetupatthesametimeeachmorning,evenonweekends.It’llhelpsupportanaturalsleeprhythm.Stopusingelectronicdevicesatleastonehourbeforebedtime.Justbeforebedtime,massageyourlegsortakeahotbathorshower.Trysleepingwithapillowbetweenyourlegs.Itmighthelppreventyournervesfromcompressingandtriggeringsymptoms.Checkoutmoretipsforbettersleepwithrestlesslegsyndrome»RestlesslegsyndromeandpregnancySymptomsofRLScanspringupforthefirsttimeduringpregnancy,usuallyinthelasttrimester.DatasuggeststhatpregnantwomenmayhavetwoorthreetimeshigherriskofRLS.Thereasonsforthisaren’twell-understood.Somepossibilitiesarevitaminormineraldeficiencies,hormonalchanges,ornervecompression.Pregnancycanalsocauselegcrampsanddifficultysleeping.ThesesymptomscanbehardtodistinguishfromRLS.Ifyou’repregnantandhavesymptomsofRLS,talktoyourdoctor.Youmayneedtobetestedforironorotherdeficiencies.Youcanalsotrysomeofthesehomecaretechniques:Avoidsittingstillforprolongedperiods,especiallyintheevening.Trytogetalittleexerciseeveryday,evenifit’sjustanafternoonwalk.Massageyourlegsorperformlegstretchingexercisesbeforebed.Tryusingheatorcoldonyourlegswhenthey’rebotheringyou.Sticktoaregularsleepschedule.Avoidantihistamines,caffeine,smoking,andalcohol.Makesureyou’regettingallthenutrientsyouneedfromyourdietorfromprenatalvitamins.SomeofthemedicationsusedtotreatRLSarenotsafetouseduringpregnancy.RLSinpregnancyusuallygoesawayonitsownwithinweeksaftergivingbirth.Ifitdoesn’t,seeyourdoctoraboutotherremedies.Besuretomentionifyouarebreast-feeding.Learnmoreabouthowrestlesslegsyndromecanaffectpregnancy»Restlessarm,restlessbody,andotherrelatedconditionsIt’scalledrestless“leg”syndrome,butitcanalsoaffectyourarms,trunk,orhead.Bothsidesofthebodyareusuallyinvolved,butsomepeoplehaveitononlyoneside.Despitethesedifferences,it’sthesamedisorder.About80percentofpeoplewithRLSalsohaveperiodiclimbmovementofsleep(PLMS).Thiscausesinvoluntarylegtwitchingorjerkingduringsleepthatcanlastallnightlong.Peripheralneuropathy,diabetes,andkidneyfailurecausesymptomslikeRLS.Treatingtheunderlyingconditionoftenhelps.ManypeoplewithParkinson’sdiseasealsohaveRLS.ButmostpeoplewhohaveRLSdon’tgoontodevelopParkinson’s.Thesamemedicationscanimprovesymptomsofbothconditions.It’snotuncommonforpeoplewithmultiplesclerosis(MS)tohavesleepdisturbances,includingrestlesslegs,limbs,andbody.They’realsopronetomusclesspasmsandcramps.Medicationusedtocombatfatigueassociatedwithchronicdiseasescanalsocausethis.Medicationadjustmentsandhomeremediesmayhelp.PregnantwomenareathigherriskofRLS.Itusuallyresolvesonitsownafterthebabyisborn.Anyonecanhaveoccasionallegcrampsorstrangesensationsthatcomeandgo.Whensymptomsinterferewithsleep,seeyourdoctorforaproperdiagnosisandtreatment.Besuretomentionanyunderlyinghealthconditions.FactsandstatisticsaboutrestlesslegsyndromeAccordingtotheNationalInstituteofNeurologicalDisordersandStroke,RLSaffectsabout10percentofAmericans.Thisincludesonemillionschool-agechildren.AmongpeoplewithRLS,35percenthadsymptomsbeforeage20.Oneintenreportsymptomsbyage10.Symptomstendtoworsenwithage.Incidenceistwiceashighinwomenasinmen.Pregnantwomenmayhavetwoorthreetimeshigherriskthanthegeneralpopulation.It’smorecommoninpeopleofNorthernEuropeandescentthaninotherethnicities.Certainantihistamines,antinausea,antidepressant,orantipsychoticmedicationscantriggerorworsensymptomsofRLS.About80percentofpeoplewithRLSalsohaveadisordercalledperiodiclimbmovementofsleep(PLMS).PLMSinvolvesinvoluntarylegtwitchingorjerkingevery15to40secondsduringsleep.MostpeoplewithPLMSdon’thaveRLS.Mostofthetime,thecauseofRLSisn’tobvious.Butmorethan40percentofpeoplewithRLShavesomefamilyhistoryofthecondition.Whenitrunsinthefamily,symptomsusuallystartbeforeage40.TherearefivegenevariantsassociatedwithRLS.ThechangeintheBTBD9geneassociatedwithhigherriskofRLSispresentinabout75percentofpeoplewithRLS.It’salsofoundinabout65percentofpeoplewithoutRLS.There’snocureforRLS.Butmedicationandlifestylemodificationscanhelpmanagesymptoms.LastmedicallyreviewedonAugust15,2018MedicallyreviewedbyWilliamMorrison,M.D.—WrittenbyAnnPietrangelo—UpdatedonOctober14,2021ReadthisnextHomeRemediesforRestlessLegSyndromeMedicallyreviewedbyGeorgeKrucik,MD,MBASimplelifestylechanges,over-the-c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