Restless leg syndrome, also known as RLS, is a condition in which legs are in pain when sitting or lying down. Moving around gives temporary relief to the pain. Restless leg syndrome affects both men and women and can start at any age and worsen as you age. The condition can bring on anxiety and depression, but treatments are available.
Causes
In most cases of RLS the cause is unknown, but according to the National Institute of Health, 50% of all cases is inherited. Other factors associated with restless leg syndrome include obesity, pregnancy, anemia, diabetes and smoking. Some medications such as anti-nausea, anti-seizure and anti-histamine drugs can aggravate symptoms.
Leg Symptoms
Symptoms are located in the legs, calves, thighs and sometimes the arms and may include a jittery, tingling, crawling, burning and aching feeling. Symptoms may not be noticeable during the day, but become worse in the evening. Movement seems to relieve symptoms temporarily and patients will tend to jiggle, stretch or pace the floor to relieve pain.
Anxiety
RLS can cause anxiety and depression because of the relentless symptoms during the night. Sleeplessness may cause insomnia leading to anxiety over a situation you can't seem to control. Constant twitching and crawling sensations running through your legs can affect your day to day living and cause despondency.
Diagnosis
Your doctor will listen to your description of symptoms and may ask certain questions pertaining to your symptoms such as if the symptoms go away during movement, if you have difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep or if anyone else in your family has the same symptoms. Blood and muscle tests may be taken to rule out other conditions.
Treatment
When an iron deficiency is the cause of RLS, iron supplements may be the only treatment needed. When RLS is not associated by another condition, lifestyle changes may help symptoms. Pain relievers such as Motrin and Advil can relieve pain in the limbs. Warm baths or massages may relax leg muscles. Applying heating pads to affected areas on the legs can bring relief. Avoid alcohol and cigarettes as they tend to trigger RLS symptoms. Use relaxation or meditation tapes to reduce stress that RLS symptoms can bring about.
Medications
Medications such as Requip, which are used for Parkinson's disease, affect the amount of the chemical dopamine in your brain which may decrease the motion in your legs. Opioids such as Percocet can relieve severe pain, but can be addicting so treatment is short-term only. Sleep aids such as Lunesta may be prescribed to help with sleeplessness. Anti-anxiety medications such as Valium may be prescribed to treat nervousness or anxiety caused from RLS. Each person's experience with RLS will be different, so your evaluate your individual symptoms to determine the best treatment for you.
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