Restless Leg Syndrome Sleep Disorder – Some Basic Facts

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Restless Leg Syndrome Sleep Disorder – Some Basic Facts

Wednesday, January 28th, 2009 Subscribe To Our Feed

Recent news stories and TV commercials have clearly shown the discomfort of Restless Leg Syndrome sleep disorder (generally referred to as simply RLS) to everyone. Although of course those who have suffered from this disorder for years know only too well the ways in which RLS can disrupt life. As it becomes more readily available people might well discover the cause of their mysterious symptoms and start to ask questions when they see their doctor. Possible more importantly they will come to see their symptoms as real and not imagined and they are not alone.

Probably the easiest description of how RLS affects a person is to say that it is a condition in which you experience an inability to relax. When a person either sits or lays down at night their legs begin to feel as though pins and needles are sticking them or experience a creepy or crawling feeling and the need to constantly move their legs, making it just about impossible to sleep. This in itself can explain why one of the principle effects of RLS is insomnia.

As research has progressed it has become clear that many people with RLS also have other family members who suffer from the disorder and that there is therefore almost certainly a genetic component to the disorder. This genetic element is important when it comes to diagnosing children because they normally do not vocalize their discomfort or pain in the same way as an adult and the disorder is frequently misdiagnosed, as muscle cramps, stress, arthritis and insomnia and attention is often focused on the child’s restlessness, inattentiveness and irritability as what is said to be simply growing pains.

In addition, at times pregnant women find themselves suffering from the symptoms of RLS throughout their pregnancy with the worst symptoms of the condition coming during the final trimester. However, because of the pregnancy, medication is often not recommended except during the last two or three months when the effects on the baby will be minimal.

Diagnosis is the first and foremost concern for anyone who suffers from RLS symptoms because it is after diagnosis that treatment can start and relief begin.

Treatments for RLS can vary widely from one individual to the next and with the severity of the restless leg symptoms being experienced. Medication is frequently prescribed for severe cases with Requip and Mirapex being the two most well known prescribed medicines. For those who do not wish to use medication there are alternative treatments such as acupuncture and a variety of homeopathic remedies. Also, lifestyle changes such as exercise, relaxation and using hot and cold packs are also used to provide symptomatic relief.

While it may seem appropriate to find the best relief for your symptoms by yourself you should check with your doctor first as RLS can sometimes be a secondary condition and result from another condition or disorder as, for example, when it occurs during pregnancy. Using your own plan can cause further problems and therefore not result in the relief you want.

Because each person is unique individual so too are our symptoms and an understanding of this fact is central when it comes to treatment. It is only with a sound understanding of this disorder that proper restless leg syndrome treatment can begin and that the leg pain which accompanies RLS will be a thing of the past.

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