What is Restless Legs Syndrome?
Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) is a neurological disorder. It involves an overwhelming urge to move your legs, often accompanied by an uncomfortable sensation. This uncomfortable feeling might feel like crawling, aching, tingling, or throbbing, and it usually occurs in the legs, sometimes in the arms. This restlessness often happens when you are sitting or lying down, and moving around provides relief. Because this problem mostly occurs at night and disrupts sleep, it is also considered a sleep-related disorder. In severe cases, RLS symptoms can occur several times a week, and in very severe cases, it can prevent you from sleeping for several hours.
Who can suffer from Restless Legs Syndrome?
There are two main causes behind RLS: genetics and iron levels. Genetics: This disorder often runs in families, and there is a 20% chance of it occurring due to genetic reasons. Iron Deficiency: People with iron deficiency are more likely to have RLS. This includes pregnant women, people on dialysis, menstruating women, anaemia patients, and vegetarians. In addition, some antidepressant (SSRI) medications can also worsen RLS symptoms. This disorder is more common in women than men, and the likelihood increases with age. Children can also experience RLS.
Treatment and Lifestyle Changes
To treat RLS, it’s essential first to identify what worsens it. Alcohol, certain medications, and simple sugars can exacerbate symptoms. If you have low iron levels, iron supplements or injections can be helpful. You should have ‘tricks’ to manage symptoms, such as hot or cold compresses, massage, walking, or engaging in a mentally stimulating activity. It is said that keeping your mind busy helps keep symptoms at bay.
Medications that can help
If lifestyle changes and iron supplements don’t help, medications can also assist. Doctors often start with medications called alpha2-delta ligands, such as gabapentin or pregabalin. Dopamine agonists used to be the first choice, but their use has decreased because they can worsen RLS over time. Low-dose, long-acting opioid medications can also be used for the most severe cases.Talk to your Doctor
If you experience restlessness in your legs while resting, especially if it disrupts your sleep, it’s crucial to talk to a doctor. Not all doctors are well-versed in RLS, so seeing a sleep specialist might be beneficial. You should also have a blood test done, including an iron panel (ferritin), which indicates the iron level in your body. The sooner you talk to a doctor, the better, as you are only delaying diagnosis and treatment which can be detrimental to your life. Daytime sleepiness, irritability, or a lack of desire to do anything can be caused by RLS, so at least talk to a doctor about it.
