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CNI Movement Disorders Center
Education & Information
Facts about Restless Legs Syndrome
Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) is a movement disorder characterized by the desire or need to move ones legs. It is characterized by the desire to move one’s limbs in response to an undesirable sensation described as a creepy crawly sensation, anxious feeling. The symptoms usually are worse in the evening or bedtime but can occur anytime in the day.
Signs and Symptoms
The sensations that people feel are usually unpleasant. Some of the descriptions used to describe RLS are a creepy, crawly feeling; itching, need to move; tension, tingling; restless; discomfort, pulling; painful; electric. These sensations are usually deep in the limbs and can be improved by rubbing, hot/cold water or movement. Patients often get up to walk around in an attempt to relieve the irresistible restlessness. RLS sensations may also be felt in the arms, although the legs are almost always more severely affected; the face and torso are rarely ever involved.
These sensations are worse at night and patients often have great difficulty falling asleep, this can lead to a patient having a poor nights sleep.
Some patients with RLS also may have periodic limb movements of sleep (PLMS). These are kick-like movements of the legs while patients are asleep or when they are drowsy or just falling asleep.
Incidence
The incidence of RLS is between 5 and 15% of all people, and women are more affected than men. The chance of having RLS increases with age and symptoms typically worsen over time. There have been a few cases of RLS in children but this is rare. RLS appears in all ethnic backgrounds and nationalities but Caucasian seem more likely to have RLS.
Causes
The exact cause(s) of RLS are not known. The diagnosis of RLS is divided into the following types:
Primary RLS-These patients have no other medical condition that causes their symptoms. They usually have a family history upon questioning. Most researchers feel that RLS is inherited in an autonomic dominant pattern, which means that if someone has primary (genetic) RLS, then each of their children has a 50% chance of inheriting the gene and possibly developing the symptoms. Current research has identified four chromosomes involved in RLS. Currently, no tests exist to diagnose primary RLS, although some patients rely on sleep studies (poly-somnograms) to document the leg kicking (PLMS).
Secondary (symptomatic) RLS: Patients with this form of RLS have a medical condition that can be causing their symptoms. Some conditions that may cause RLS can be: neuropathy, kidney failure, pregnancy, iron deficiency, certain drugs and essential tremor.
Treatments
Treatments are used to relieve the symptoms. Both dosing and medication changes are often required to maximize symptom relief while limiting side effects over time.
- There are many medications on the market now for the relief of RLS symptoms. These medications should be prescribed carefully and side effects explained to patients. Some of the medications prescribed are clonazepam, Requip, Mirapex, Codeine and other medications. Benadryl and melatonin can actually worsen RLS symptoms.
For more information, please contact the Restless Legs Syndrome Foundation at www.rls.org or www.wemove.org.
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