RLS is a ailment of the part of the nervous system that affects movements of the legs. For the reason that it frequently interferes with sleep, it also is considered a sleep disorder.
Individuals with RLS have weird sensations in their legs (and sometimes arms) and an uncontrollable urge to move their legs to relieve the feelings.
The sensations are hard to describe: they are not painful, but an unnerving, "itchy," "pins and needles," or "creepy crawly" feeling deep in the legs. The feelings are usually worse at rest, particularly when lying in bed. The sensations lead to walking uneasiness, sleep deprivation, and anxiety. Restless Leg Syndrome affects about 8-10% of the US population. Men and women are affected uniformly. It may begin at any age, even in infants and young children. Most individuals who are affected severely are middle-aged or older.
The severity of Restless Leg Syndrome symptoms ranges from mild to intolerable. Symptoms get regularly worse over time in about two thirds of individuals with the condition and may be severe enough to be disabling. The symptoms are generally worse in the evening and night and less severe in the morning. While the symptoms are frequently quite mild in young adults, by age 50 the symptoms cause serious nightly sleep disruption that leads to decreased alertness in the daytime.
RLS is often unrecognized or misdiagnosed. In many people the condition is not diagnosed until 10-20 years after symptoms begin. Once appropriately diagnosed, Restless Leg Syndrome can often be treated effectively
The cause of restless legs syndrome (Restless Leg Syndrome) is not known.
RLS was once thought to be due to sickness in the blood vessels of the legs or in the nerves in the legs that manage leg movement and feeling. Both of those suggestions have been discarded. Restless Leg Syndrome may be linked to abnormalities in brain chemicals (neurotransmitters) that help control muscle movements, or to abnormalities in the part of the central nervous system that controls automatic movements. Research is still being done in these areas.
RLS can be primary or secondary. Secondary Restless Leg Syndrome is caused by an underlying medical condition. Primary (idiopathic) RLS has no known underlying cause. Primary RLS is far more common than secondary Restless Leg Syndrome. Many different health conditions can cause secondary RLS. The two most common conditions are iron-deficiency anemia and peripheral neuropathy.
Iron-deficiency anemia ("low blood") means low levels of hemoglobin, the material in the blood that carries oxygen and makes the blood come out red.
Peripheral neuropathy is damage to the nerves of the arms and legs. Peripheral neuropathy has many causes. Diabetes is a common cause of peripheral neuropathy. Peripheral neuropathy causes numbness or lack of sensation, tingling, and pain in the affected areas. As many as 40% of pregnant women experience RLS symptoms. The symptoms usually weaken within a few weeks after delivery.
Specific medications or substances can cause RLS. Alcohol, caffeine, anticonvulsant drugs (eg, methsuximide, phenytoin), antidepressant drugs (eg, amitriptyline, paroxetine), beta-blockers, H2 blockers, lithium, and neuroleptics (antipsychotics) may cause Restless Leg Syndrome. Withdrawal from vasodilator drugs, sedatives, or imipramine can cause RLS symptoms. Cigarette smoking is also linked to Restless Leg Syndrome.
Other secondary causes include magnesium deficiency, vitamin B-12 deficiency, acute kidney sickness (specially if dialysis is required), amyloidosis, Lyme sickness, damage to the spinal nerves, rheumatoid arthritis, Sjogren syndrome, and uremia (kidney failure causing build up of toxins within the body).
The causes of primary Restless Leg Syndrome are unknown, but some of the risk factors are known. In 25-75% of cases, primary RLS seems to run in families. Such genetic cases of RLS tend to start earlier in life and get worse more slowly than additional cases.
So what do you do if you think you have Restless Leg Syndrome? The best and most effectual way to treat Restless Leg Syndrome is with a natural holistic program. There are several programs on the internet that are spefically designed to treat this condition naturally.
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