Restless leg syndrome is a state from which millions of people all over the globe suffer from everyday. There has been varying degrees of study done on this disorder but no one has been able to explicitly say what causes it, even though a recent study done by a group of researchers at Penn State College of Medicine and Johns Hopkins University was able to locate what may be a credible cause. More on that later in this article.
What is known about the cause of restless leg syndrome is that its origins appear to center around problems with brain chemistry and nerve impulses that control the legs. Researchers have found that people who suffer from this syndrome have nerve impulses that cause the legs to move or shift in reaction to the feeling that something is crawling around on them. The only thing that seems to lessen these creepy-crawly feelings is getting up and moving around.
It is not known what causes these nerve impulses but it is believed that diet plays a important part in it. Caffeine has been found to be a causative agent for individuals with restless leg syndrome as it stimulates the mind to send out movement and pain signals to the legs of those affected. Many individuals who suffer from RLS have eliminated caffeine from their diet and discovered that their symptoms have lessened or gone away.
Many people who suffer from Restless leg syndrome have discovered that stress or emotional concerns makes their symptoms get worse. Stress and mental fatigue could affect brain function and the way it sends signals to the rest of the body. By reducing or eliminating stress the symptoms of restless leg syndrome will be reduced.
Medical investigation believes most of the problems associated with restless leg syndrome have to do with vitamin and mineral deficiencies. These deficiencies could cause chemical imbalances in the mind and of particular concern is a deficit of iron. This brings us to the study done by Penn State and Johns Hopkins.
In a report released in June of 2003 the researchers discovered that cells in the mid-brain area were not getting an adequate amount of iron. This vital locate pointed to the fact that RLS is a sensory motor syndrome and is not any form of psychological problem. This means that there isn't actually any damage to the brain cells and because they are iron deficient there is a good chance that good treatments will be discovered.
What they found is that the brain cells of the people with rLS are lacking a receptor that allows the cells to receive the amount of iron they need to function properly. Because the cells don't have enough iron the neural signals may misfire causing the leg movement and the feelings of something crawling just under the skin. This does not necessarily mean that those with RLS are iron deficient; it's just that not enough iron is able to get into the appropriate brain cells to allow for efficient neural firing.
It ought to also be pointed out that smoking cigarettes have been linked to Restless leg syndrome. Studies have proven that cigarette smoke decreases the body's ability to correctly absorb and metabolize vitamins a minerals generating a deficiency of these vital nutrients. Stopping smoking has been shown to decrease or do away with the symptoms completely.
Anyone who suffers or thinks they suffer from RLS should seek the advice of their doctor. They may run tests to help uncover the cause of their rLS and help sufferers take the proper steps to effectively treat their state.
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