Do You Have Restless Legs Syndrome?

You may not know what to call those creepy-crawly, tingly-tightening sensations in your legs. Although RLS symptoms typically occur in the legs, studies have shown those unusual leg sensations are neurological in nature. Which is why the feeling can be, well, so unnerving. RLS can make sleeping and traveling difficult and uncomfortable. People with RLS have difficulty lying down and sleeping because their legs just won’t let them, and a lack of Z’s can mean you’re tired, which may effect your ability to do normal activities the next day. RLS can also make you avoid doing things you once enjoyed, like taking long car or plane trips, or going to the movies. Sound familiar? Believe me, I know all about this....allow me to share what I know now with you:

Restless Legs Syndrome

Restless legs syndrome — Comprehensive overview covers symptoms, treatment of disorder that can cause insomnia.

Definition

Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a condition in which your legs feel extremely uncomfortable while you're sitting or lying down. It makes you feel like getting up and moving around. When you do so, the unpleasant feeling of restless legs syndrome temporarily goes away.
Restless legs syndrome can begin at any age and generally worsens as you get older. Women are more likely than men to develop this condition. Restless legs syndrome can disrupt sleep — leading to daytime drowsiness — and make traveling difficult.
A number of simple self-care steps and lifestyle changes may help you. Medications also help many people with restless legs syndrome.

Symptoms

Commonly described sensationsPeople typically describe restless legs syndrome (RLS) symptoms as unpleasant sensations in their calves, thighs, feet or arms, often expressed as:

• Crawling
• Tingling
• Cramping
• Creeping
• Pulling
• Painful
• Electric
• Tense
• Uncomfortable
• Itchy
• Tugging
• Gnawing
• Aching
• Burning

Sometimes the sensations seem to defy description. Affected people usually don't describe the condition as a muscle cramp or numbness. They do, however, consistently describe the desire to move or handle their legs.
It's common for symptoms to fluctuate in severity, and occasionally symptoms disappear for periods of time.
Commonly reported patternsCommon characteristics of RLS signs and symptoms include:

• Starts during inactivity. The sensation typically begins after you've been lying down or sitting for an extended period of time, such as in a car, airplane or movie theater.
• Relief by movement. The sensation of RLS lessens if you get up and move. People combat the sensation of restless legs in a number of ways — by stretching, jiggling their legs, pacing the floor, exercising or walking. This compelling desire to move is what gives restless legs syndrome its name.
• Worsening of symptoms in the evening. Symptoms typically are less bothersome during the day and are felt primarily at night.
• Nighttime leg twitching. RLS may be associated with another condition called periodic limb movements of sleep (PLMS). Once called myoclonus, PLMS causes you to involuntarily flex and extend your legs while sleeping — without being aware you're doing it. Hundreds of these twitching or kicking movements may occur throughout the night. If you have severe RLS, these involuntary kicking movements may also occur while you're awake. PLMS is common in older adults, even without RLS, and doesn't always disrupt sleep. More than 4 out of 5 people with RLS also experience PLMD.

When to see a doctorSome people with restless legs syndrome never seek medical attention because they worry that their symptoms are too difficult to describe or won't be taken seriously. Some doctors wrongly attribute symptoms to nervousness, stress, insomnia or muscle cramps. But RLS has received more media attention and focus from the medical community in recent years, making more people aware of the condition.
If you think you may have RLS, call your doctor.

What Causes This?

In many cases, no known cause for restless legs syndrome exists. Researchers suspect the condition may be due to an imbalance of the brain chemical dopamine. This chemical sends messages to control muscle movement.

HeredityRLS runs in families in up to half the people with RLS, especially if the condition started at an early age. Researchers have identified sites on the chromosomes where genes for RLS may be present.

PregnancyPregnancy or hormonal changes may temporarily worsen RLS signs and symptoms. Some women experience RLS for the first time during pregnancy, especially during their last trimester. However, for most of these women, signs and symptoms usually disappear quickly after delivery.

Related conditionsFor the most part, restless legs syndrome isn't related to a serious underlying medical problem. However, RLS sometimes accompanies other conditions, such as:

• Peripheral neuropathy. This damage to the nerves in your hands and feet is sometimes due to chronic diseases such as diabetes and alcoholism.
• Iron deficiency. Even without anemia, iron deficiency can cause or worsen RLS. If you have a history of bleeding from your stomach or bowels, experience heavy menstrual periods or repeatedly donate blood, you may have iron deficiency.
• Kidney failure. If you have kidney failure, you may also have iron deficiency, often with anemia. When kidneys fail to function properly, iron stores in your blood can decrease. This, along with other changes in body chemistry, may cause or worsen RLS.

So many people have this and don't know how to ease the pain. If you are experiencing this and you are anything like me, I walked the floors at night with muscle spasms not knowing what they were, then I went to see my doctor and she determined what it was. I had blood work done and everything came back OK so it was nothing that was serious, just annoying. She gave me a prescription BUT it made me sick to my stomach, so I discontinued using it...there I was back to square one...then my father told me that a gentleman that used to work for him in the steel mills used to get spasms in his legs for months and complained and then one day he stopped complaining. My father asked him about this and he told him that he used an old fashion home remedy and it worked. My dad figured that I didn't have anything to lose and a lot of extra sleep at night to gain if this would only work for me so he suggested doing what he heard. What was it you wonder?
Put a bar of soap in between the mattress and your fitted sheets near the footboard of your bed and leave it there. I laughed at first and thought I'd humor my dad, but guess what?

......A little over a week later the spasms stopped and I was sleeping through the night. I used whatever bar of soap I had in the linen closet, and at the time it was COAST. I was told that you should use Ivory soap but COAST worked just fine for me. If you are laughing right now, don't. I did, and had I not done this I might still be walking the floor at night in pain. Believe it or not I am a sucker for trying home remedies as crazy and far fetched as they may sound, if it can't kill me, I'll try it and then I'll share it with you. Because of this one man telling my father this, and then me Googling it to see if there was any truth in it, (and yes there was as other people have done it also and noticed big improvements in their condition) TRY IT!

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