To Your Health
Restless Legs Syndrome

by Paulette Avery RN, MSN

Do you ever have an irritating sensation in one or both legs that can keep you from falling asleep and make any situation requiring long periods of sitting miserably uncomfortable? If you answered yes, you may have restless legs syndrome (RLS). I've had this condition for years but was wondering recently how long it has been recognized by the medical profession and how common it is. The fact that ads for a new drug to treat RLS appear regularly on TV these days led me to believe a significant number of people suffer from it.

I found that the medical profession has known about RLS for 300 years; it was first described in the medical literature in 1672. Yet only in the past decade or so have doctors begun to pay attention to this disorder. In 1945 Karl Ekborn documented the common occurrence of RLS and coined the name "restless legs," but his work was mostly ignored for the next 50 years. The recent attention to RLS seems to have resulted from a combination of the rise of the specialty of sleep medicine, the overall realization by medical professionals of the importance of helping people maintain optimal health and an overall quality of life, and the increase in longevity.

Estimates for the number of people who have RLS vary from as high as 10 percent of the population in the West, to about 7.2 percent, according to a recent multinational study. One estimate is that 12 percent of the US population has RLS. RLS occurs more frequently in women than men and becomes more common after age 50.

To be diagnosed with RLS, a patient must meet all four criteria established by the RLS Study Group and the National Institutes of Health. First is the urge to move the legs, usually accompanied by an unpleasant sensation within the leg. Once it occurs, it often persists for minutes or hours and can severely disrupt sleep.

Second, the symptoms begin at rest when the patient is sitting or lying down and do not begin while walking. Third, the symptoms must be at least partially relieved by movement, most commonly by moving the affected leg. Fourth, symptoms are worse in the evening or night than they are during the day.

RLS may accompany other conditions such as iron-deficiency anemia, pregnancy, or end-stage kidney disease. The condition is also more common in someone who has rheumatoid arthritis or who has had gastric surgery. Although the exact cause is not known, studies indicate that it is related to a deficiency of iron in the brain, even when blood levels of iron are normal.

If you have RLS, what can you do about it? Caffeine, alcohol, and tobacco can all aggravate the symptoms, so you might begin by cutting back or eliminating those substances. Moderate exercise may help, as can taking a hot bath, applying heat or cold to the legs, or massage. I have found that brushing my legs before bed with a soft brush seems to help. In moderate to severe cases, your doctor may suggest a prescription medication.

If RLS significantly interferes with your ability to sleep or comfortably enjoy other normal activities, I strongly recommend you discuss your symptoms with your doctor.

Paulette Avery is a registered nurse and a freelance writer who specializes in health issues.