Restless Leg Syndrome Sleep Disorder – Understanding The Basics
A number of recent news stories and TV commercials have brought home the discomfort of Restless Leg Syndrome (normally known as simply RLS) to everybody. While of course those who have suffered with the disorder for many years know all too well the way RLS can disrupt everyday life. As it becomes more widely known people might well discover the root cause of their mystery symptoms and start to ask questions of their physician. More importantly they will also come to see their symptoms as real and not imagined and they are far from alone.
The easiest description of how RLS affects a person is to say that it is a disorder in which you experience an inability to relax. When a person sits down or lays down at night their legs start to feel as if pins and needles are sticking them or experience a creepy or crawling feeling and the need to continually move their legs, making it almost impossible to sleep. This in itself can explain why one of the principle effects of RLS is insomnia.
As research data has become available it has become evident that many RLS sufferers also have family members with this disorder and that there is thus without doubt a genetic component to this disorder. This genetic element is important when diagnosing RLS in children because they normally do not vocalize their discomfort or pain in the same way as an adult and it is often misdiagnosed, as arthritis, stress, muscle cramps and insomnia and focus is often put on the child’s irritability, inattentiveness and restlessness as what is referred to as simply growing pains.
In addition, at times pregnant women find themselves with the symptoms of RLS throughout their pregnancy with the most intense symptoms of the condition appearing during the final trimester. But, because of the pregnancy, medication is often not recommended except during the last two or three months when the effects on the unborn baby will be minimal.
Diagnosis is the first and foremost concern for anyone who suffers from RLS symptoms because it is only after you have been diagnosed that treatment can start and relief begin.
Treatment for RLS varies widely from one person to the next and depends upon the severity of the restless leg symptoms being experienced. Medication is frequently used for more severe cases with Requip and Mirapex being the most commonly prescribed medicines. For individuals who do not wish to use medication there are alternative methods such as acupuncture and a variety of homeopathic remedies. In addition, lifestyle changes like using hot and cold packs, exercise and relaxation can also be used to provide symptomatic relief.
While it may feel normal to look for the best relief for your symptoms by yourself you should check with your doctor first because RLS can sometimes appear as a secondary condition and be caused by another disorder or condition as, for instance, when it arises during pregnancy. Using your own plan might result in further problems and therefore not result in the relief you are looking for.
Because each person is unique individual so too are the symptoms we experience and an understanding of this is central when it comes to a disorder like RLS. It is only with a sound understanding of this disorder that appropriate restless leg syndrome treatment can begin and the leg pain which accompanies RLS will become a memory.