Restless Leg Syndrome – RLS

Restless legs syndrome — also known as RLS or Willis-Ekbom disease — is a common condition that causes unpleasant, overpowering sensations in the legs that you can only ease with movement. Many people describe these sensations as an itchy, prickly feeling, or a creeping up and down their legs.

Symptoms typically begin late into the evening and can be either chronic or sporadic. RLS can keep you from falling asleep or can wake you up in the middle of the night, causing you to get a less successful night’s rest. These sleep-related disruptions can, in turn, significantly reduce your quality of life.

Researchers are still learning what exactly causes restless legs syndrome. The condition often runs in families due to gene variants. However, you could also develop RLS if:

• You’re anemic or have low iron
• You’re pregnant
• You take medications such as antidepressants
• You have a condition such as a vein disease

Doctors diagnose RLS based on several signs and symptoms. You may have restless legs syndrome if:

• You have an uncontrollable urge to move your legs
• An uncomfortable feeling — such as a tingling, throbbing or itching in your legs
• The urges to move your legs intensify the longer you sit or lay down
• Your discomfort begins or worsens in the evening
• You have limb twitches throughout the night
• General restlessness and the urge to move your legs affects your quality of sleep

Vein disease is an often overlooked cause of RLS.  Doctors typically test RLS patients for venous insufficiency before prescribing medications or physical therapy. By managing this underlying condition, vein treatment can relieve the discomfort and inconvenience of RLS.