Restless legs syndrome: causes and treatment

Causes

Restless legs syndrome can be primary or secondary.

The primary disorder usually occurs before the age of 35 and is hereditary. The degree of manifestation of the disease is determined by the activity of genes. However, this syndrome is a multifactorial pathology and is therefore caused by a complex of genetic and environmental factors.

Once you are about to relax or sleep, you will need to constantly move your legs. This is a "cribbelt" or "strong pull". They can barely sleep and therefore often feel exhausted. These are signs of the so-called restless legs syndrome. Here you can learn more about this common disease, its treatment and what you can do about it yourself.

Perspective: Restless Legs Syndrome. Restless legs syndrome is a common condition, affecting up to 10 in 100 people. Typical signs may include: leg movement, stretching, stinging or pain in the legs, fatigue and exhaustion. There is often no reason for restless legs syndrome. The disease "Restless Legs Syndrome" is called "Restless Legs Syndrome" in a special language. It is estimated that between 3 and 10 out of 100 people are affected by it, with women more likely than men.

Secondary restless legs syndrome, also called symptomatic, occurs in people over 40 years of age. It develops against the background of some disease. Most often the syndrome appears when:

• pregnancy;
• uremia;
• iron deficiency.

Pregnant women are at risk for restless legs during the 2nd and 3rd trimester. After childbirth, the syndrome most often goes away on its own. However, in some cases it can remain and bother you for the rest of your life. Uremia (increased urea levels in the blood) develops mainly in people with kidney failure. It is in such patients undergoing a blood cleansing course that the incidence of restless legs syndrome is very high.

The syndrome can also occur in children. The disease is characterized by uncontrolled movement of the legs. It usually has an unpleasant feeling, such as a stabbing sensation, even cramping or pain. The impact of movement can also occur without these sensations. Sometimes the arms and other areas other than the legs are affected. The urge to move and discomfort begin or worsen as soon as you rest, especially when you sit or lie down. In the evening or at night the symptoms are worse than during the day. They often only occur in the evening or at night.

Patients often cannot sleep and wander at night. During the day they are often tired and stressed. If the illness lasts longer, symptoms may also occur during rest periods during the day. Restless leg syndrome can have various causes. Increased kidney weakness, nerve damage, iron deficiency, consumption of certain medications, such as drugs for depression or nausea. If symptoms occur for the first time during pregnancy, they usually disappear spontaneously after delivery. There is often no reason for restless leg syndrome.

In addition to the above-mentioned conditions, the causes of restless legs syndrome may be:

• diabetes;
• obesity;
• post-polio syndrome;
• amyotrophic lateral sclerosis;
• essential tremor;
• spinal cord diseases;
• venous insufficiency of the legs;
• porphyria;
• rheumatoid arthritis;
• pathology of the thyroid gland;
• alcoholism.

There are cases when the cause of restless legs syndrome is a genetic predisposition provoked by unfavorable environmental factors. The latter may include excessive coffee consumption, iron deficiency or polyneuropathy. Therefore, the boundary between the 2 forms of the syndrome in this case is conditional.

In more than half of these cases, relatives of the relative are also affected. Typically, a conversation and physical examination are enough to diagnose restless leg syndrome. Your doctor will test your blood to monitor your iron balance and kidney function. In unclear cases, the doctor may conduct an examination in a sleep laboratory or a small test - a single dose of the drug. This may confirm the suspicion. Treatment. If the cause of your restless legs is known, this is dealt with specifically: in the case of iron deficiency, for example by taking iron tablets.

Obesity increases the risk of developing the syndrome by almost 50%. A special category includes obese people under 20 years of age. In neurological patients, a disease can arise as a result of the coincidence of 2 pathologies, as a consequence of taking medications, when common links in the development of diseases coincide. In persons with the primary syndrome, the results of a neurological examination, as a rule, do not reveal any abnormalities, but in persons with the secondary syndrome, neurological or somatic pathologies are most often detected.

If it is unclear where restless leg syndrome occurs, various medications can be used. These agents ensure that dopamine, a neural messenger, is replaced in the brain. Powerful research shows that they can sometimes relieve symptoms. However, they often have side effects, especially nausea and sleep disturbances. An important side effect is that symptoms even get worse during treatment. In technical language this is called augmentation. Check with your doctor regularly and tell your doctor if your symptoms change.

Diagnostic criteria and pathological types

To be considered restless legs syndrome, four diagnostic criteria :

• An uncontrollable need to move the legs, which may be associated with the presence of paresthesia, i.e. changes in sensitivity and tingling sensation in the legs.
• Instant relief of symptoms when moving the limbs. The relief, however, does not last very long, and the patient almost immediately feels the need to move his legs again.
• Worsening of symptoms at rest, even during the day.
• Worsening of symptoms in the evening or at night, between 22:00 pm and 5:00 am.

Additionally, there are two different types of restless legs syndrome , which have the following characteristics:

• Primitive form : This type is also called idiopathic i.e. has no specific cause, although researchers associate it with a genetic-hereditary mechanism. It occurs before the age of 45, sometimes in childhood, but the symptoms are often so vague that the subject does not realize that he is suffering from restless syndrome, and months or even years pass before the symptoms become obvious. This pathology is progressive, that is, symptoms worsen with age.
• Secondary form . Associated with the use of drugs or specific clinicopathological or physiological conditions, it occurs, usually after age 45, in an acute form: in other words, symptoms appear suddenly and do not tend to worsen over time.

Symptoms and manifestations

With restless legs syndrome, a person does not experience pain.

Suffering gives the patient crawling sensations, pressure, burning, twitching in the thighs, calves, legs and feet. These unpleasant sensations involuntarily force the patient to make movements with his legs and constantly move them. Sometimes walking around the room eases or completely relieves discomfort.

About one in five sufferers stop dopamine agonist treatment because they have too many unwanted effects or don't work. The use of medications depends on how much you suffer from your symptoms and whether you can tolerate them.

What You Can Do What works best against restless legs differs from person to person. The following tips are based on the experiences of survivors. Modified walks, foot baths, cold or warm wraps, massage, foot brushing, or calisthenics and stretching may help. Avoid as much as possible in the hours before your appointment: heavy physical work, stress, nicotine, alcohol, and caffeinated drinks such as coffee or black tea. Instead of a big lunch, a small snack or drink before bed, such as hot cocoa, can help. Try not to go directly to sleep after daily tasks. Prepare yourself slowly through a warm bath. Save as much sleep as possible. This can help you make your bedroom as comfortable as possible. This is quite unfavorable if you use it as an office, for example. Exchange with others, for example in a self-help group. Don't be afraid to talk about your complaints.

• Make sure you have adequate iron intake in your diet.
• Sleeping at midday can make you have trouble sleeping at night.
• You might be better off skipping this.

Shortly before falling asleep, you feel an unpleasant tingling sensation in your legs.
These restless conditions in most cases occur in the evening, before bedtime or in the first half of the night. By morning the discomfort passes and does not make itself felt until noon. The patient cannot sleep normally, he develops insomnia, he becomes irritable, and quickly gets tired. In this state, some cannot even go to visit, to the theater or other public places. In other words, those suffering from restless legs syndrome cannot live a full life, since they literally cannot find a place for themselves. Sometimes this condition exhausts the nervous system so much that it can lead to disability.

This charm only disappears when you get up and walk around. Lately this has been happening almost every night. Your doctor calls this restless legs syndrome or "restless legs syndrome." Fortunately, however, there are a number of simple self-help measures and medications that can help.

Germans twitch their legs at night

With restless legs syndrome, you have an overwhelming urge to move your legs while you sit or lie down. Those affected describe a feeling that is usually a deep-seated tingling, biting, tingling or burning sensation in a thigh, calf, leg - or rarely - an arm. The sensations are usually unpleasant, but not painful.

Diagnosis of the disease

Diagnosing restless legs syndrome is not difficult. It is based on several criteria, which are based on the patient’s complaints. The following 4 criteria may be sufficient to accurately make a diagnosis:

1. An irresistible desire to move limbs or other parts of the body, accompanied by unpleasant sensations in the legs.
2. Discomfort appears or intensifies at rest.
3. During movement, the discomfort decreases or disappears completely.
4. Discomfort worsens in the evening or at night.

If a person gives a positive answer to each of the 4 questions, then most likely he has restless legs syndrome. During diagnosis, questions can be asked either orally or in writing.

Symptoms often begin during the resting phase and worsen during the evening. To relieve this situation, you can stretch your legs, shake, walk, or exercise. These insomnia-prescribed sleep disorders can lead to excessive daytime sleepiness.

Restless legs syndrome does not cause any other medical conditions, but the symptoms can be annoying for severe obstruction. The severity of symptoms usually varies. From time to time they may even disappear. The German Society of Neurology estimates that the disorder affects about 5-10% of the population.

Features of manifestation

Restless legs syndrome manifests itself in different ways. One of its symptoms is pain in the legs when lying down. In this case the pain:

• has a pulling, aching or bursting character;
• worries constantly or periodically;
• localized in the foot, lower leg or thigh (sometimes in the arms);
• covers one or two limbs at once.

Other symptoms that indicate the presence of restless legs syndrome:

• tingling;
• feeling of “crawling goosebumps”;
• numbness;
• involuntary leg twitching;
• cramps in the calves;
• heaviness in the legs, muscle fatigue;
• swelling of the feet and ankles.

All unpleasant sensations in the legs occur when a person goes to bed (usually half an hour after he takes a horizontal position).

The symptoms of restless legs syndrome are most pronounced at night: between 0 and 4 o'clock. To get rid of discomfort, the patient is forced to get out of bed, take several steps around the room, shift from foot to foot, massage and rub them. After movements, short-term relief occurs, but as soon as the patient lies down, the symptoms of the disease return again.

Discomfort in the legs and the need to periodically perform certain actions leads to sleep disorder (insomnia): despite frequent awakening, a person cannot fall asleep for a long time. Therefore, he complains of loss of strength, deterioration in concentration and memory. Often, against the background of tired lower extremity syndrome, the patient experiences depression.

If treatment is not carried out, the clinical manifestation of the disease becomes earlier: itching, heaviness, tingling of the legs bother a person in the morning or afternoon.

Then the relationship between the time of day and the appearance of discomfort in the limbs disappears. Unpleasant sensations in the legs become constant, occurring both in a lying and sitting position (because of this, many patients refuse to attend the theater and cinema, or long trips on public transport).

Treatment of the syndrome

Restless legs syndrome should be treated based on whether it is a primary or secondary pathology. In case of secondary syndrome, it is necessary to identify the disease against which it developed and begin treatment measures. It is advisable to check whether the patient has vitamin deficiency. If it is identified, it is necessary to eliminate the deficiency state. Most often, the syndrome is associated with iron deficiency. In such cases, treatment is carried out using iron tablets, or intramuscular and intravenous injections. In this case, the level of ferritin in the blood should be monitored.

Often the cause is unknown. Scientists suspected an imbalance in brain dogamine, which is responsible for controlling muscle movements. Stress makes the clutter worse. The disorder occurs in more than 50% of cases. It can also occur during pregnancy, peripheral neuropathy, iron deficiency and kidney failure.

How to deal with symptoms

Your doctor will need to rule out underlying conditions such as iron deficiency. If your blood ferritin levels are low, your doctor may recommend ice tablets. However, you should take this medicine under the supervision of a doctor as too much of this substance is harmful. Some medications may increase symptoms. These include anti-nausea active ingredients, calcium channel blockers, antihistamines, and most antidepressants.

The use of medications such as neuroleptics, lithium preparations, antidepressants, adrenergic agonists, adrenergic blockers, calcium antagonists, antihistamines leads to increased symptoms of the disease. Therefore, when treating the pathological condition of restless legs, it is advisable to exclude or replace these drugs.

Your doctor may recommend a change or adjust your dose. The following prescription medications may help reduce symptoms. These include codeine, a combination of oxycodone and acetaminophen, and a combination of hydrocodone and acetaminophen. These include diazepam, temazepam and triazolam. It may take you some time to find the right drug and the right dosage where side effects are minimal. Sometimes a combination of medications may be helpful.

Other helpful measures include using over-the-counter pain relievers or bathing and massaging the affected limb. Cold or warm envelopes may reduce sensitivity. Because stress can make things worse, you should learn to relax—especially before bed. Start and end your day with stretching exercises.

Primary restless legs syndrome should include symptomatic treatment, that is, aimed at alleviating or eliminating the patient's discomfort. In this case, there are medicinal and non-medicinal forms of treatment.

The use of dosage forms is advisable only in case of ineffectiveness of non-drug treatment and a serious decrease in the quality of life. In this case, such groups of drugs can be used as: opiates, anticonvulsants, dopaminergic drugs, benzodiazepines. All these medications affect the nervous system, so they should only be used under the supervision of a specialist.

Exhaustion may also increase symptoms. Don't go to bed early and stay active during the day without overtiring or working late. Consume less caffeine, alcohol, and tobacco, which may cause or worsen symptoms. Boredom and napping before bed also have a negative impact. Activities such as sewing, embroidery or crossword puzzles can help.

Restless legs syndrome: the elusive restless legs. Symptoms occur primarily at rest and are improved by movement. Therefore, there is a constant desire to move. This is a chronic disease that can usually only be detected through targeted consultation with a doctor. No neurological data.

Non-drug forms of treatment include the following:

1. Maintaining a daily routine.
2. Daily gymnastics. This is especially true for people leading a sedentary lifestyle.
3. Before going to bed, you can massage restless legs using massagers or just with your hands.
4. Quitting smoking, limiting alcoholic beverages.
5. Moderate food consumption before bedtime.
6. Walking in the fresh air before bed.
7. Reduce caffeine consumption - coffee, tea, chocolate. You should completely avoid drinking these and other tonic drinks 3 hours before bedtime.
8. Eating apples. They contain a lot of iron, deficiency of which can be observed in patients.
9. Experimenting with different body positions while sleeping.
10. Rubbing the soles with a lemon wedge.
11. Avoiding situations of hypothermia of the feet.
12. The use of procedures that warm restless legs or, conversely, short-term cooling of the extremities (immerse the legs in cold water or pour them over).
13. Avoiding stressful situations and overwork. It is important to give the body rest, as stress can worsen the symptoms of the disease. You can take deep breaths and learn various relaxation techniques.

The following factors are considered

The cause is an inherited predisposition to restless legs syndrome. In the case of inheritance, changes in chromosomes 9, 12 and 14 play a role. Pregnancy; symptoms usually develop again after childbirth Kidney disease Nerve disease.

Other failed detectors may be

Complaints that may indicate restless legs syndrome include:

The complaints are described as

The legs are most often affected, and in some cases the arms. Drowsiness, psychosocial stress, reducing quality of life. . Intensive and precise examination of the patient and his family remains the only diagnostic tool. By asking specific questions about the type and occurrence of symptoms, the doctor can make a diagnosis.

The effectiveness of treatment for restless legs syndrome largely depends on timely consultation with a doctor. Therefore, at the very first symptoms, you need to go to a specialist and describe your feelings in as much detail as possible.

Restless legs syndrome is a real problem. RLS is a condition that causes discomfort in the lower extremities. As a rule, discomfort occurs in the evenings or at night. To alleviate his condition, a person has to move or knock his legs, massage them, which ultimately leads to sleep disturbance.

Restless legs syndrome: Various medications are available. Most sufferers do not need treatment because they can cope with their complaints and their quality of life is not limited. In about 1-3% of those affected, symptoms are so severe that they need to be treated. You cannot cure restless legs syndrome.

First, if necessary, the underlying disease must be treated. In case of temporary symptoms, such as pregnancy, treatment is not recommended. However, complaints usually require ongoing therapy. Often need to be treated in combination. Dopamine agonists used in Parkinson's disease. . Restless legs syndrome, also known as Willis-Ekbom disease, is a common neurological sensorimotor disorder. It is characterized by the presence of discomfort in the legs, described as burning, itching or tingling, which usually occurs at night.

Restless legs syndrome - causes

The problem may be primary (idiopathic) or secondary (symptomatic). Primary restless legs syndrome occurs in more than 50% of cases. The disease develops spontaneously, for no apparent reason. Secondary RLS has more obvious causes and occurs against the background of:

• chronic renal failure;
• diabetes mellitus;
• uremia;
• amyloidosis;
• iron deficiency anemia;
• Parkinson's disease;
• multiple sclerosis;
• tumors or severe spinal cord injuries;
• thyroid dysfunction;
• discogenic radiculopathy;
• alcoholism;
• cryoglobulinemia;
• venous insufficiency of the lower extremities;
• chronic hypovitaminosis of folic acid or cyanocobalamin;
• blood vessel diseases;
• porphyritic polyneuropathy.

Reasons for development

According to the mechanism of origin, restless legs syndrome can be primary or secondary.

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The first type of restless legs syndrome occurs in 50% of people under the age of 30. A person struggles with such a disease throughout his life, experiencing periods of exacerbation and remission. According to doctors, the main reason for the development of the syndrome is genetic predisposition. But its occurrence can also be triggered by:

• increased stress on the legs (lifting heavy objects, standing for a long time);
• sedentary lifestyle;
• excess weight;
• poor nutrition;
• frequent stress;
• uncomfortable shoes;
• taking hormonal drugs.

Secondary (symptomatic) restless legs syndrome is diagnosed in people who have a neurological or physical disease. After treating the root cause of discomfort in the limbs, it disappears. It could be:

• lack of vitamins and iron in the body;
• the last stage of uremia (about 52% of patients on dialysis suffer from restless legs syndrome);
• thyroid dysfunction ;
• diabetes .

In some cases, discomfort in the legs indicates:

• rheumatoid arthritis;
• chronic venous insufficiency;
• pathology of the thoracic, lumbosacral spine (scoliosis, osteochondrosis, intervertebral hernia);
• amyloidosis;
• spinal cord injury (compressive myelopathy);
• Parkinson's disease (rare).

People over the age of 40 are most prone to developing symptomatic restless legs syndrome. The exception is pregnant women: they suffer from this disease in the II-III trimester of pregnancy (symptoms disappear after childbirth).

Restless legs syndrome - symptoms

Manifestations of the disease are always clearly limited in time. In most cases, RLS, restless legs syndrome, occurs in the evening and at night, and its peak activity in many patients occurs between 00-00 and 04-00. You need to start thinking about how to get rid of restless legs syndrome immediately when you see the following symptoms:

• severe pain in the lower extremities;
• sensations of tingling and burning, stretching, tightness, crawling, tingling in the legs;
• periodic movements of the limbs during sleep;
• the desire to constantly move the limbs (this is explained by the fact that only movement, albeit temporarily, relieves discomfort);
• a depressive state that develops against the background of prolonged lack of sleep, constant discomfort in the legs, and deterioration in performance.

The main causes of current in the limbs

Among the main reasons for the sensation of current in the legs are the following negative factors:

1. Phlebeurysm. Often people suffering from pathologies of the circulatory system note tingling, pain in the veins and a shooting sensation, as if being shocked. An ultrasound examination with Doppler effect is required;
2. Increased stress on muscles. It is often observed in professional athletes who are overloaded with muscle fibers of the lower extremities. There is a feeling of colic, numbness in the legs below the knee, and a burning sensation. To eliminate symptoms, it is recommended to simply rest your legs;
3. Kidney diseases. It appears as a result of disturbances in the exchange of electrolytes in the body, such as sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and chlorine ions. A thorough examination at the clinic and tests are required. After this, the doctor prescribes effective therapy to restore the functioning of organs;
4. Nervous overload. It occurs in children, students, and adults. Stressful situations and experiences can be expressed in uncomfortable current-like shooting along the nerve fibers;
5. Restless legs syndrome. The disease is expressed in various symptoms, including current in the limbs. Appears at any age, regardless of gender.

Restless legs syndrome - treatment

First of all, after diagnosing RLS, you need to find out whether the patient is taking any medications, and if so, exclude those that may increase the symptoms of the disease:

• Metoclopramide;
• neuroleptics (Azaleptin);
• antihistamines (Loratadine);
• H2 receptor antagonists (Nizatidine);
• lithium medications;
• Terbutaline;
• Nifedipine and others.

When talking about how to cure restless legs syndrome, experts always recommend not to overexert yourself and avoid excessive physical activity. Diet helps alleviate the condition. Positive results for the problem of aching restless legs syndrome are shown by avoiding coffee and other products containing caffeine (such as cola or chocolate, for example). Limiting alcohol intake wouldn't hurt. Maintaining a healthy daily routine is also important for recovery.

In case of illness, restless legs syndrome treatment at home involves intensive massages or rubbing the limbs before bed, taking hot or, on the contrary, cold baths. Some patients are helped by distraction - a heated discussion of some issue, creativity, any brain activity, computer strategy games.

Tablets for restless legs syndrome

A specialist should prescribe medications based on the cause of the problem. When engaging in drug treatment for a diagnosis of restless legs syndrome, it is important to adhere to a number of principles:

1. You need to start with minimal dosages. Their increase should be gradual and continue until the desired effect is achieved.
2. You may need to test several different drugs before choosing the right medication.
3. Sometimes combining different medications shows better results than monotherapy.

To combat discomfort, dopaminergic drugs are used - Sinemet, Parlodel, Pergolide. Recently, when restless legs syndrome is diagnosed, treatment with Mirapex is prescribed more and more often. This remedy is particularly effective in treating RLS in patients with Parkinson's disease. In addition to the medications described above, the following help fight the problem:

• anticonvulsants – Gabapentin, Tegretol;
• opiates – Methadone, Propoxyphene, Oxycodone;
• beta blockers – Anaprilin;
• sleeping pills – Melaxen.

Treatment of restless legs syndrome with folk remedies

Medicine allows the use of alternative therapy for RLS, but only when it is additional. Traditional medicine offers a simple but effective method of treatment: hour-long walks in the evenings, followed by cold 10-minute baths, rubbing the fingers and a light salad or kefir for dinner. Before treating restless legs syndrome with this method, it is best to consult a specialist.

Restless legs syndrome during pregnancy

Pregnant women often complain about a similar problem. Restless legs syndrome during pregnancy manifests itself in the same way - aching or nagging pain in the hips, legs, feet, and ankles. The following set of measures will help eliminate restless legs syndrome in pregnant women:

1. It is recommended that the expectant mother sleep in a well-ventilated room with an open window.
2. During the day there should be a moderate load on your legs. The ideal option is leisurely walking.
3. You can change your sleep mode. For example, go to bed before pain, burning, tingling and other symptoms of RLS appear.

views

What helps or improves the condition when legs twitch.

What can improve the condition:

• sedatives or herbs are definitely needed;
• Massage helps very well;
• salt baths;
• baths made of ordinary mud; you can buy medicinal mud at the pharmacy.

This can relieve restless legs syndrome, or significantly alleviate the condition. Have you noticed, this is me for those who suffer from an illness when their legs twitch at night and they want to move and rub them. And sometimes even during the day we see people in the minibus, they just sit and their legs twitch.

Therefore, why do the legs twitch? Restless legs syndrome is very serious, treat this problem responsibly. Do not delay, be sure to consult with your doctor.