Restless Legs Syndrome

A condition characterized by a nearly irresistible urge to move the legs, typically in the evenings.

Restless legs syndrome typically occurs while sitting or lying down. It generally worsens with age and can disrupt sleep.

The main symptom is a nearly irresistible urge to move the legs.

Getting up and moving around helps the unpleasant feeling temporarily go away. Self-care steps, lifestyle changes, or medications may help.

Cluster Number:
Wiki Number: PW187
Diagnosis: Restless Legs Syndrome (
US Patients: 2-15% of the population, higher %s when along with some other difficulties.
World Patients:
Sex Ratio: M;F2
Age Onset: “Early Onset RLS” hereditary, starts before age 45 and worsens over time. Late-onset RLS starts suddenly after 45, doesn’t worsen’
Brain Area: genetic, autosomal dominant (only needs gene from one parent)
Symptoms: Long term-urging leg (and sometimes arm) movement; sensation/pain begins while awake but relaxing.
Progression: worsened by any surgery, but especially back surgery or injury
Causes: “motor restlessness” – worsen by relaxation, iron deficiency, dopamine changes, reduced leg-oxygen levels, some medications
Medications: gabapentin, opioids – when resistant to other medications
Therapies: regular exercise, good sleep practices, stopping smoking; stretching legs and walking bring temporary relief

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL WIKIPEDIA ARTICLE.

Youtube Video:

Restless Leg Syndrome

Youtube Video: Kids Not Sleeping-Restless Legs Might Be The Problem

Amazon or Library Book: Restless Legs Syndrome

Click the book to link or order from Amazon.

Support Group: rls.org; 512-366-9109 (Restless Legs Foundation)

4 CURRENT ARTICLES
FROM PUBMED

The world-wide medical research
reports chosen for each diagnosis

Clicking each title opens the
PubMed article’s summary-abstract.

Alterations in spontaneous brain activity of maintenance hemodialysis patients with restless legs syndrome: a cross-sectional case-control study
by Di Wang on December 20, 2024
CONCLUSION: Patients with MHD-RLS exhibit abnormal spontaneous brain activity in the right precentral gyrus and right postcentral gyrus within the sensorimotor network, along with lower hemoglobin levels, which may be associated with the pathogenesis and severity of MHD-RLS.
A comparative study of depressive and anxiety symptoms, insomnia, and sleepiness in patients with obstructive sleep apnea, restless legs syndrome, or both (CO-ROSA): preliminary findings from a retrospective study
by Lourdes M DelRosso on December 20, 2024
Patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), restless legs syndrome (RLS), or both may exhibit varied manifestations of depressive and anxiety symptomatology, reflecting the complex interplay between sleep disturbances, neurotransmitter imbalances, and psychosocial stressors in these often overlapping conditions. The aim of this study was to compare depressive and anxiety symptomatology, insomnia severity, and sleepiness in these conditions. Patients were enrolled and subdivided into those with...
Circadian Pattern in Restless Legs Syndrome: Implications for Treatment Posology
by Celia Garcia-Malo on December 19, 2024
The symptoms of restless legs syndrome (RLS) follow a circadian pattern, as inducated in the current RLS diagnostic criteria. Indeed, subjects with mild-to-moderate RLS suffer or not from RLS symptoms depending on the time of day, resembling an above-threshold state periodically followed by a below-threshold state. Although the circadian clock is crucial in the clinical features of RLS, research assessing the ultimate drivers of circadian rhythmicity is still very limited. In the present review,...
Restless legs syndrome among blood donors: A systemic review and meta-analysis
by Alain M Ngoma on December 10, 2024
CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest a high burden of RLS among blood donors, underscoring the need for further research with standardized criteria, appropriate design and analytical methodologies to better understand the impact of RLS on individual donors and the global blood supply.