Plagued by Restless Legs at Night? It Could Be RLS

When you’re settling down for the evening, feeling at ease and relaxed, and suddenly, your legs decide it’s time to leave, you may have restless leg syndrome (RLS). It’s an unusual condition that often has no known cause, though research suggests brain chemistry imbalances may contribute. 

As an RLS specialist, Dr. Andrew Freedman of Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine Group LLC in Monroe, New Jersey, helps patients with diagnosis and treatment. RLS isn’t always severe enough to require treatment, but sometimes it can be bad enough to interfere with your sleep as well as daytime performance due to sleep loss. 

Recognizing RLS

Many patients can’t describe their RLS symptoms. The most consistent description is of an irresistible urge to move their legs. 

RLS doesn’t feel like cramping, tingling, or numbness. The sensations are annoying or uncomfortable, sometimes causing leg jerking or twitching when you’re resting later in the day or sleeping. 

Sometimes, there’s no involuntary movement of your legs, just a strong urge to stretch or stand. Movement can temporarily relieve the sensations, which you may describe as: 

• Aching
• Burning
• Crawling
• Creeping
• Itching
• Pulling
• Throbbing 
• Tugging

RLS may be a minor annoyance for some of the 7 to 10% of the population who suffer from it. For others, the sleep disruptions caused by the condition can be substantial, leading to daytime drowsiness. 

Causes of RLS

Why RLS happens isn’t fully understood. We support the dopamine connection since the medications that increase dopamine in the brain are chemical messengers that help control muscle movement. 

There often appears to be a genetic connection to RLS, particularly in those whose condition first presents before the age of 40. 

The last trimester of pregnancy is a typical time for RLS to emerge in women, though these symptoms often vanish after childbirth. People with RLS before pregnancy may find their symptoms become more severe. 

RLS sometimes connects with underlying conditions like: 

• Iron deficiency 
• Kidney failure
• Parkinson’s disease
• Peripheral neuropathy
• Spinal cord damage or injury

Diagnosis of RLS is usually done by a review of your medical history and symptoms, sometimes with the support of anecdotal evidence from your sleep partner. 

RLS treatment

If your RLS stems from an underlying condition, we tend to treat the condition first. If your RLS is idiopathic, our first-line treatment is usually through medications that increase dopamine levels in the brain. 

Contact Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine Group, LLC when restless legs interfere with your daily life. Call us or use the online booking feature today to schedule an office visit or telehealth appointment.