Restless Leg Syndrome or RLS is a very common neurological disorder of the leg. A lot of people happen to suffer from this without even knowing or understanding what is happening. In RLS the person starts facing an uncontrollable urge to move their legs, which is due to an uncomfortable sensation.
Restless Leg typically happens during evening or night time, when the person is trying to rest by sitting or lying down. Hence, moving the leg helps in temporary relief. It can happen to anyone of any age, regardless of gender. Also, it can worsen as the person starts ageing. In extreme cases, it can also cause insomnia.
Symptoms of Restless Leg Syndrome:
Along with the general urge to move the leg and uncomfortable feeling, below are few other symptoms of restless leg syndrome:
Sensations of Leg:
The sensations in the leg usually happen after a period of rest. That is when someone is sitting for a long time or lying down.
Movement Gives Relief:
A person who is suffering from RLS experiences relief from the sensations when the person starts moving their leg. Hence, walking, jiggling your legs, pacing or pacing reduces the irritation.
Worsens in the Evening:
The symptoms usually start getting worse during the evening and night time.
Leg Twitching in Night:
This symptom is often overlapped with another condition known as periodic limb movement of sleep, which makes your leg to twitch or kick throughout the night.
People experiencing this syndrome often are unable to describe the feeling they face. It is not muscle cramps or numbness in the leg but an uncomfortable sensation. However, the sensations occur in the arms very less.
People who face this often describe these feelings as:
- Creeping
- Crawling
- Throbbing
- Pulling
- Itching
- Electric
- Aching
People often complain of a desire to move their legs. Also, it is very common that these symptoms disappear for a period of time and then come back again.
The causes for this syndrome are yet many, hence it can happen due to many reasons. It can range from the weakening of nerves, hereditary, pregnancy, excess smoking or even some serious diseases such as Parkinson’s disease. Also, in extreme cases, it can cause insomnia because of the uncontrollable sensations.
Most of the times people don’t visit doctors to get it checked because they think they will be ridiculed for it. But, it can be an indication of something serious. Hence, if you or someone you know is suffering from RLS, then please visit a professional immediately.
