MidnightCall Magazine
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News From Israel MagazineWhat is Restless Legs Syndrome?
Answer: Restless legs syndrome is more common than most people suspect. Approximately 10 – 15 percent of the United States population is afflicted with RLS. Some researchers estimate more than 12 million Americans. I believe that number is under estimated because many people have difficulty describing their symptoms, and because RLS is not life threatening. Still, it may be a sign of an underlying problem such as anemia, diabetes, kidney failure, disease of the spinal nerve roots, Parkinson’s disease,
and complications of stomach surgery. Restless Legs Syndrome may even occur in the final trimester of pregnancy, but usually disappears after delivery. RLS is most often found in people over the age of 50, but may start as early as 20. It usually occurs in bed, just before falling asleep. We don’t know what causes it, but 35 – 50 percent of those people who are afflicted have a family history of the disorder. Patients have described their leg symptoms with words such as discomfort, creeping, crawling (like insects inside your legs), aching, tingling, jittery, burning, and fidgety. Movement such as walking temporarily relieves these unpleasant sensations. Sometimes the arms may
also be affected. Almost half of patients over the age of 60 who complain of insomnia have RLS. Eighty-five percent of patients with RLS have difficulty falling or staying asleep, and almost half of them suffer with daytime fatigue or drowsiness. The symptoms of RLS may be intermittent, and may leave for a few weeks or months, but will then recur. More than 66 percent of sufferers claim their symptoms get worse over time. And more than 80 percent have periodic limb movements during sleep, which are involuntary leg twitches, leg jerks, and kicks. This further disrupts sleep. If you suspect you have Restless Legs Syndrome, go to your doctor and ask to be tested for iron deficiency, high blood sugar, and the other diseases I mentioned. Do not try to treat yourself even though some of the drugs can be purchased over the counter. Treatment is difficult and often requires testing different medications or trying various combinations of drugs. Even as you read this article, research is being conducted to find new medication for this incurable disorder. Your doctor will treat you empirically, that is, by trial, and by treating the symptoms. He will try some analgesics such as ibuprofen (Advil) and Tylenol, sedatives such as Valium and Phenobarbital, and non-addictive sleeping pills. There are other medications, but be careful of the side effects. Take at least a 30-minute walk in the morning or afternoon, but not in the evening. Try taking warm baths and massaging your legs before going to bed. Avoid alcohol, tobacco, and caffeine. Your doctor may prescribe drugs that are used to treat Parkinson’s disease or other drugs that treat central nervous system abnormalities. Take
a once-a-day vitamin and mineral tablet. Medicine for epilepsy may also be tried, as well as Catapres, which has been used to reduce high blood pressure. If all else fails, your physician may resort to mild narcotics such as Codeine and Darvocet. Keep in mind that narcotics may cause constipation or difficulty in urinating. Restless Legs Syndrome is indeed a strange affliction. Don’t forget to pray. Second Chronicles 33:12 says: "And when he was in affliction, he besought the LORD his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers."