Symptoms, causes and treatment of restless legs syndrome

An abnormal state of the nervous system, leading to unpleasant sensations mainly in the lower extremities, associated with the need to constantly move them, is a sign of restless legs. These obsessive symptoms prevent a person from fully sleeping and often lead to a depressive state. In most cases, the disease cannot identify the causes. It appears spontaneously. In some cases, other diseases and some conditions of the body provoke it. It was found that quite often restless legs syndrome is formed in case of renal failure, iron deficiency in women during pregnancy. The unusual state of the patient lies in the fact that when examined by a neurologist, no signs of the disease are detected. The clinic and treatment of restless legs syndrome will be discussed in this article.

History reference

Restless legs syndrome affects approximately 10% of the world's population. This disease gained fame a long time ago. Back in 1672, an outstanding English doctor, anatomist and physiologist Thomas Willis gave a description of the disease. In more detail, the problem of restless legs syndrome was studied only in the forties of the XX century by the Swedish neurologist K.A. Ekbom. He developed a new criterion for assessing the diagnosis of the disease, saying that its main symptoms are not motor, but sensory (sensory) disorders. He combined all their forms under the phrase “restless legs”, and a little later added the term syndrome. In practical medicine, the disease restless legs syndrome has other names: Willis syndrome and Ekbom syndrome.

Types of disease

There are two types of restless legs syndrome disease:

1. Primary, or idiopathic. The cause of the occurrence is not clarified. This species is the most common and characteristic of it:

• manifestation up to the age of 30;
• children often get sick;
• inherited;
• often has a chronic form.

Symptoms are intermittent. The condition may periodically worsen or improve. Sometimes there are no signs of the disease for a long period.

2. Secondary, or symptomatic. Other pathologies are often its cause. Mostly they are sick people over forty-five years of age. Features:

• starts suddenly;
• symptoms are persistent and pronounced.

The exact causes of the disease are not fully understood. Some theories suggest that this may be due to the hormone dopamine, which is produced in the brain.

How does restless legs syndrome manifest?

The disease begins with the appearance of discomfort in the legs. Unpleasant sensations appear only at rest. As soon as the patient begins to move, the discomfort goes away. The patient himself characterizes his feelings as follows: tingling, burning, twisting, pulling pains similar to cramps begin. Discomfort often occurs in a dream, preventing a person from sleeping. With an increase in symptoms, he is forced to move his legs all the time, so as not to feel inconvenience. All this affects the patient’s psyche, his condition worsens, depression, nervousness and lack of sleep adversely affect performance. To find out the causes and treatment of restless legs syndrome, you should consult a doctor.

Causes of the disease

The main causes of the disease:

1. Hereditary factor. With the primary type of Ekbom syndrome, the problem is with genes. Pathology is inherited and has an early development.
2. Other diseases. Willis syndrome can be caused by another disease that disrupts the functions of the central nervous system. These include: renal failure, spinal cord injuries, Parkinson's disease, diabetes mellitus, multiple sclerosis. In these cases, knowing the causes and symptoms of restless legs syndrome, treatment must necessarily begin with the underlying disease.
3. Pregnancy. Almost 20% of women in an interesting position are diagnosed with restless legs syndrome. This can be explained by the following factors - hormonal changes in the body, a large load on the pelvic organs, experiences and stresses that cause neurological changes.
4. Bad habits. Smoking, drinking alcoholic and caffeinated drinks negatively affect the entire body of the individual and are a provoking factor in the disease of Ecbom syndrome.
5. Medical preparations. Some drugs can also contribute to the formation of restless legs syndrome. These include drugs containing caffeine, antidepressants, antihistamines, antipsychotics, antiemetics, antihypertensive drugs.

In addition, the current working conditions have a negative impact on the disease: high mental stress, stressful situations, a sedentary lifestyle. Having found out the cause of the syndrome of restless legs, treatment with folk remedies can begin before visiting a doctor.

Symptoms of the disease

The following symptoms are characteristic of restless legs syndrome:

• Unpleasant sensations in the legs. In patients, twitching, trembling, burning appears, some experience pain. Such phenomena occur in the thigh, foot, lower leg with an interval of five to thirty seconds. More often, attacks occur at night, but may not stop during the daytime.
• Feet alone. Symptoms worsen when a person falls asleep. The frequency of their repetition can be completely different.
• Legs in motion - no symptoms. The more a person begins to move, the less discomfort he experiences or disappears completely. There are other situations when respite lasts a short time. Everything is very individual.
• Cyclic fluctuations in intensity. In the early morning and first half of the day, the attacks do not disturb the patient, but begin in the evening and continue all night.
• The movement of the legs in a dream. During sleep, the lower limbs also continue to move. In severe forms of the disease, movement continues all night.
• Insomnia. This is an indispensable companion of the Willis syndrome, which does not allow a person to get enough sleep. Often, sleep loss goes into a chronic stage.

Symptoms and treatment of restless legs syndrome are interdependent. The severity of the course of the disease, which the patient observes by the manifestation of certain signs, determines the appropriate course of therapy.

Diagnosis of the disease

Restless legs syndrome is not a rare disease, but diagnosing it is not easy. In the daytime, when the patient comes to see a doctor, the disease almost does not manifest itself. According to the complaints that the patient presents, it can be difficult for the doctor to make the correct diagnosis, so he writes out a referral for the following tests:

• blood - general and biochemical, for thyroid hormones;
• urine - Reberg test for albumin content;
• pregnancy test.

Particular attention is paid to the content of ferritin in the blood. With its values ​​less than 45 mg / l, constant insomnia and unpleasant sensations in the limbs, Ecbom syndrome can be suspected. According to the results of studies, the doctor will exclude other diseases that are similar in symptoms to restless legs syndrome. This may be a pathology of the kidneys, spinal injuries, blood diseases, diabetes mellitus, pregnancy. As well as the use of antiemetics, antidepressants, lithium preparations and some other medicines that lead to similar problems. In addition, for a more accurate diagnosis, the doctor prescribes dopaminergic drugs to the patient. The increase in the patient after taking dopamine confirms the presence of restless legs syndrome. In some cases, the patient is recommended to do a polysomnography, which reveals the movement of the limbs at night.

Reason to see a doctor for restless legs syndrome

Unpleasant sensations in the limbs that appear periodically and while they do not interfere with the patient's sleep at night and do not bother him during the day, may well be treated at home. The reason for contacting a doctor is the ineffectiveness of an independent alternative treatment for restless legs syndrome, and most importantly, when the obsessive symptoms prevent you from getting enough sleep and begin to appear in the afternoon. A person cannot sit quietly at work, in a car, while resting, sometimes he needs to get up and walk around the room. It negatively affects the nervous system, makes you nervous, interferes with work and personal life. So it's time to see a doctor. Such a problem is dealt with by a neurologist, somnologist, and the first visit is powerful to make to the local doctor therapist. If necessary, he will give a referral to a specialist. You should not postpone a visit to the doctor for a long time and bring yourself to a stressful state.

Treatment for restless legs syndrome at home

When the first signs of the disease appear, many do not immediately seek medical help. With a mild form of the disease, the use of non-drug treatment and adherence to the correct regimen will help alleviate the patient's condition. Doctors recommend:

1. To refuse from bad habits. Exclude cigarettes and alcohol. Limit the use of strong tea, coffee, energy. Provide a healthy diet, do not overeat.
2. Moderate load. Perform smooth exercises without abrupt movements that help strengthen the leg muscles: swing, "bicycle", stretch marks.
3. Hobby. Concentration of attention during your favorite activities helps to distract from discomfort in the legs.
4. Full sleep. To do this, you must observe the correct regime of the day. Goes to bed and get up at a certain time in a well-ventilated area. Watch TV shows replaced with a walk before bedtime.
5. Water treatments. To treat restless legs syndrome at home, you need to take a contrast shower every morning. It strengthens blood vessels, normalizes the nervous system and reduces the symptoms of the disease.
6. Massage. It relaxes muscles, strengthens joints, normalizes the functioning of nerve endings, improves blood flow, strengthens blood vessels. Before going to bed, it is advisable to massage the calf muscles with a soothing essential oil.
7. Warmly. Try not to freeze your feet. A hot bath for feet helps soothe discomfort.
8. Emotional condition. The disease is associated with disturbances in the functioning of the nervous system, so you should try to avoid stressful situations, depression, worries, overwork. All this strengthens the symptoms.

Following these simple guidelines will help treat restless legs syndrome.

The best homeopathic remedies

As already mentioned, Willis syndrome is expressed by not very pleasant sensations in the limbs. Constant tingling, tingling, numbness occur, and all the time I want to move my legs to ease discomfort. Medicines that do not have side effects have not yet been invented. And homeopathy can help eliminate unpleasant problems without side effects. The Indian doctor Vikas Sharma offers the following remedies for the treatment of restless legs syndrome with homeopathy:

• Rhus toxicodendron - perfectly eliminates tingling and pain.
• Zincum metalliccum - used for twitching of limbs and numbness in the evening and night.
• Argentum nitcum - relieves the feeling of heaviness in the legs, used for muscle spasm.
• Ferrum metallium - compensates for the lack of iron in the body, removes symptoms, helps to relax.
• Kali phosphoricum - used for tingling and numbness in the limbs.

The use of folk remedies

Folk remedies for the treatment of restless legs syndrome are quite suitable for medical treatment or for mild symptoms of the manifestation of the disease. To do this, you can use:

1. Sedatives. They relieve fatigue, tension, muscle spasms, contribute to easy falling asleep. For these purposes, use tinctures and decoctions of lemon balm, motherwort, valerian roots, linden flowers. To prepare the broth, the raw materials, filled with water, are placed in a boiling water bath and boiled for thirty minutes. Then let it brew for 10 minutes. The broth is filtered, squeezing the remainder. For infusions, herbs are poured with boiling water and kept under a lid for two to three hours. It is quite possible to use ready-made alcohol tinctures purchased in the pharmacy network. Use the drug before bedtime - half a cup of decoction or 20-25 drops of tincture.
2. Vinegar and lemon juice. To treat restless legs syndrome at night, when you get tired of moving them endlessly, rub them with freshly squeezed lemon juice or table solution of vinegar. This will help relieve unpleasant symptoms and calmly oversleep until the morning.
3. Laurel leaf oil. It contributes to the gentle removal of spasm, have a warming and calming effect on the muscles. To prepare it, bay leaves are crushed, placed in a dark glass bottle, poured with vegetable oil and put in a cool place for a week. The finished product is rubbed into the skin of the legs.
4. Hot foot baths. This manipulation performed before bedtime will soften and soothe muscles, help to avoid cramps and cramps. In the water add decoctions of sage, chamomile, calendula, nettle. The duration of the procedure is not more than fifteen minutes.

Alternative treatment of restless legs syndrome gives a temporary effect, but with constant use in certain situations it completely helps to cope with the problem without using medications. However, it should be remembered that alternative medicine methods are best used after consulting a doctor.

Pharmaceuticals

In cases where all the treatment methods described above have been tried, the patient goes to the clinic. When contacting a doctor, after clarifying the diagnosis of the disease, identifying the symptoms and causes of restless legs syndrome at night, treatment for each patient is prescribed individually, taking into account its features. However, the general principle of treatment is always observed, which consists in the appointment of the following medications:

• Dopaminergic drugs. They are stimulants of dopamine receptors and have an effect on the peripheral nervous system. The main medicine of this group is Levodopa. It makes up for the dopamine deficiency in the central nervous system, has a number of side effects: dizziness, nausea.
• Benzodiazepines. Drugs in this group do not eliminate the symptoms of the disease, but have a sedative and hypnotic effect. They provide an opportunity to sleep, reduce the feeling of anxiety. These include clonazepam, midazolam, and diazepam. With prolonged use are addictive, sometimes drowsiness during the day.
• Vitamins Along with the main treatment with restless legs syndrome preparations, life elixir complexes are also used, which include iron, magnesium, vitamins E, C, B, folic acid.
• anticonvulsants. They are used only in severe cases.

All drugs are prescribed and selected only by a doctor. Doing it yourself is very dangerous.

The drug "Mirapex" for the treatment of the disease

This medicine was created thanks to innovative technologies and is successfully used in the treatment of Ekbom syndrome. Contraindications to its use are associated with individual intolerance to some components and restriction of age to 18 years.

During pregnancy, the drug is not recommended, since its effect on the fetus has not been studied. When treating restless legs syndrome with Mirapex, the dosage is selected individually, taking into account the degree of the disease and the weight of the patient. The drug is taken three times during the day. When prescribed along with sedatives, dose adjustment is required. Overdose is not fully understood, it is assumed that in this case nausea, vomiting, and the usual signs of poisoning are possible. When taking it, the following side effects were identified:

• mental disorders;
• hallucinations, confusion;
• shortness of breath, headache, heart failure;
• insomnia, decreased vision.

Treatment of the disease in pregnant women

During pregnancy, Willis syndrome is not so rare. Every fourth woman can suffer from it. Symptoms of the disease are also manifested in a great desire to move your legs, so women do not get enough sleep and in the morning they feel not rested. Special treatment for pregnancy with restless legs syndrome is not required. This condition occurs due to hormonal imbalance and as a result of iron deficiency.

In most cases, it passes on its own after delivery. To reduce unpleasant sensations, it is necessary to do a light massage of the feet and legs, special attention should be paid to daily walks and good nutrition. If necessary, the doctor will prescribe the necessary vitamin complexes.

About the causes of restless legs syndrome. Reviews and treatment

People suffering from this disease share methods of treatment in various forums and name the reasons that caused this problem. Here is some of them.

Often the disease appears during pregnancy. According to reviews, after taking medications containing iron and vitamin C, many have an improvement.

As already mentioned, often the disease is hereditary. If this is the cause of restless legs syndrome, treatment with folk remedies should not be started. As many say, only a specialist can help in this case.

Some have been bothered by the disease since childhood. Symptoms appear periodically. With age, the disease progresses. According to reviews, the reason for its appearance sometimes lies in the fact that the ailment has become a complication of one or another illness suffered in childhood. And to find out, you need to consult with a number of specialists. Only after a full course of treatment can restless legs syndrome recede.

Judging by the reviews, we can conclude that Ekbom syndrome is a common disease and significantly affects the quality of life.

The consequences of restless legs syndrome

This pathology has a number of unpleasant consequences. Patients suffer severe insomnia. As soon as a person is prepared to fall asleep, an unpleasant sensation appears in the limbs, and he must move his leg to get rid of it.

This situation can continue in a row up to four hours and subsides by morning. If the patient falls asleep, the limbs still continue to move. As a result, sleep becomes superficial, a person does not rest and a depressive state occurs. Constant fatigue and lack of sleep do not allow to carry out high-quality daily and professional duties. And, of course, health inevitably suffers. Therefore, after identifying the symptoms of the disease, you must immediately consult a doctor to begin treatment for restless legs syndrome.