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RLS, or Restless Leg Syndrome, is a medical condition that affects approximately 10 percent of people. The urge to move your legs, numbness or tingling legs are just some of the unpleasant symptoms of this disease. Very often, RLS occurs in the evening, when we rest after a day’s work or go to bed. RLS also occurs quite often in pregnancy. It is for this reason that RLS is the cause of insomnia. It turns out that many people do not even know that it is a disease that can be effectively treated today.
RLS symptoms
The most tangible symptoms This is tingling in the legs, numbness in the limbs, and even twitching or itching and the feeling as if something is moving under the skin. It comes to this compulsion to move your legs. If the patient moves his legs, the symptoms disappear for a while, but it is extremely bothersome.
The symptoms are true RLS they most often occur in the evening and at night, making it impossible to rest or even fall asleep, but they can also appear during the day. Restless Legs Syndrome sufferers they cannot stay in one position, they must all the time move your legsfor example, swinging them while sitting in a chair. Therefore, it is very burdensome for such people, for example, to travel by plane, by car or to sit in the cinema.
The causes of RLS
It is estimated that on RLS 3,5-10 percent of adults in the world suffer from the disease, and it is much more common women. However, the first symptoms RLS they can appear as early as childhood, although they are not as bothersome at first as the symptoms appearing in adulthood. Interestingly, as many as 60 percent. sick restless leg syndrome ma genetic causes.
However, it was definitely excluded as the causes of mental illness. Although a tingling sensation or walking on something that is not on the skin may be considered hallucination, it was in RLS that the psychological background was excluded.
However, it was found that one of the causes of RLS there is iron deficiency. And on top of that, as much as 60-80 percent. patients suffering from RLS has problems with kidney failure. RLS symptoms they also appear in people with damaged nerves, such as diabetics. The cause of RLS there may also be a dopamine deficiency in the brain.
Primary and secondary RLS
Restless legs syndrome may be originalwhen first symptoms of RLS appear before the age of 20 and intensify with age. By the character primary restless leg syndrome most often it is said that it was inherited, because as many as half of young patients have someone in their family who suffers from RLS.
Secondary form of RLS it occurs, however, in people with renal failure, diabetes, or as a result of iron deficiency and taking medications, for example for depression or antipsychotics.
Treatment of RLS
Home remedies for RLS are not always effective. However, it will definitely help sleep hygiene and avoiding coffee and alcohol, nicotine or other stimulantsalthough it is also recommended to avoid sleeping pills. Overall, the most effective therapy at present is based on the administration of levodopa or other dopamine agonists. In addition, it is important to have adequate iron levels in the body and, if necessary, supplementation of it.