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What Is Restless Leg Syndrome?

In 1672, an English physician, Sir Thomas Willis, described people who can't fall asleep because of "leapings and contractions" of the arms and legs. Sir Willis wrote that "restlessness and tossing" could be so severe that these people "are no more able to sleep, than if they were in a place of the greatest torture."

Sir Willis was the first to describe what is now called restless leg syndrome (RLS). Today, experts estimate that as many as 8 percent of people in the United States have this neurological condition. And while the cause of RLS syndrome is unknown, a family history of the condition is seen in approximately 50 percent of patients, suggesting a genetic form of the disorder. Individuals with inherited RLS tend to be younger when symptoms start and have a slower progression of the condition.

Sometimes it's hard for people to describe exactly what they are experiencing. They say they feel a burning sensation. They use words like "creeping" and "tugging." Or they say they feel like insects are crawling inside their legs. What these people share in common are unpleasant feelings that can only be relieved by voluntary movement. They need to keep their legs in motion. They cross and uncross their legs. They pace. In bed, they toss and turn.

People with RLS usually find their symptoms most noticeable in the evening, especially when they first try to go to sleep. But the unpleasant sensations can also arise during long car trips or airplane flights or other long periods of inactivity, such as during meetings or while watching a movie.

The symptoms of RLS can develop at any age, including in children. Sometimes a doctor may think that a child suffering from RLS is hyperactive. More typically, however, RLS develops in middle-age or later. Slightly more women seem to develop the disorder than men and pregnant women often experience symptoms during their last trimester. However, their symptoms usually go away within a month of delivery.

Exact symptoms vary from person to person. An international team of health care professionals has defined four criteria for a diagnosis of restless leg syndrome:

• Patients have the strong urge to move their legs that may be impossible to resist. These urges are usually caused by uncomfortable and unpleasant sensations, which are described as occurring deep in the legs
• Patients have symptoms that worsen during rest or inactivity
• Patients have symptoms that are partially or totally relieved by movement
• Patients have the worst symptoms at night

When symptoms remain difficult to control through these methods, doctors may prescribe medication. There currently are no drugs approved specifically to treat RLS. But drugs used for other conditions, such as Parkinson's disease, are often effective against RLS, and have been widely used for many years. Opioids, like codeine and oycodone, may help as well.

Millions of people are denied a good night's sleep because of RLS, and there's no reason to suffer in silence, so speak to your doctor.