Restless legs syndrome
Long-term disorder that causes a strong urge to move one's legs / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Restless legs syndrome (RLS), also known as Willis–Ekbom disease (WED), is generally a long-term disorder that causes a strong urge to move one's legs.[2][10] There is often an unpleasant feeling in the legs that sufferers improve somewhat by moving them.[2] This is often described as aching, tingling, or crawling in nature.[2] Occasionally, arms may also be affected.[2] The feelings generally happen when at rest and therefore can make it hard to sleep.[2] The disturbance in sleep may leave people with RLS sleepy during the day, with low energy, and irritable or depressed.[2] Additionally, many have limb twitching during sleep, a condition known as periodic limb movement disorder.[11] RLS is not the same as habitual foot-tapping or leg-rocking.[12]
Restless legs syndrome | |
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Other names | Willis–Ekbom disease (WED),[1] Wittmaack–Ekbom syndrome |
Sleep pattern of a person with restless legs syndrome (red) compared to a healthy sleep pattern (blue) | |
Specialty | Sleep medicine |
Symptoms | Unpleasant feeling in the legs that briefly improves with moving them[2] |
Complications | Daytime sleepiness, low energy, irritability, sadness[2] |
Usual onset | More common with older age[3] |
Risk factors | Low iron levels, kidney failure, Parkinson's disease, diabetes mellitus, rheumatoid arthritis, pregnancy, certain medications[2][4][5] |
Diagnostic method | Based on symptoms after ruling out other possible causes[6] |
Treatment | Lifestyle changes, medication[2] |
Medication | Dopamine agonists, levodopa, gabapentinoids, opioids[4][7][8][9] |
Frequency | 2.5–15% (US)[4] |