Restless Leg Syndrome

About the Symptom

Restless leg syndrome is a condition that causes an uncontrollable urge to move the legs, usually because of a difficult to describe but uncomfortable sensation in the legs or lower half of the body. It tends to occur more at night and during prolonged periods of sitting. The cause is unknown in most cases, although in a minority of cases it can be caused by certain medications. Treatment consists of medications to reduce leg movements.

When to See a Doctor

Seek professional care if you experience any of the following symptoms

• Unexplained weight loss of 5% or more in 1 month
• Fainting with loss of consciousness
• Peripheral cyanosis

Possible Causes

Generally, Restless leg syndrome can be related to:

• Restless Leg Syndrome

  Restless legs syndrome (RLS), also known as Willis-Ekbom disease, is a condition that causes an uncontrollable urge to move the legs. RLS typically occurs while sitting or lying down. The exact cause is unknown but may be related to a chemical (dopamine) imbalance in the brain. RLS can begin at any age and generally is more common in older people. It can disrupt sleep, interfering with daily activities. Risk factors include low iron, abnormal kidney function, multiple sclerosis, and spinal cord problems.

• Anemia

  Anemia is a disorder where the body's tissues don't receive enough oxygen due to a lack of healthy red blood cells. There are several types of anemia with various causes, the most common being iron-deficiency anemia, which results from insufficient iron. Iron is needed to produce hemoglobin, a substance in red blood cells that helps carry oxygen.

• Parkinson's Disease

  A progressive nervous system disorder affecting movement. It occurs due to nerve cell damage in the brain. The exact cause for PD is unknown. Risk factors include genetics, male gender, old age, and exposure to certain toxins and environmental factors.

Related Serious Diseases

Sometimes, Restless leg syndrome may be related to these serious diseases:

• Chronic Kidney Disease

  The build-up of toxins in the blood that is caused by decreased kidney function. Causes include repeated damage from infections, diabetes, high blood pressure, and autoimmunity (the body's immune system attacking itself). It usually occurs with chronic and end-stage renal disease but may occur in acute kidney injury as well. When toxins that are usually filtered out by the kidneys, stay in the blood, symptoms such as fatigue, cognitive issues, shortness of breath, muscle cramping, nausea and vomiting can occur.

Doctor's Diagnostic Questions

Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this symptom:

• Do you experience leg discomfort that disrupts your sleep?
• When did you first notice leg discomfort that disrupts your sleep?
• How often do you experience leg discomfort that disrupts your sleep?
• How is your leg discomfort that disrupts your sleep now?

Find Similar Symptoms

References

• Klingelhoefer L, Bhattacharya K, Reichmann H. Restless legs syndrome. Clin Med (Lond). 2016 Aug;16(4):379-82. doi: 10.7861/clinmedicine.16-4-379. PMID: 27481386; PMCID: PMC6280211.

  https://www.rcpjournals.org/content/clinmedicine/16/4/379

• Gonzalez-Latapi P, Malkani R. Update on Restless Legs Syndrome: from Mechanisms to Treatment. Curr Neurol Neurosci Rep. 2019 Jun 27;19(8):54. doi: 10.1007/s11910-019-0965-4. PMID: 31250128.

  https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11910-019-0965-4

• Garcia-Malo C, Romero-Peralta S, Cano-Pumarega I. Restless Legs Syndrome - Clinical Features. Sleep Med Clin. 2021 Jun;16(2):233-247. doi: 10.1016/j.jsmc.2021.02.002. Epub 2021 Apr 24. PMID: 33985650.

  https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S1556407X21000047

• Trotti LM. Restless Legs Syndrome and Sleep-Related Movement Disorders. Continuum (Minneap Minn). 2017 Aug;23(4, Sleep Neurology):1005-1016. doi: 10.1212/CON.0000000000000488. PMID: 28777173.

  https://journals.lww.com/continuum/Fulltext/2017/08000/Restless_Legs_Syndrome_and_Sleep_Related_Movement.9.aspx