Restless leg syndrome (RLS) is a sleep disorder that causes an intense, irresistible urge to move your legs, usually because of uncomfortable sensations like pulling, creeping, throbbing, itching, aching, burning, crawling, or tugging.
RLS can make it almost impossible to sleep well during the night, resulting in long-term physical and mental health consequences.
Let’s talk about the 7 symptoms of restless leg syndrome that can help you identify it and where you can go for the treatment of restless leg syndrome in Weatherford, TX.
Signs and Symptoms of RLS
While the chief symptom of RLS is a sudden urge to move your legs, it is also accompanied by other signs and symptoms, such as:
- Uncomfortable Sensations That Begin While Resting– Typically, the uncomfortable sensation associated with restless leg syndrome begins at bedtime or after sitting or lying down for an extended time, such as in an airplane, movie theater, or car.
- Relief From Uncomfortable Sensations with Movement– Another symptom of RLS is that its symptoms are relieved with movements, such as walking, pacing, stretching, or jiggling the legs.
- Worsening of Symptoms at Night– Typically, the symptoms of RLS worsen at night when you’re most desperate for rest and trying to sleep.
- Twitching in Legs During Night – RLS may be associated with a common condition called periodic limb movement of sleep –in which you experience twitching and kicking in the legs during sleep, possibly throughout the night.
- Daytime Sleepiness – Uncomfortable sensations in the legs make it hard for you to fall asleep or stay asleep during the night, resulting in excessive daytime sleepiness.
- Bedtime Behavior Problem–Because of the uncomfortable sensation in your legs, you may need to get out of your bed to stretch your limbs to relieve discomfort.
- Behavior And Work Performance Problems –Due to sleep disruption at night and excessive sleepiness during the daytime, you may experience work performance problems and behavioral problems, such as moodiness, hyperactivity, irritability, difficulty concentrating, etc.
Treatment of Restless Leg Syndrome
Your sleep medicine doctor will typically consider your age, overall health, and other factors before developing a treatment plan. Generally, the treatment plan for RLS includes:
- Stopping activities that worsen RLS symptoms
- Avoiding or limiting the use of alcohol, caffeine products, and tobacco
- Doing regular, moderate exercise
- Maintaining a well-balanced diet
Your sleep medicine doctor will also treat restless leg syndrome by treating underlying conditions like iron deficiency. Your sleep doctor will correct the iron deficiency with oral or intravenous iron supplements.
If iron supplements and lifestyle changes aren’t effective, your sleep medicine doctor may recommend medications like:
- Dopaminergic agents (medications that increase the level of the neurotransmitter dopamine in the brain)
- Opioids
- Benzodiazepines(medications that produce sedation and hypnosis)
Your sleep medicine doctor will also teach you about your condition, treatment, and lifestyle factors that can help your condition.
Restless Legs Syndrome in Weatherford, TX
At Lung & Sleep Specialists of North Texas, our sleep doctors are recognized as the premier sleep medicine providers in Tarrant County, Parker County, and surrounding areas. Our board-certified sleep doctor Dr. Olusegun Oseni offers several tests and sleep studies to diagnose your sleep disorder and uses a holistic approach to treat your restless leg syndrome.
Call us today at (817) 594-9993 or fill out our online request form to make an appointment with our sleep doctor.
