My advice is to start taken one B-Complex a day, One Magi sum pill a day or capsule, then ask the DR
to check your iron please, as Iron deficiency can lead to this syndrome then iron can correct the problem,
the reason I don’t advise you to go and take iron , as Iron can damage the liver ,so ask the doctor.
If you drink any alcohol or coffee this has to stop as it deplete the iron in your body., including smoking.
Some people report that making the following changes help control RLS:
Taking hot baths or using cold compresses.
Quitting smoking.
Getting enough exercise during the day.
Doing calf stretching exercises at bedtime.
Using ergonomic measures. For example, working at a high stool where legs can
dangle helps some people. Also, sitting in an aisle seat during meetings or airplane
travel can allow for more leg movement.
Changing sleep patterns. Some people report that symptoms do not occur when
they sleep in the late morning. Therefore, people may consider changing their sleep patterns if feasible.
Avoiding caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine also improves some cases of RLS.
Foot wraps have been shown to help some people with RLS in preliminary studies.
Some people have tried alternative treatments for RLS, such as acupuncture and massage.
To date, however, there is not enough data on the effectiveness of these treatments.
Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a condition that causes an uncontrollable urge
to move the legs, usually because of an uncomfortable sensation. It typically happens in
the evening or nighttime hours when you’re sitting or lying down. or when you go to bed and
That is the trademark of it and it can go to the feet and toes too.
Moving eases the unpleasant feeling temporarily. So try to buy DR ho foot massager the electric massage to the feet too.
Restless legs syndrome, also known as Willis-Ekbom disease, can begin at any age and generally
worsens as you age. It can disrupt sleep, which interferes with daily activities
The chief symptom is an urge to move the legs. Common accompanying characteristics of RLS include:
Sensations that begin while resting. The sensation typically begins after you’ve been lying
down or sitting for an extended time, such as in a car, airplane or Movie Theater, while sleeping.
Relief with movement. The sensation of RLS lessens with movement, such as stretching,
jiggling the legs, pacing or walking. Try to buy an exercise bicycle in your home, or the cube small leg exerciser.
Worsening of symptoms in the evening. Symptoms occur mainly at night.
Nighttime leg twitching. RLS may be associated with another, more common condition
called periodic limb movement of sleep, which causes the legs to twitch and kick, possibly
throughout the night, while you sleep.
People typically describe RLS symptoms as compelling, unpleasant sensations in the legs or feet.
They usually happen on both sides of the body. Less commonly, the sensations affect the arms.
The sensations, which generally occur within the limb rather than on the skin, are described as:
Crawling
Creeping
Pulling, nibbling.
Throbbing
Aching
Itching
Electric
Sometimes the sensations are difficult to explain. People with RLS usually don’t describe
the condition as a muscle cramp or numbness. They do, however, consistently describe the
desire to move the legs.
It’s common for symptoms to fluctuate in severity. Sometimes, symptoms disappear for periods
of time, and then come back.
Often, there’s no known cause for RLS. Researchers suspect the condition may be caused
by an imbalance of the brain chemical dopamine, which sends messages to control muscle movement.
Sometimes RLS runs in families, especially if the condition starts before age 40.
Researchers have identified sites on the chromosomes where genes for RLS may be present.
For women a Pregnancy or hormonal changes may temporarily worsen RLS signs and symptoms.
Some women get RLS for the first time during pregnancy, especially during their last trimester.
However, symptoms usually disappear after delivery.
RLS can develop at any age, even during childhood. The condition is more common with
increasing age and more common in women than in men.
RLS usually isn’t related to a serious underlying medical problem. However, it sometimes accompanies
other conditions, such as:
Peripheral neuropathy. This damage to the nerves in the hands and feet is sometimes
due to chronic diseases such as diabetes and alcoholism. So please check for diabetes.
Iron deficiency. Even without anemia, iron deficiency can cause or worsen RLS. If you
have a history of bleeding from the stomach or bowels, experience heavy menstrual periods, or repeatedly donate blood, you may have iron deficiency.
Kidney failure. If you have kidney failure, you may also have iron deficiency, often with anemia.
When kidneys don’t function properly, iron stores in the blood can decrease.
This and other changes in body chemistry may cause or worsen RLS.
Spinal cord conditions. Lesions on the spinal cord as a result of damage
or injury have been linked to RLS. Having had anesthesia to the spinal cord,
such as a spinal block, also increases the risk of developing RLS.
Parkinson’s disease. People who have Parkinson’s disease and take
certain medications called dopaminergic agonists have an increased risk of developing RLS.
Although RLS doesn’t lead to other serious conditions, symptoms can range
from barely bothersome to incapacitating. Many people with RLS find it difficult to fall or stay asleep.
Severe RLS can cause marked impairment in life quality and can result in depression.
Insomnia may lead to excessive daytime drowsiness, but RLS may interfere with napping.
Dopamine and Neurologic Abnormalities in the Brain
Iron deficiency, even at a level too mild to cause anemia, has been linked to RLS in some people.
Some research suggests that RLS in some people may be due to a problem with getting iron
into cells that regulate dopamine in the brain. Some studies have reported RLS in
a quarter to a third of people with low iron levels.
Other research suggests that low levels of the hormone cortisol in the evening and early night
hours may be related to RLS. Low-dose cortisol injections have reduced symptoms in some people.
25% of people with chronic kidney disease have RLS. The exact cause of this is not known
but may be related to co-existing anemia and iron deficiency as above. A loss of opioid receptors
in the brain may also contribute to RLS in those with kidney disease.
As many as two-thirds of people with RLS have a family history of the disorder and are
more likely to develop RLS before they turn 40. People who develop the condition at
a later age are less likely to have a family history of RLS. RLS is also more common
in people from northern and western Europe, adding support for the theory that some cases have a genetic basis.
RLS is relatively common in people with chronic kidney disease undergoing kidney dialysis.
Up to two-thirds of patients report this problem. Symptoms often disappear after a kidney transplant.
Anxiety can cause restlessness and agitation at night. These symptoms can cause
RLS or strongly resemble the condition.
The following medical conditions are also associated with RLS, although the
relationships are not clear. In some cases, these conditions may contribute to
RLS. Others may have a common cause, or they may coexist due to other risk factors:
Osteoarthritis (degenerative joint disease). About three-quarters of patients
with RLS also have osteoarthritis, a common condition affecting older adults.
Varicose veins. Varicose veins occur in about 1 in 7 patients with RLS.
Obesity.
Diabetes. People with type 2 diabetes may have higher rates of secondary
RLS. Nerve pain (neuropathy) related to their diabetes cannot fully explain the higher rate of RLS.
Hypertension (high blood pressure).
Hypothyroidism.
Fibromyalgia.
Rheumatoid arthritis.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Chronic alcoholism.
Sleep apnea (pauses in breathing during sleep) and snoring.
Chronic headaches.
Brain or spinal injuries.
Many muscle and nerve disorders. Of particular interest is hereditary ataxia, a group
of genetic diseases that affects the central nervous system and causes loss
of motor control. Researchers believe that hereditary ataxia may supply clues to the genetic causes of RLS.
Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Psychiatric disorders, such as depression.
The following environmental and dietary factors can trigger or worsen RLS:
Iron deficiency. People who are deficient in iron are at risk for RLS, even if they do not have anemia.
Folic acid or magnesium deficiencies.
Smoking.
Alcohol abuse.
Caffeine. Coffee drinking is specifically associated with PLMD.
Stress.
Fatigue.
Prolonged exposure to cold.
Drugs that may worsen or provoke RLS include:
Antidepressants
Antipsychotic drugs
Anti-nausea drugs
Calcium channel blockers (mostly used to treat high blood pressure)
Metoclopramide (used to treat various digestive diseases)
Antihistamines
Oral decongestants
Diuretics
Asthma drugs
Spinal anesthesia (anesthesia-induced RLS typically disappears on its own within several months)
T the prevalence in older adults is much higher, reaching almost 60%. Studies suggest
that PLMD may be especially common in older women. As with RLS, there are many
conditions that are associated with PLMD. They include sleep apnea, spinal cord injuries,
stroke, narcolepsy, and diseases that destroy nerves or the brain over time. Certain drugs,
including some antidepressants and anti-seizure medications, may also contribute to PLMD.
About a third of people with PLMD also have RLS.
RLS can contribute to insomnia. Insomnia itself can increase the activity of hormones and
pathways in the brain that produce emotional problems. Even modest changes in
waking and sleeping patterns can have significant effects on a person’s mood. In some cases,
ongoing insomnia may even predict mood disorders in the future.
It is not clear if RLS is responsible for mood problems or if anxiety or depression contributes
to RLS. Anxiety can cause agitation and leg restlessness that resemble RLS.
Depression and RLS symptoms also overlap. Certain types of antidepressant drugs,
such as serotonin reuptake inhibitors, can increase periodic limb movements during sleep.
Medicines used to treat RLS can cause or increase existing psychiatric conditions.
Dopamine agonists, for example, can increase compulsive behaviors, such as gambling.
How would you describe your sleep problem?
How long have you had this sleep problem? How long does it take you to fall asleep?
How many times a week does the problem occur?
How restful is your sleep?
What do your leg problems feel like (such as cramps, twitching, and crawling feelings)?
What is your sleep environment like? Noisy? Not dark enough?
What medications are you taking (including the use of antidepressants and
self-medications -such as herbs, alcohol, and over-the-counter or prescription drugs)?
Are you taking or withdrawing from stimulants, such as coffee or tobacco?
How much alcohol do you drink per day?
What stresses or emotional factors may be present in your life? Have you experienced any
significant life changes?
Do you snore or gasp during sleep? (This may be an indication of sleep apnea.
Sleep apnea is a condition in which breathing stops for short periods many times during the night.
It may worsen symptoms of RLS or insomnia.)
If you have a bed partner, does he or she notice that you have jerking legs, interrupted breathing,
or thrashing while you sleep?
Are you a shift worker?
Do you have a family history of RLS or PLMD, “growing pains” at night, or night walking?
To help answer some of these questions, the person may need to keep a sleep diary for 2 weeks.
The person should record all sleep-related information, including responses to the questions listed
above on a daily basis. A bed partner can help provide information based on observations of the
person’s sleep behavior.
Signs that may indicate the need to go to a sleep disorders center are:
Insomnia due to psychological disorders
Sleeping problems due to substance abuse
Snoring and sudden awakening with gasping for breath (possible sleep apnea)
Severe RLS
Persistent daytime sleepiness
Sudden episodes of falling asleep during the day (possible narcolepsy)
The first step is to determine if a person is actually deficient in iron.
If iron stores are low, the second step is to diagnose the cause of the iron deficiency,
which will help determine treatment.
The following tests may be used:
Blood smear. Blood cells viewed under the microscope appear pale (hypo chromic)
and abnormally small (microcytic). These observations suggest iron deficiency,
as well as anemia resulting from chronic disease and thalassemia (an inherited blood disorder).
Hemoglobin, iron, ferritin. Low levels of hemoglobin and iron further suggest iron deficiency,
but can also occur in cases of anemia due to chronic disease or other causes. Low levels of ferritin,
a protein that binds to iron typically indicate a lack of iron in the body. However,
normal levels of ferritin in the blood do not always mean a patient has enough iron.
For example, pregnant women in their third trimester or patients with a chronic disease
may not have enough iron even with normal or high ferritin levels.
STfR. A test that measures a factor called serum transferring receptor (sTfR) helps in i
dentifying iron deficiency in some patients, including older people with chronic diseases
and possibly pregnant women.
When iron deficiency anemia is diagnosed, the next step is to determine the cause of the iron
deficiency itself. Menstrual blood loss is a common cause of iron deficiency in women of
reproductive age. Tests to check for an underlying cause of iron deficiency, such
as gastrointestinal (digestive tract) bleeding, are particularly important
in men, postmenopausal women, and children.
Blood glucose tests for diabetes
Tests for kidney problems
In certain cases, tests for thyroid hormone, magnesium, and folate levels
Electromyography (recording the electrical activity of muscles) for neuropathy
or radiculopathy (problem with the nerve roots)
Central nervous system MRI for myelopathy or stroke.
Did you or do you have
Alcoholism problem
Chemotherapy
Hereditary neuropathy
Rheumatoid arthritis
Systemic lupus erythematosus
Amyloidosis
HIV infection
Kidney failure
Certain vitamin deficiencies
Symptoms of peripheral neuropathies may mimic RLS. However, unlike RLS, these
disorders are not usually associated with restlessness. Also, movement does not relieve
the discomfort, and the problem does not worsen at bedtime. While symptoms of
neuropathy and RLS can be similar, there is inconsistent evidence that neuropathy may lead to RLS.
Akathisia
Akathisia is a state of restlessness or agitation, and feelings of muscle quivering.
A condition called hypertensive akathisia is caused by failure in the autonomic nervous system.
Unlike RLS, it occurs at any time of the day, and only when the patient is sitting —
not lying down. Drugs that are used to treat nausea, schizophrenia and other
Psychoses can cause akathisia. The condition also occurs when drugs to treat Parkinson disease are stopped.
Among the conditions that might cause leg cramps are:
Calcium and phosphorus imbalances, particularly during pregnancy.
Disorders of the peripheral nerves, such as polyneuropathy due to diabetes,
chemotherapy, kidney disease, or others.
Disorders of the motor neuron, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
Low potassium or sodium levels.
Overexertion, standing on hard surfaces for long periods, or prolonged sitting
(especially with the legs contorted).
Having structural disorders in the legs or feet (such as flat feet).
Medical causes of muscle cramping which include hypothyroidism,
Addison’s disease, uremia, hypoglycemia, anemia, and certain medications.
Various diseases that affect nerves and muscles, such as Parkinson disease, cause leg cramps.
Nighttime leg cramps can generally be treated with lifestyle changes.
IMPORTANT: Keep iron supplements out of the reach of children.
As few as 3 adult iron tablets can poison, and even kill, children.
This includes any form of iron pill. No one should take a double dose of iron if they miss one dose.
Tips for taking iron are:
For best absorption, take iron between meals. (Iron may cause stomach and intestinal
disturbances. Some experts believe that you can take low doses of ferrous sulfate with
food and avoid the side effects.)
Always drink a full 8 ounces of fluid with an iron pill.
Keep tablets in a cool place. Bathroom medicine cabinets may be too warm and
humid, which may cause the pills to disintegrate.
Side Effects
Common side effects of iron supplements include the following:
Constipation and diarrhea may occur but these side effects are rarely severe.
However, iron tablets can aggravate existing digestive problems such as ulcers and ulcerative colitis.
Nausea and vomiting may occur with high doses. You can control this by taking smaller
amounts. Switching to ferrous gluconate may help some people with severe digestive problems.
Black stools are normal when taking iron tablets. In fact, if stools do not turn black,
the tablets may not be working effectively.
Acute iron poisoning is rare in adults, but can be fatal in children who take adult-strength tablets.
Interactions with Other Drugs
Certain medicines, including antacids, can reduce iron absorption.
Iron tablets may also reduce the effectiveness of other drugs, including:
Antibiotics. Tetracycline, penicillamine, and ciprofloxacin.
Anti-Parkinson disease drugs. Methyldopa, levodopa, and carbidopa.
At least 2 hours should pass between doses of these drugs and doses of iron supplements.
As anti-Parkinson medications may also be used to treat the symptoms of RLS in
conjunction with iron, the timing of doses is especially important to consider.
Exercise early in the day helps achieve healthy sleep. Vigorous exercise too close to
bedtime (1 to 2 hours before) may worsen RLS. A study found that people who walked
briskly for 30 minutes, 4 times a week, improved minor sleep disturbances after 4 months.
Regular, moderate exercise may help prevent RLS. However, people report that
either bursts of excessive energy or long sedentary periods can worsen
