Restless Leg Syndrome
April 12, 2009
RLS or Restless Leg Syndrome is fairly a common problem among many but it is rarely given much importance. This is mainly because the sufferer doesn’t think it is very relevant enough to have a consultation with a doctor. This is exactly what happened to a friend of mine. She constantly complained of fatigue in her legs and a weird sensation. Sometimes, she explained the feeling as tingling and sometimes said her legs jerked on its own.
It got worse at night and she started losing sleep over this. Still, she dismissed it and continued to live few months in this agony. She was popularly known as a “night bird” for her active partying habits and soon she started staying home in the evenings. Her absence in our social circle grew a concern for the rest of us and we forced her to get a check up and discuss this problem with a specialist.
After a thorough and elaborate discussion with her doctor, we finally understood her problem and it was indeed RLS (Restless Leg Syndrome). There are many other symptoms that direct the suffered to understand this ailment like the urge to move up and down, sitting or lying down tends to make the restlessness in the legs. The knee or toes tingle or even jerk if the body is rested for a while.
There are numerous reasons for this RLS to trigger in a person. It could be genetic or an imbalance of a chemical called dopamine in the brain. This chemical is dependent on the iron percentage in the body. So less iron in the body can trigger RLS. It is also said that excessive stress or psychiatric conditions may intensify this condition.
Currently there is no permanent cure to RLS. But there are lots of ways to manage this condition.
1) Regular exercising.
2) Reduce intake of alcohol, tobacco and caffeine in the diet especially after sunset.
3) Massaging your legs before bedtime.
4) Pacing or going for a walk before bedtime.
5) Learn stretching exercises so that if you are awakened in the middle of the night with the urge to move, you can sit on your bed and do the light stretching without the need to walk around the house. In this way, after you feel relaxed you can again fall asleep. You don’t have to turn on the light and ruin your sleep.
6) Learn to develop a regular sleep pattern.
Restless Leg Syndrome is not a disease or something to be ashamed of. It becomes a way of life soon if you learn to accept it instead of feeling helpless. There are various medications available too but they should be taken after discussing it with your doctor.
©Nayna, 2007-2009. All Rights Reserved.
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