All the facts you need to know about Restless Leg Syndrome

MBOMBELA – We all know one, and maybe you are one. We’re talking about that person at the table who can’t sit still – the foot shaker, bed roller and leg rattler that can’t for the life of you, relax and be still.

The reality of the situation is that there is very good reason for all the rattling and rolling. If they stop, it hurts. According to the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), restless leg syndrome (RLS) is a neurological disorder characterised by throbbing, pulling, creeping or other unpleasant sensations in the legs and an uncontrollable, and sometimes overwhelming, urge to move them.

We asked psychiatrist and sleep medicine specialist, Dr Leif Brauteseth, to shed some light on RLS. According to Dr Brauteseth, “We don’t really know how common RLS is in the South African population as there have not been many studies done on this aspect of medicine.

However, by inference, you can make some really realistic extrapolations. If a person is a heavy snorer and experiences symptoms of obstructive sleep apnoea, (gasp reflex), there is about a 50 per cent chance that they will also suffer from RLS.

Dr Brauteseth also goes on to say that it appears to be more common in women but points out that, “Essentially, the old adage applies, ‘you only find what you look for’. Many people go to see their doctors and do not raise the symptoms of RLS as a problem. Likewise, many doctors will talk to patients during the day and focus on the daytime symptoms, but not necessarily think to ask about night-time symptoms like those of RLS.”

When asked about the effect that the high temperatures in the Lowveld has on RLS, Dr Brauteseth explained that for the most part it does not affect RLS directly, but that extreme temperatures do interfere with quality of sleep and when people become hot and bothered at night, they tend to focus more on their RLS symptoms. “It is an established fact that it is better to sleep in a room with a lower temperature than in one with a higher temperature. If you have an air conditioner, you will sleep better with it on, especially for postmenopausal woman who actually sleep best in rooms of about 15 to 17°C.”

According to HHS symptoms commonly get worse at night and moving the legs generally relieves the discomfort. The most unusual aspect of the condition is that lying down and trying to relax actually worsens the symptoms.

There is a strong genetic component as RLS is often found in families. Specific genes have been associated with it and there is evidence which indicates that low levels of iron in the brain may also be responsible.

HHS asserts that alcohol and sleep deprivation also aggravates symptoms in some individuals and reducing or completely eliminating these may relieve symptoms. Although many people who suffer from RLS will resort to stretching and moving, Dr Brauteseth explains that there are no specific exercises that relieve RLS symptoms.

“While there are many claims that stretching does relieve RLS symptoms, it is an established fact that intense exercise actually aggravates the symptoms.”

If you believe that you might suffer from RLS, Dr Brauteseth says that a diagnosis is usually very simple and 95 per cent of all sleep problems can be diagnosed in a 20-second screening test where your doctor should ask these three questions:

1) Do you have difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep?

2) Are you unsatisfied with the quality of your sleep?

3) Does your bed partner (or your parents) complain about your behaviour while you sleep?

If the response to any of the above three questions are affirmative, it should be further investigated as there is usually something that can be done to improve the situation. “Invariably sleeping pills are not the answer!” says Dr Brauteseth.

It is advisable to rather consult with a sleep specialist or a neurologist. If neither of them are available a psychiatrist who has an interest in sleep medicine, or a general practitioner who has training in sleep medicine, will also be able to assist.

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