An abnormal condition of the nervous system, leading to discomfort mainly in the lower limbs, associated with the need to constantly move them, and there is a sign of restless legs. These obsessive symptoms do not allow a person to sleep fully and often lead to a depressive state. In most cases, the cause of the disease cannot be identified. It appears spontaneously. In some cases, it is provoked by other diseases and certain conditions of the body. It has been found that often restless legs syndrome is formed with kidney failure, iron deficiency and in women during pregnancy. The unusual condition of the patient lies in the fact that when examined by a neurologist, no signs of the disease are detected. The clinic and treatment of restless leg syndrome will be discussed in this article.
Historical background
Restless legs syndrome affects approximately 10% of the world's population. This disease is knownquite a long time ago. Back in 1672, the outstanding English physician, anatomist and physiologist Thomas Willis gave a description of the disease. The problem of restless legs syndrome was studied in more detail only in the forties of the XX century by the Swedish neurologist K. A. Ekbom. He developed a new criterion for assessing the diagnosis of the disease, stating that its main signs are not motor, but sensory (sensory) disorders. He combined all their forms under the phrase "restless legs", and a little later added the term syndrome. In practical medicine, the disease restless legs syndrome has other names: Willis syndrome and Ekbom's syndrome.
Types of disease
There are two types of restless leg syndrome disease:
1. Primary, or idiopathic. The cause of occurrence has not been clarified. This species is the most common and is characterized by:
- manifestation before the age of 30;
- children get sick often;
- is inherited;
- often chronic.
Symptoms are intermittent. The condition may worsen or improve from time to time. Sometimes there are no signs of illness for a long period.
2. Secondary, or symptomatic. It is often caused by other pathologies. They mostly affect people over the age of forty-five. Features:
- starts abruptly;
- symptoms are persistent and pronounced.
The exact causes of the disease are not fully understood. According to some theoriesit is suggested that this may be due to the hormone dopamine, which is produced in the brain.
How does restless leg syndrome manifest?
The disease begins with the appearance of discomfort in the legs. Unpleasant sensations appear only at rest. As soon as the patient begins to move, the discomfort disappears. The patient himself characterizes his sensations as follows: tingling, burning, twisting, pulling pains similar to convulsions begin. Discomfort often occurs during sleep, preventing a person from sleeping. With the increase of symptoms, he is forced to move his legs all the time so as not to feel uncomfortable. All this affects the patient's psyche, his condition worsens, depression, nervousness sets in, lack of sleep adversely affects performance. To find out the causes and treatment of restless legs syndrome, you should consult a doctor.
Causes of disease development
Main causes of disease:
- Hereditary factor. In the primary type of Ekbom's syndrome, the problem is related to genes. Pathology is inherited and has an early development.
- Other diseases. Willis syndrome may be caused by another disease that has disrupted the functions of the central nervous system. These include: kidney failure, spinal cord injury, Parkinson's disease, diabetes mellitus, multiple sclerosis. In these cases, knowing the causes and symptoms of restless legs syndrome, treatment must begin with the underlying disease.
- Pregnancy. Almost 20% of women in an interesting position are diagnosed with restless legs syndrome. explain itcan be the following factors - hormonal changes in the body, a large load on the pelvic organs, experiences and stresses that cause neurological changes.
- Bad habits. Smoking, drinking alcoholic and caffeinated drinks have a negative effect on the entire body of the individual and are a provoking factor in the disease of Ekbom's syndrome.
- Medicines. Some medications can also contribute to the formation of restless leg syndrome. These include drugs containing caffeine, antidepressants, antihistamines, antipsychotics, antiemetics, antihypertensives.
In addition, modern working conditions have a negative impact on the disease: a large mental load, stressful situations, a sedentary lifestyle. Having found out the cause of restless legs syndrome, treatment with folk remedies can be started before visiting a doctor.
Symptoms of disease
Restless legs syndrome is characterized by the following symptoms:
- Discomfort in the legs. Patients have twitching, trembling, burning, some experience pain. Such phenomena occur in the thigh, foot, lower leg with an interval of five to thirty seconds. More often attacks occur at night, but may not stop during the daytime.
- Feet at ease. The symptoms worsen when the person falls asleep. The frequency of their repetition can be completely different.
- Feet moving - no symptoms. The more a person begins to move, the less he is disturbed by discomfort or completely disappears. There are otherssituations where respite lasts a short time. Everything is very individual.
- Cyclic fluctuations in intensity. In the early morning and the first half of the day, the attacks do not disturb the patient, but begin in the evening and continue all night.
- The movement of the legs in a dream. During sleep, the lower limbs also continue to move. In severe cases, the movement continues all night.
- Insomnia. This is an indispensable companion of the Willis syndrome, which does not allow a person to sleep. Often, sleep loss becomes chronic.
The symptoms and treatment of restless legs syndrome are dependent on each other. According to the severity of the course of the disease, which the patient observes by the manifestation of certain signs, the appropriate course of therapy is determined.
Diagnosis of disease
Restless Leg Syndrome is not rare, but it is not easy to diagnose. In the daytime, when the patient comes to see a doctor, the disease almost does not manifest itself. According to the complaints that the patient makes, it can be difficult for the doctor to make a correct diagnosis, so he writes out a referral for the following tests:
- blood - general and biochemical, for thyroid hormones;
- urine - Rehberg's test for albumin content;
- pregnancy test.
Particular attention is paid to the content of ferritin in the blood. With its values less than 45 mg / l, constant insomnia and discomfort in the limbs, Ekbom's syndrome can be suspected. According to research resultsthe doctor will rule out other diseases that are similar in symptoms to restless leg syndrome. It can be kidney pathology, spinal injuries, blood diseases, diabetes mellitus, pregnancy. As well as the use of antiemetics, antidepressants, lithium preparations and some other medicines that lead to similar problems. In addition, for a more accurate diagnosis, the doctor prescribes dopaminergic drugs to the patient. An increase in dopamine in a patient after taking them confirms the presence of restless legs syndrome disease. In some cases, the patient is recommended to do polysomnography, which detects the movement of the limbs at night.
Reason to See a Doctor for Restless Leg Syndrome
Unpleasant sensations in the limbs, which appear periodically and yet do not interfere with the patient's sleep at night and do not bother him during the day, may well be treated at home. The reason for going to the doctor is the ineffectiveness of self-treatment of restless legs syndrome, and most importantly, when obsessive symptoms do not allow you to sleep and begin to appear during the day. A person cannot sit quietly at work, in a car, while relaxing, sometimes he needs to get up and walk around the room. This has a negative effect on the nervous system, makes you nervous, interferes with work and personal life. So it's time to see a doctor. Such a problem is de alt with by a neurologist, a somnologist, and it is powerful to make the first visit to a local general practitioner. If necessary, he will give a referral to a specialist. Don't put off visiting for a long time.doctor and stress yourself out.
Treatment of restless leg syndrome at home
When the first signs of illness appear, many do not immediately seek medical help. With a mild form of the disease, the use of non-drug treatment and adherence to the correct regimen will help alleviate the patient's condition. Doctors recommend:
- Give up bad habits. Avoid cigarettes and alcohol. Limit the use of strong tea, coffee, energy drinks. Provide a he althy diet, do not overeat.
- Moderate loads. Perform smooth exercises without sudden movements that help strengthen the leg muscles: swings, "bike", stretching.
- Hobby. Concentrating while doing what you love helps take your mind off the discomfort in your legs.
- Full sleep. To do this, you must follow the correct regimen of the day. Go to bed and get up at a certain time in a well-ventilated area. Replace watching TV with a walk before going to bed.
- Water procedures. To treat restless legs syndrome at home, you need to take a contrast shower every morning. It will strengthen the blood vessels, normalize the nervous system and reduce the symptoms of the disease.
- Massage. It relaxes muscles, strengthens joints, normalizes the functioning of nerve endings, improves blood flow, and strengthens blood vessels. Before going to bed, it is advisable to massage the calf muscles with soothing essential oil.
- Warm. Try not to overcool your feet. And a hot foot bath helps soothe the discomfort.
- Emotional state. The disease is associated with disorders in the functioning of the nervous system, so you should try to avoid stressful situations, depression, worries, overwork. All this makes the symptoms worse.
Following these simple guidelines will help in the treatment of restless leg syndrome.
The best homeopathic remedies
As already mentioned, Willis syndrome is expressed by not very pleasant sensations in the limbs. There are constant tingling, tingling, numbness and all the time you want to move your legs to relieve discomfort. Medicines that do not have side effects have not yet been invented. And homeopathy can help eliminate unpleasant problems without side effects. Indian doctor Vikas Sharma for the treatment of restless legs syndrome with homeopathy offers the following remedies:
- Rhus toxicodendron - perfectly relieves tingling and pain.
- Zincum metalliccum - used for twitching of the limbs and numbness in the evening and at night.
- Argentum nitcum - relieves the feeling of heaviness in the legs, used for muscle spasm.
- Ferrum metallium - compensates for the lack of iron in the body, removes symptoms, helps to relax.
- Kali phosphoricum - used for tingling and numbness in the limbs.
Using folk remedies
To help with drug treatment or with mild symptoms of the manifestation of the disease, folk remedies for the treatment of restless legs syndrome are quite suitable. To do this, you can use:
- Sedativesfunds. They relieve fatigue, tension, muscle spasms, promote easy falling asleep. For these purposes, use tinctures and decoctions of lemon balm, motherwort, valerian roots, linden flowers. To prepare a decoction, raw materials filled with water are placed in a boiling water bath and boiled for thirty minutes. Then let it brew for 10 minutes. The broth is filtered, squeezing out the remainder. For infusions, herbs are poured with boiling water and kept under a lid for two to three hours. It is quite possible to use ready-made alcohol tinctures purchased in the pharmacy chain. Use the drug before bedtime - half a glass of decoction or 20-25 drops of tincture.
- Vinegar and lemon juice. To treat restless legs syndrome at night, when you get tired of moving them endlessly, you need to rub them with freshly squeezed lemon juice or table vinegar. This will help relieve unpleasant symptoms and sleep peacefully until morning.
- Oil from laurel leaves. It helps to gently relieve spasm, have a warming and soothing effect on the muscles. To prepare it, bay leaves are crushed, placed in a dark glass bottle, poured with vegetable oil and put in a cool place for a week. The finished product is rubbed into the skin of the legs.
- Hot foot baths. This manipulation, carried out before going to bed, will soften and soothe the muscles, help to avoid spasms and cramps. Decoctions of sage, chamomile, calendula, nettle are added to the water. The duration of the procedure is no more than fifteen minutes.
Folk treatment for restless legs syndrome gives a temporary effect, but with a permanentapplication in certain situations quite helps to cope with the problem without using drugs. However, it should be remembered that alternative medicine methods are best used after consulting a doctor.
Pharmaceuticals
In cases where all the methods of treatment described above have been tried, the patient goes to the clinic. When contacting a doctor, after clarifying the diagnosis of the disease, identifying the symptoms and causes of restless legs syndrome at night, treatment for each patient is prescribed individually, taking into account its characteristics. However, the general principle of treatment is always observed, which consists in prescribing the following medicines:
- Dopaminergic drugs. They are dopamine receptor stimulants and affect the peripheral nervous system. The main drug in this group is Levodopa. It compensates for the lack of dopamine in the central nervous system, has a number of side effects: dizziness, nausea.
- Benzodiazepines. The drugs of this group do not eliminate the symptoms of the disease, but have a sedative and hypnotic effect. They give you the opportunity to sleep, reduce the feeling of anxiety. These include Clonazepam, Midazolam, Diazepam. With prolonged use, they are addictive, sometimes drowsiness during the day.
- Vitamins. Along with the main treatment with drugs for restless legs syndrome, complexes of elixirs of life are also used, which include iron, magnesium, vitamins E, C, B, folic acid.
- anticonvulsants. They are used only in severe cases.
All drugs are prescribed and selected only by a doctor. Doing it yourself is very dangerous.
Mirapex drug for the treatment of disease
This medicine was created thanks to innovative technologies and is successfully used in the treatment of Ekbom's syndrome. Contraindications to its use are associated with individual intolerance to some components and age restrictions up to 18 years.
During pregnancy, the drug is not recommended, as its effect on the fetus has not been studied. In the treatment of restless legs syndrome with Mirapex, the dosage is selected individually, taking into account the degree of development of the disease and the weight of the patient. The drug is taken three times a day. When administered together with sedatives, dose adjustment is required. Overdose has not been fully studied, it is assumed that in this case nausea, vomiting, and the usual signs of poisoning are possible. When taking it, the following side effects were identified:
- mental disorders;
- hallucinations, confusion;
- shortness of breath, headache, heart failure;
- insomnia, decreased vision.
Treatment of illness in pregnant women
Willis syndrome is not so rare during pregnancy. Every fourth woman can suffer from it. Symptoms of the disease also manifest themselves in a great desire to move their legs, so women do not get enough sleep and feel unrested in the morning. There is no specific treatment for restless leg syndrome during pregnancy. This condition occurs due to hormonal imbalance.and as a result of iron deficiency.
In most cases, it resolves on its own after delivery. To reduce discomfort, you need to do a light massage of the feet and legs, pay special attention to daily walks and good nutrition. If necessary, the doctor will prescribe the necessary vitamin complexes.
About the causes of restless leg syndrome. Reviews and treatment
People suffering from this disease are divided in various forums by methods of treatment and name the reasons for which this problem arose. Here are some of them.
Often the disease appears during pregnancy. According to reviews, after taking medicines containing iron and vitamin C, many people improve.
As already mentioned, often the disease is hereditary. If this is the cause of restless legs syndrome, treatment with folk remedies should not be started. As many say, only a specialist can help in this case.
Some people have been worried about the disease since childhood. Symptoms appear intermittently. With age, the disease progresses. As evidenced by the reviews, the reason for its appearance sometimes lies in the fact that the disease has become a complication of one or another disease transferred in childhood. And to find out, you need to consult a number of specialists. Only after a full course of treatment can restless leg syndrome recede.
Judging by the reviews, we can conclude that Ekbom's syndrome is a common disease and significantly worsens the quality of life.
Consequences of restless leg syndrome
This pathology has a number of unpleasant consequences. Patients suffer from severe insomnia. As soon as a person is ready to fall asleep, an unpleasant sensation appears in the limbs, and he must move his leg to get rid of it.
This situation can last up to four hours in a row and subsides in the morning. If the patient fell asleep, the limbs still continue to move. As a result, sleep becomes superficial, a person does not rest and a depressive state occurs. Constant fatigue and lack of sleep do not allow you to perform your daily and professional duties efficiently. And, of course, he alth inevitably suffers. Therefore, having identified the symptoms of the disease, you should immediately consult a doctor to begin treatment of restless leg syndrome.
