brand-logo

Restless legs syndrome

Very low urgency
--
It is a neurological disorder for which the cause is not well understood. It has been linked to dopamine, and gives uncomfortable sensations in the legs, predominantly when they are at rest during the night. People with these symptoms feel compelled to walk and move in order to relieve them.
Bibliographic references
  1. Woloshin S, Schwartz LM. Giving legs to restless legs: a case study of how the media helps make people sick. PLoS Med. 2006; 3(4): e170.
  2. Benes H, Walters AS, Allen RP, Hening WA, Kohnen R. Definition of restless legs syndrome, how to diagnose it, and how to differentiate it from RLS mimics. Mov Disord. 2007; 22 Suppl 18: S401-8.
  3. Innes KE, Selfe TK, Agarwal P. Prevalence of restless legs syndrome in North American and Western European populations: a systematic review. Sleep Med. 2011; 12(7): 623-34.
  4. Allen RP, Stillman P, Myers AJ. Physician-diagnosed restless legs syndrome in a large sample of primary medical care patients in western Europe: Prevalence and characteristics. Sleep Med. 2010; 11(1): 31-7.
  5. Ohayon MM, O’Hara R, Vitiello MV. Epidemiology of restless legs syndrome: a synthesis of the literature. Sleep Med Rev. 2012; 16(4): 283-95.
  6. Panda S, Taly AB, Sinha S, Gururaj G, Girish N, Nagaraja D. Sleep-related disorders among a healthy population in South India. Neurol India. 2012; 60(1): 68-74.
  7. Ma JF, Xin XY, Liang L, Liu LH, Fang R, Zhang YJ, et al. Restless legs syndrome in Chinese elderly people of an urban suburb in Shanghai: a community-based survey. Parkinsonism Relat Disord. 2012; 18(3): 294-8.
  8. Tsuboi Y, Imamura A, Sugimura M, Nakano S, Shirakawa S, Yamada T. Prevalence of restless legs syndrome in a Japanese elderly population. Parkinsonism Relat Disord. 2009; 15(8): 598-601.
  9. Kim KW, Yoon IY, Chung S, Shin YK, Lee SB, Choi EA, et al. Prevalence, comorbidities and risk factors of restless legs syndrome in the Korean elderly population - results from the Korean Longitudinal Study on Health and Aging. J Sleep Res. 2010; 19(1 Pt 1): 87-92.
  10. Li LH, Chen HB, Zhang LP, Wang ZW, Wang CP. A community-based investigation on restless legs syndrome in a town in China. Sleep Med. 2012; 13(4): 342-5.
  11. Winkler AS, Trendafilova A, Meindl M, Kaaya J, Schmutzhard E, Kassubek J. Restless legs syndrome in a population of northern Tanzania: a community-based study. Mov Disord. 2010; 25(5): 596-601.
Copyright
© TeckelMedical 2026

Symptoms

    Improvement in movement

    Symptoms improve with movement

    Tingling in the affected area

    Tired legs

    Both legs are numb

Self-care

Relax muscles with massages and warm baths.
Apply cold compresses 3 times a day for 20 minutes to reduce the symptoms.
Get regular physical activity at least 3 times a week that is appropriate for your age and physical condition.
Reduce situations that cause psychological stress
Reduce caffeine consumption.
Reduce tobacco consumption.
Reduce alcohol consumption.
Mediktor logo