What is Restless Leg Syndrome?

You have just gotten into bed and have begun to nod off. Suddenly, your legs feel as if spiders are crawling up and down your calves and all over your feet. Your first inclination is to kick off the bedcovers and jump out of the bed. As the urge becomes irresistible, you get out of bed and begin to walk around. Slowly, the feeling begins to subside and you think you might be able to get some sleep now. You have just experiences a phenomenon commonly known as restless leg syndrome.

Restless leg syndrome is a condition that impacts millions of persons every day. Formally knows as Ekbom's Syndrome, this health ailment often strikes around bedtime or even within a half-hour or so of going to sleep. In more severe cases, restless leg syndrome not only affects the legs, but also the thighs and arms. Often, the feeling of something moving up and down the body is so strong that rest is impossible.

RLS is often accompanied by what appear to be involuntary muscle contractions, which manifest themselves with sudden jerks of the legs. There may also be a sense of numbness at various points on the leg, even as other parts experience the sense of something crawling on your legs. There does not appear to be any single cause for the RLS, although many health experts believe the root cause has to do with brain chemistry and how the brain sends signals to the various parts of the body. Both men and women experience restless leg syndrome, although women who are pregnant seem to experience a higher incidence of bouts with the syndrome. There is also some conjecture that the ailment may be hereditary, passing from one generation of a family to the next.

The severity of restless leg syndrome varies from person to person. For some, the condition may be mild, and can be relieved with a simple walk around the room. More advanced cases may require some form of ongoing treatment, including medication. If you currently experience restless leg syndrome, consult your doctor about your condition. Your primary care physician can recommend a regimen of diet and treatment that may be effective in your situation.