Also known as “Jimmy Legs,” Restless Legs Syndrome was once featured in an episode of Seinfeld—Kramer's girlfriend suffered from it, and it was later revealed that George Costanza's mother was also a sufferer, although in actual fact, as George's father explained, she had "the Jimmy Arms . . . like you won't believe!" Another term frequently used for this disorder is “silly legs.”
Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a common, chronic, neurological sleep disorder. The burning, creeping, and crawling sensations that are the hallmark of the disorder, lead to walking discomfort, sleep deprivation, and stress. It is an affliction of the part of the nervous system that influences movements of the lower extremities and is characterized by the uncontrollable urge to move the legs. It usually occurs or worsens with rest; get worse as the day wears on; and is often accompanied by pain or other unpleasant sensations.
Often seen in Parkinsonism, RLS affects about 8-10% of the US population and most people who are severely affected are middle-aged or older. This common disorder is frequently unrecognized, misdiagnosed and poorly managed. Moreover, in many people the condition is not diagnosed until 10-20 years after symptoms begin.
While the restless legs syndrome, "the most common disorder you have never heard of," may have been known in antiquity, it has only recently come to medical attention. The earliest documentation of what was very likely to be RLS occurred in 1685 and is credited to the English physician, Thomas Willis, who served King Charles II. In 1945, Karl-Axel Ekbom identified, characterized, and coined the term “restless legs syndrome.”
The International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group has described the following symptoms of restless legs syndrome:
*A compelling urge to move the limbs to relieve these sensations.
*Involuntary, repetitive, periodic, jerking limb movements occur in either sleep or while awake.
*Restlessness—floor pacing, tossing and turning in bed, rubbing the legs.
*Sleep disturbances and daytime sleepiness are very common.
*Strange itching, “pins and needles,” or "crawling" sensations occurring deep within the legs.
Primary RLS, far more common than secondary RLS, has no known underlying cause. Secondary RLS is caused by an underlying medical condition. Among these are:
*Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
*Chronic venous insufficiency or varicose veins
*Cigarette smoking
*Damage to the spinal nerves,
*Fibromyalgia
*Hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism
*In 25-75% of cases, primary RLS seems to run in families.
*Iron-deficiency anemia.
*Lyme disease,
*Parkinsonism
*Peripheral neuropathy, often a result of diabetes
*Rheumatoid arthritis,
*Stress and fatigue.
*Uremia (kidney failure causing build up of toxins within the body).
*Vitamin B-12 deficiency
*About 40% of pregnant women experience RLS symptoms which usually fade within a few weeks after delivery.
Certain medications can cause or aggravate RLS. These are: Alcohol, caffeine, Celexa, Celontin, Clozaril, Dilantin, Dolophine, Elavil, Halcion, Haldol, Intron, Klonopin, lithium, Methadone, Neurontin, Paxil, Pramipexole, Prozac, Remeron, Risperdal, Ropinirole, Sarafem, Seroquel, Sinemet, Topamax, Ultram, Xyrem, Zoloft, Zonegran, and Zyprexa
