16 Grandma’s Remedies to Relieve Symptoms of Restless Legs Syndrome

What is restless leg syndrome?

Restless leg syndrome (RLS), also known as muscle impatience syndrome, or Willis-Ekbom disease, is a neurological disease that manifests itself as an unpleasant sensation in the legs. According to the Cleveland Clinic website, this nerve disorder occurs in the evening or at night when a person is at rest, and leads to an urgent need to move their lower limbs. The sensations of discomfort in question include tingling, tightness, tingling, or a feeling of electric shock. These impatience worsen during the night, and especially during falling asleep, which causes sleep disorders or insomnia. They can also occur during the day when the person is in a sitting position or during prolonged immobility.

What are the types of restless leg syndrome?

There are two distinct types of muscle impatience syndrome:

• The first form is called early, and the diagnosis takes place before the age of 40-45. This RLS is hereditary/congenital and progresses slowly. In other cases, it is the lack of iron that can lead to a drop in dopamine levels, which consequently generates nighttime impatience.
• The second form is called late because it appears after the age of 45. The cause is linked to several factors such as pregnancy, chronic diseases, poor blood circulation or the use of drugs and the use of certain medications that have side effects. In this case, RLS progresses rapidly.

Is restless legs syndrome common?

According to the National Institute of Sleep and Vigilance (INSV), 5% of the French population suffers from this sensory-motor disorder. In addition, this neurological pathology most often affects women, and adults in general. Indeed, the risks increase with age. However, it can occur in children or adolescents, but in rare cases.

What are the symptoms of restless legs syndrome?

Symptoms of restless legs syndrome include:

• Urgent need to move the legs when the person is at rest, or during a period of inactivity.
• Uncomfortable and uncomfortable sensations such as itching, tingling, squirming, muscle twitching, or an electric shock.
• The above-mentioned symptoms are accentuated in the evening, and especially during sleep.
• The legs are relieved by the movement of the legs, or when the person performs a physical (and cerebral activity too).

What causes restless legs syndrome?

To date, the exact causes of restless legs syndrome have not been identified. According to Health Passport, many factors can trigger this sensorimotor pathology:

• Iron deficiency can hinder dopamine production. In a study published in the National Library of Medicine, researchers observed a correlation between low serum ferritin levels and restless legs syndrome.
• A lack of dopamine, which is a neurotransmitter that allows neurons to communicate with each other.
• A genetic origin is suspected when a family member is affected.
• Pregnancy promotes the triggering of impatience, accompanied by a feeling of heavy legs felt by pregnant women. Fortunately, these painful manifestations disappear within two weeks of childbirth.
• Taking certain medications such as antidepressants, neuroleptics and antihistamines can cause or exacerbate this nervous disorder.
• Some diseases can cause leg disease such as diabetes, kidney failure, and hyperactivity, for example.

What triggers restless legs syndrome?

Apart from the complex factors mentioned above, other elements can trigger restless legs syndrome such as smoking (and its withdrawal), alcohol addiction, sedentary lifestyle, as well as obesity. Some of the triggers that also make RLS worse include stress, anxiety, and caffeine. In addition to this, it is important to note that lack of sleep can be responsible for the worsening of these factors. The best thing to do is to consult a health professional who will help you identify all the elements that accentuate the symptoms, in order to better manage them.

What is the age group affected by restless legs syndrome?

In principle, these nocturnal impatience can affect anyone: children, teenagers, and adults. However, people over the age of 50 are the most affected by this disease characterized by involuntary movements of the lower limbs.

How is restless leg syndrome diagnosed?

To find out if you suffer from restless legs syndrome, you will need to consult a specialist who will carry out a clinical examination.

Also according to Cleveland Clinic, the doctor will base his decision on your medical history and your family’s medical history. Then, he will ask you several questions related to the symptoms experienced. That’s not all, the doctor will also perform a physical and neurological examination, in addition to blood tests in order to check for the presence of any pathologies, and to determine the real cause of the symptoms.

In the same context, the doctor may recommend a sleep study through a test called polysomnography (PSG). The latter consists of monitoring the quality of sleep in order to detect the various sleep disorders.

Is restless legs syndrome difficult to diagnose in children?

It is difficult to diagnose RLS in children because they are not able to accurately describe the symptoms they experience, including the severity of the pain. Often restless leg syndrome in children is related to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), or growing pains.

16 Remedies for Restless Legs Syndrome

According to WebMD, the health information site, there are remedies that help relieve restless leg syndrome.

Certain medications can cause the symptoms of restless legs syndrome to occur. If you are taking antihistamines or antidepressants, or treatments for nausea, talk to your doctor about medications that do not make your legs feel more restless.

When you feel muscle spasms in your legs, you can move or move them to relieve these unpleasant sensations.

It is recommended that you go to bed and get up at set times each day in order to improve the quality of your sleep, and to feel fit. It is important to know that Willis-Ekbom disease disrupts sleep cycles, which are essential for the body to regenerate, and for the heart to rest as well. An adult needs 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night.

Restless leg syndrome affects the quality of life of those affected. This pathology disrupts falling asleep, because sleep is reduced and fragmented. As a result, this leads to states of fatigue, as well as daytime sleepiness (daytime sleepiness). It is then advisable to go to bed a little later than usual and wake up later in the morning, so that you can rest.

A warm water bath before sleeping will relax you and make it easier to fall asleep afterwards. It is therefore not surprising that this practice can reduce the severe symptoms of nighttime impatience, and relax the leg muscles.

Eliminate foods that contain caffeine such as coffee, tea, coca-cola or chocolate. If you don’t know, caffeine causes bursts of energy that are likely to worsen the symptoms of restless leg syndrome, even several hours later. In addition, the stimulant in question can have effects for 12 hours in some people.

Activities that occupy the brain can reduce the symptoms of RLS. This is why it is advisable to distract yourself so as not to focus on the pain. You can read a book, do crosswords, or cook, etc.tc.

It is important to have regular and moderate physical activity during the day such as walking, jogging, lifting weights, or any other activity that you enjoy and that motivates you. These activities promote venous circulation, and will allow you to sleep better at night.

People with RLS often have low levels of iron in their blood, but the body needs it for dopamine production. This chemical produced in the brain is involved in the control of movement, for information purposes. Don’t hesitate to ask your doctor for a supplement that contains iron.

People affected by this nervous system problem can use heating pads or ice packs that they will put on their legs to soothe the pain. This is because temperature changes have a calming effect, even if it is short-term.

Did you know that stress can accentuate nighttime impatience? So remember to release tension and breathe slowly and deeply. You can also listen to your favorite music before bed, and dim the lights to create a relaxing atmosphere.

Yoga is a technique that combines three remedies to reduce symptoms described as mild. These are stretching, deep breathing and relaxation. If you have no idea about the method of practicing yoga, you can watch videos on the internet to learn the basics.

Some factors can make it harder to fall asleep, such as watching TV before bed. For this reason, sleep experts recommend bedrooms that are not equipped with screens in general.

Stretching before sleep can be helpful for people who suffer from this very bothersome syndrome, even if the relief is only short-lived.

Cigarettes and alcohol can not only trigger the symptoms of restless legs, but they also interfere with sleep by making it insufficient and poor.

Before sleeping, relax and massage your legs in circular motions to reduce the symptoms of this chronic condition

As you can see, if you have restless legs syndrome, it is essential to adopt a healthy lifestyle to avoid worsening symptoms.