Restless Legs Syndrome
Written by:What is restless legs syndrome and what symptoms does it present?
The restless legs syndrome is a motor sensory disorder that occurs in people of a certain age range and with certain predisposing factors and is defined by four major criteria, which are the discomfort in the legs that may be cramping or punctures that the patient describes in different ways, those discomforts appear or worsen with rest or when the patient is in a state of inactivity and these discomforts improve with the movement of the legs. A very important criterion of restless legs syndrome is that it occurs late in the evening and at night, that is, it complies with a circadian rhythm unlike other disorders and that the neurological examination is normal. We have to take into account that there are additional criteria in restless leg syndrome that we also have to take into account, which is the presence of periodic movements of the legs that can be both in sleep and wakefulness, that there is a family component , many of these patients have first degree relatives, that is to say parents or siblings or children with restless legs syndrome; and that the alterations of the periodic movements of the legs occur during sleep and alter the normal rhythm of sleep.
What people are prone to suffer it?
They are prone to suffer the syndrome of restless legs several population groups, people who have anemia or lack of iron, pregnant women or patients who may have other associated disorders such as a polyneuropathy due to diabetes mellitus, for example.
How is it treated? Can it reappear?
The restless legs syndrome has a pharmacological type treatment. Three drugs are mainly used: Ropirinol, Rotigotine and Pramipexole, and the doses are managed according to the symptoms presented by the patient.. Restless legs syndrome is not a disorder that can be cured; it can remit by itself but it can reappear, if a patient stops having symptoms, maybe at the same time it can return to present symptoms.
