Restless Legs Syndrome

Introduction

This... ailment... occurs most often when the legs get warm in bed, and prevents going to sleep... A curious unlocalized restlessness is felt in one or both legs. It is not quite a pain, but is distinctly unpleasant. A combination of voluntary movement and involuntary jerks of the affected limb fails to find rest. In ten minutes to an hour the "jitters" depart and sleep comes... The disagreeable sensation stops at once on chewing 1/100 grain of nitroglycerine, suggesting that the cause is vascular.1

Known in the common vernacular as the heebie jeebies, Elvis legs, the fidgets, and simply the leg thing, restless legs syndrome (RLS)—a term coined by Swedish neurologist Karl-Axel Ekbom2—is a sensory and movement disorder with a profound impact on sleep. The pulling, tugging, creepy-crawly, electric shock-like, bubbling, or jittery and not infrequently painful sensations are often difficult for patients to describe, leading to reports of sometimes bizarre-sounding symptoms such as Coca-Cola in the veins, insects crawling deep in the tissue, and itching bones. Relief with movement of the affected limb—typically the legs and, not uncommonly, the arms—is one of the distinguishing features. Because of the exacerbation in symptoms with quiescence and the circadian properties of the condition, when people with RLS do seek medical attention, it is often because of their difficulty initiating and maintaining sleep. It is common for people with RLS—after enduring the symptoms for many years—to hear about the disorder in the media and recognize for the first time that their odd sensations indeed constitute a real and treatable condition.

Please see the following topics related to restless legs syndrome below, and available on the left side of this page.

• Primary and Secondary RLS
• Diagnostic Criteria
• Pathophysiology
• Epidemiology
• Diagnosis
• Treatment
• Nonpharmacologic Treatment
• Pharmacologic Treatment
• Dopaminergic Agents
• Dopamine Receptor Agonists
• Dopamine Precursor
• Benzodiazepines
• Opioids
• Anticonvulsants
• Other Medications
• Pharmacologic Therapy During Pregnancy
• Pharmacologic Therapy for Children with RLS
• Restless Legs Syndrome: A Practical Guide to Diagnosis and Management
• References

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RLS Slide Set	RLS Rating Scales	RLS Patient Fact Sheets	Anatomical Illustrations