There is a significant problem experienced by many persons of all ages, increasingly as we age, known as the "restless legs syndrome." Symptoms of this condition include creeping or tingling sensations in the legs at any time of day, but particularly when a person is not moving around. The National Sleep Foundation conducted a recent survey and determined that 15% of a medical patient population had a problem of restless legs. A recent survey in the State of Kentucky revealed that 10% of all people, and nearly 20% of those older than 65, had a problem with kicking the legs repeatedly throughout the day or night.
Approximately 80% of individuals who have daytime restless legs also have a repeating cycle of night time kicking that may either delay the onset of sleep or cause brief arousals throughout a night of sleep. Occasionally, the upper limb is the offending moving part, and for this reason the occurrence of either arm or leg movements at night during sleep is referred to as the "Periodic Limb Movement Syndrome." Diagnosis of these disorders is made on the basis of history; there are no laboratory tests that can be used. However, when the condition is in association with a sleeping problem it may be necessary to confirm that the restlessness rather than some other problem is the cause of interruption of sleep.
We in the medical community are not entirely sure what produces the urge to move the legs so much. Some people have inherited the condition, while others may have a medical problem that can be linked to restless legs, such as kidney disease, iron deficiency anemia, anxiety states, alcoholism, or attention deficit disorder. Caffeine drinks can bring out restless legs. In the last trimester of pregnancy, restless legs may develop. Finally, the occurrence of a restless legs problem is often idiopathic, meaning there is no known cause or association to other illnesses.
Treatment of the condition of restless legs is not always necessary if its occurrence is not life or sleep disrupting. When persons who have the problem do not sleep well because of the movement, or when a bed partner is kept awake by another's movements, there are several options to consider. First, a repeating motion leg exercise such as bicycling or long walking or swimming a few hours before bedtime may ease the problem. Second, it has been found that a principal ingredient in tonic water (of gin and tonic fame minus the alcohol)--quinine--can alleviate the symptom. There are a number of medications that have been used successfully to treat this problem: anti-anxiety medicines, codeine, anti-Parkinson medicines and others. If the restless legs problem is due to an underlying condition, treatment of that problem may eliminate the restlessness.
Individuals who wish to have their limb restlessness evaluated may seek the opinion of their primary care physician, a neurologist, or, if the problem is most disruptive at night, a physician who specializes in sleep problems can be consulted.
