Restless Leg Syndrome

Although menopause doesn't cause restless leg syndrome, they often go hand-in-hand, or leg-in-leg. A 2007 study published by Menopause states that fifty-three percent of women over forty-four years of age who have trouble falling asleep also have restless leg syndrome. The intensity and duration varies a lot between patients. Insomnia in general is a big issue at midlife, and the last thing we need is to add another condition to keep us awake. Good quality sleep is so crucial for many reasons, so I will try my best to help you get a good night's sleep.

Creepy crawlies

My mother always had unique and exciting ways to describe her own and other's medical conditions. When I was a child I listened wide-eyed and open mouthed as she explained why she had to constantly move her legs in the evening. "It feels like there's a draft in between my skin and the bones and the only way to get rid of it is to move my legs." Other times she would say, "It feels as if there are ants crawling up and down my legs." Usually restless leg syndrome worsens at night when the person is resting, relaxing or trying to fall asleep. The condition usually clears up by morning, and that's why some people get their best quality sleep in the morning.

Difficult to diagnose

It's a condition that's difficult to diagnose for a few reasons. Patients usually have a hard time explaining the sensations to their doctors and it often goes under reported. It can't be seen by the doctor and there are no tests to confirm the condition. And besides that, some doctors don't take RLS too seriously. However, it affects about five to ten percent of the population. It is diagnosed only through the subjective complaints of the patient.

Treatments

The recommended treatments vary a lot among different patients, and no one method works for everyone. You should try several of these suggestions and find out what works for you.

• Reduce caffeine intake
• Reduce alcohol intake
• Stop smoking (really?)
• Get regular moderate exercise (unfortunately excessive exercise can exacerbate your symptoms)
• Take a hot bath
• Massage your legs, or better yet, get your partner to do it-thank him later, which leads to my next suggestion:
• Have a good orgasm (apparently there's research to back up this claim)
• Use a heat pad or an ice pack
• Go for a walk. Sometimes a short walk before bedtime can help long enough so that you can fall asleep.
• If you're in a place (church, plane, meeting) where you can't move your legs, you should stimulate your brain through mental exercises, crossword puzzles, heated debates (casual non-stimulating chit chat won't help) to relieve your symptoms.
• Iron and/or magnesium deficiency can cause RLS. You'll need to speak with your doctor before going on supplements because too much of a good thing can be bad for you. Your doctor will need to check your blood levels.

Certain conditions associated with RLS

Diabetes, thyroid conditions, kidney failure and pregnancy can be associated with RLS. If there is an underlying cause, you may need to treat that. Your doctor may want to take blood tests for:

• Iron stores
• Thyroid
• Liver function
• Kidney function
• Diabetes
• Red and white blood cell count

Medications that may worsen symptoms

Some antidepressants and some anti-nausea pills may worsen your symptoms. If this is the case, you may want to talk to your family physician about changing your meds, or adding one of the medications to treat RLS.

Medications to relieve symptoms

You'll first want to correct any underlying cause of RLS and implement the non-medical strategies before starting meds. If your symptoms are still quite bothersome, you should discuss this with your family physician. Meds that may help include:

• Epilepsy meds
• Muscle relaxants and sleep aids
• Opiods
• Meds for Parkinsons

Sometimes these meds only work for a short while, and then become ineffective. If this is the case, speak with your family physician.