- RLS is the second or third most common sleep disorder.
- Growing pains in children may actually be a sign of RLS in some cases.
- RLS symptoms often increase as we age.
- RLS may lead to problems with attention, memory and concentration because of the sleep loss it causes.
- RLS tends to run in families and it may be linked to a defective gene.
- Reactions to particular drugs, especially antidepressants have been linked to RLS symptoms, although its precise cause remains unknown.
- Many conditions mimic RLS symptoms including muscle disease, night crams and anxiety disorders to name just a few.
- Lab tests cannot identify RLS; diagnosis must be made through interviewing patients and assessing symptoms.
- Restless Legs Syndrome does not cause involuntary leg movements; the many uncomfortable and painful symptoms cause in RLS patients an overwhelming need to move around.
- RLS is more common during pregnancy but doctors and scientists have been unable to explain why.
- Women are more likely to suffer from RLS than men.
- Regular exercise can help alleviate some of the symptoms of RLS. However, rigorous exercise can sometimes exacerbate symptoms.
- RLS is unrelated to Parkinson’s disease although some of the same medications are prescribed by some doctors to treat both conditions.
- RLS is recognized as both a sleep disorder and a neurological condition.
- RLS is also known as Ekbom Syndrome because it was first described by Swedish nerve specialist Karl-Axel Ekbom in 1945.
- Studies suggest that RLS may be linked an imbalance in the brain of the chemical dopamine.
Sources:
WebMD: Facts About Restless Leg Syndrome
http://www.webmd.com/brain/restless-legs-syndrome/rls-facts#1
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke: Restless Leg Syndrome Fact Sheet
https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/Patient-Caregiver-Education/Fact-Sheets/Restless-Legs-Syndrome-Fact-Sheet
