Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) or Willis-Ekbom Disease as it is also called, is a disease that affects the neurologic sensorimotor.
It is characterized by an unpleasant and overwhelming urge or desire to move the legs, especially when they are in a resting position.
It is important to also note that the sensation may not always be unpleasant, but it usually is.
History and Discovery
The first medical description of the Restless Legs Syndrome was by Sir Thomas Willis in 1672.
He was able to describe and shed more light on the disruption of sleep and movements of the Limbs experienced by people who suffered from RLS.
In His initial thought which was published in Latin (De Anima Brutorum, 1672) which was later translated to English (The London Practice of Physick, 1685), Willis stated:
“Wherefore to some, when being abed they betake themselves to sleep, presently in the arms and legs, leapings and contractions on the tendons, and so great a restlessness and tossings of other members ensue, that the diseased are no more able to sleep, than if they were in a place of the greatest torture.”
In the early nineteenth century, the term “fidgets in the legs” has also been used to describe Restless Legs Syndrome.
However, Ekbom’s work did not generate much interest until the work was rediscovered by Wayne A. Hening and Arthur S. Walters in the 1980s.
There have been landmark publications in 1995 and 2003 which have had a huge impact on the study of RLS, and also updated and revised the criteria for diagnosing the disorder.
Restless Legs Syndrome is the widely used name and has been so for decades, but the RLS foundation was renamed the Willis-Ekbom Disease Foundation in 2013.
The foundation has since encouraged and popularized the use of the name Willis-Ekbom Disease for the following reasons:
The name Willis–Ekbom disease:
- Eliminates incorrect descriptors—the condition often involves parts of the body other than legs
- Promotes cross-cultural ease of use
- Responds to trivialization of the disease and humorous treatment in the media
- Acknowledges the first known description by Sir Thomas Willis in 1672 and the first detailed clinical description by Dr. Karl Axel Ekbom in 1945.
Overview
RLS symptoms are more pronounced in the evening, and tend to be more severe when resting at night either sitting or laying in bed.
It can also occur when a person has been in a resting position for extended periods of time (e.g. when on a long hour Flights or road trips or in any situation that requires you stay seated and inactive for a long period of time).
RLS sufferers may have difficulty falling back to sleep at night after waking, considering that the symptoms of RLS are often more exaggerated at night.
Usually, people suffering RLS experience better comfort or relief when they are active or walking, but the sensations return shortly after the limb movements stop.
The discomfort experienced by people with RLS can come in various forms of sensations from ‘pins and needles’ to ‘itchy’, ‘creepy crawling’ on their legs.
RLS falls into the category of sleep disorder since the indicative symptoms occur mostly when the patient is making attempts to sleep at night or assume a resting position.
It can also be considered a movement disorder because since patients experience an urge to move their limbs in order to relieve the discomfort or symptoms. However, RLS can best be characterized as a neurological sensory disorder based on the fact that the symptoms are generated from the brain itself.
Primary and secondary RLS
Patients with RLS can present primary or secondary forms of the disorder.
Primary RLS can be said to be idiopathic or with no known cause. This type of RLS is known to develop gradually through middle-age (about 40-45 years of age), patients may not experience any symptoms for months or many years. This form of RLS is progressive and tends to get worse with age. RLS is often misdiagnosed as growing pains in children.
In secondary RLS, people from the age of 40 may experience a sudden onset of the disorder, which may occur daily right from the onset. This type of RLS often accompanies specific medical conditions or as a result of the use of certain medication.
People who suffer from RLS often experience a series of negative effects on their daily lives just like many other disorders. Patients often suffer from daytime sleepiness and exhaustion, which can reduce the productivity at their place of work and school, it reduces their concentration levels, and can affect personal relationships with friends, family and colleague. People who suffer from RLS often complain about lack of concentration, failure in accomplishing daily tasks and impaired memory. Several reports have disclosed that severe or untreated cases of RLS can lead to 20 percent decrease in work productivity and can also be a contributing factor to depression and anxiety. RLS is not life threatening.
Several studies have estimated that up to 7-10 percent of the U.S population may be suffering from RLS. Studies have revealed that RLS is common in both men and women, but women are more likely to develop the disorder than men. Pregnant women are also known to develop the disorder but it stops right after. The disorder is known begin at any age. However, many individuals who are affected severe RLS are middle-aged, and they tend to experience an increase in the frequency of symptoms which last long with age.
With more detailed research and diagnosis, scientist found that 80 percent of people who have developed RLS also experienced periodic limb movement of sleep (PLMS). PLMS is a condition whereby the legs (and arm in some cases) move involuntarily, characterized by a twitching and jerking movement during sleep, occurring at about 15 to 40 seconds intervals or throughout the night in severe cases. While most people who have RLS develop PLMS at some point, those who have PLMS may not experience RLS.
RLS can be difficult to diagnose because it often mistake for other sleep disorders like insomnia. Also, because RLS has varying degrees of severity and frequency, patients are often misdiagnosed. Therefore, there are chances that more people who have a sleep disorder could actually be suffering from Restless Leg Syndrome.
The good news about RLS is that it can be treated with drug and non-drug therapies which are quite effective.