Signs and symptoms of Restless Legs

The Restless Legs Syndrome is characterised by an unpleasant creeping sensation in the lower limbs, occasionally in the thighs or the feet. The sensations are felt deep inside the muscle and bones. This usually happens when the patient is at rest and therefore inducing an intolerable restlessness and the urgent desire to move the legs to relieve it from the pain. Seldom the syndrone is associated with true pain. The experience is worse in the evenings and at night or when the patient rests for some time.

Patients typically describe the unpleasant limb sensations of restless legs syndrome as "deep-seated, creeping, crawling, jittery, tingling, burning or aching" feelings in their calves, thighs, feet or arms. Sometimes the sensations cannot even be properly described. The symptoms are usually not describe as a muscle cramp or numbness.

Common characteristics of the RLS signs and symptoms include:

- Origination during inactivity. The sensation typically begins while you're lying down or sitting for an extended period of time, such as in a car, airplane or movie theater.

- Relief from the symptoms by movement. The sensation of Restless Legs lessens if a patient gets up and moves around. Patients fight the sensation of restless legs in different number of ways: Stretching, jiggling the legs, running, exercising or walking. This urge or desire to move the legs is what gives the restless legs syndrome its name.

- Worsening of symptoms in the evening. The symptoms typically aren't noticeable during the day but are felt primarily at night when trying to rest and to relax.

- Nighttime leg twitching. Restless Leg Syndrome is associated with periodic limb movement disorder. Patients experiencing PLMD involuntarily flex and extend their legs while sleeping — without even being aware of doing it.

- Most people with restless legs find it very difficult to get to sleep or to stay asleep for several hours.

	Patients fight the sensation of restless legs by walking and exercising.

The restless legs syndrome does not lead to other serious medical conditions. In fact, it is very common for the symptoms to fluctuate in severity, and occasionally symptoms disappear for periods of time (even years).

Restless legs can develop at any age, even during childhood. Adult patients who have RLS often remember being told as a child that they had growing pains or can remember parents rubbing their legs to help them fall asleep.