RLS: More Than a Feeling
I was thrilled to find an article in USA Today summing up studies showing a genetic link to Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS). Remember, RLS is that condition where people get a creepy, crawly sensation in their legs, usually around bedtime when they lie down. When they get up it goes away.
People suffering from this sleep disorder get horrible sleep because the sensation creates an irresistible urge to move the legs. I know that on the surface this may sound like an allergic reaction (i.e., itching) or some type of spasm, but it is very real. You may have noticed ads on TV promoting the drugs that have recently come out to treat RLS. While there are times when I wonder about the pharmaceutical industry in regards to treating a disorder, this is not one of those times.
RLS has been a mystery for quite some time, and the jury is still out on its exact cause. Now that scientists have linked certain genes to RLS, we may be moving toward a better idea about what RLS is and what causes it. Better yet, we now have more reason to call it a true health problem than an imagined one.
But the debate has just begun. As with most studies, results do lead to various interpretations. No one can agree on how prevalent RLS is in the population, and there's a lot more research that needs to be done.
I have to admit, "restless leg syndrome" may not have been my pick for a legitimate label; it's more fit for a sitcom - and ironically the USA Today article mentions how RLS was featured once in a Seinfeld episode. (If you recall, Kramer expresses how disturbed he feels that his girlfriend has "the jimmy legs" and kicks in bed.)
As more and more disorders and conditions become identified in medicine in general, it's good to see the science emerging to help shed light on these often weird and obscure medical conditions. Sleep medicine in particular should benefit enormously with new science. Who knows, maybe RLS will be due a new name when we truly understand it. After all, "syndromes" don't get much appreciation these days.
Related Topics: Technorati Tags: restless legs syndrome, RLS, sleep, health and wellness
People suffering from this sleep disorder get horrible sleep because the sensation creates an irresistible urge to move the legs. I know that on the surface this may sound like an allergic reaction (i.e., itching) or some type of spasm, but it is very real. You may have noticed ads on TV promoting the drugs that have recently come out to treat RLS. While there are times when I wonder about the pharmaceutical industry in regards to treating a disorder, this is not one of those times.
RLS has been a mystery for quite some time, and the jury is still out on its exact cause. Now that scientists have linked certain genes to RLS, we may be moving toward a better idea about what RLS is and what causes it. Better yet, we now have more reason to call it a true health problem than an imagined one.
But the debate has just begun. As with most studies, results do lead to various interpretations. No one can agree on how prevalent RLS is in the population, and there's a lot more research that needs to be done.
I have to admit, "restless leg syndrome" may not have been my pick for a legitimate label; it's more fit for a sitcom - and ironically the USA Today article mentions how RLS was featured once in a Seinfeld episode. (If you recall, Kramer expresses how disturbed he feels that his girlfriend has "the jimmy legs" and kicks in bed.)
As more and more disorders and conditions become identified in medicine in general, it's good to see the science emerging to help shed light on these often weird and obscure medical conditions. Sleep medicine in particular should benefit enormously with new science. Who knows, maybe RLS will be due a new name when we truly understand it. After all, "syndromes" don't get much appreciation these days.
Related Topics: Technorati Tags: restless legs syndrome, RLS, sleep, health and wellness
2 Comments:
My husband has RLS, but he is so sinsitive to any drugs that he won't take anything for it. Is there a natural way to beat this?
Id never heard of rls until i saw it on tv! im 21 now and its not so bad but i remember when i was a kid, about 9, that it was so bad id cry cuz i was so irritated. i dont take anything for it but when i feel it coming on i just shake or rock my legs really fast until i get tired and it goes away :) i only get a couple+ episodes per month
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