Restless Legs Syndrome

Restless Legs Syndrome can be tackled with right medicines and lifestyle changes.

JUST VISUALISE Jonty Rhodes at cover point challenging the ball to go past him and one would know what restless legs mean. Well, Jonty is a vivacious character, a bundle of energy, utilising all his talent purposefully for the pleasure of millions.

But in Restless Legs Syndrome, patients are compelled to move their limbs to relieve the discomfort, which disturbs sleep at night.

 

A vague, non painful, indescribable discomfort in the calves, thighs and feet which patients relate as crawling, creeping, tingling, burning, itching and aching is a characteristic of this syndrome.

This discomfort is sought to be neutralised albeit by stretching, jiggling the legs; pacing the floor or simply by walking. It disturbs the family too at night.

Patients with this syndrome have an anxiety as bedtime approaches, frustrated with sleeplessness, moody and depressed. It leads to daytime sleepiness, difficulty in concentration at work and other activities.

Our brain produces dopamine, a chemical messenger which leads to smooth purposeful muscle activity and in this syndrome probably the transmission is reduced. Diabetes, kidney failure, iron deficiency, anaemia, Parkinsonism or simply stress itself can cause these restless legs. Alcohol, excessive intake of coffee and tobacco is likely to predispose this condition.

 

* Extra activity of the legs should be avoided. Moderate exercise helps. Applying warm and cool packs or both alternately, soaking in a warm bath and massage could lessen the sensation in the limbs.

* Sleeping in a cool, quiet and comfortable environment and going to bed at the same time every night and trying to wake up at similar time everyday helps.

* Avoiding stress and boredom is pertinent.

Homoeopathic medicine has good remedies to alleviate the distress and incapacitating the problem of restless legs. Chronic diseases like Parkinsonism, kidney failure or diseases of peripheral nerves being the cause, Causticum relieves it.

Ferrum met relieves the restlessness if anaemia is the cause. Rhus Tox and Tarentula are indicated when the cause is not apparent and former is better by walking whereas the latter is worse on motion.