Restless Legs Syndrome: Misdiagnosed, Misunderstood

By Darla Sitton
CBN News Producer

CBN.com – (CBN News) – It has been called the most common medical condition you have never heard of--Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS). Results from a recent national survey show that one out of every 10 Americans suffers from RLS.

Most people do not know about it and those that do, do not understand it, even doctors. Yet, it can have a big impact on our daily lives.

The symptoms sound like something out of a scary movie: a feeling of creepy-crawly bugs overrunning your legs at night while you are trying to sleep. While some sufferers have a mild form, others, like Lynne Kaiser, find it severe and devastating.

"I didn't sleep for longer than two hours for about 9 and a half years,” Kaiser recalled. “And every so often, it's okay to miss a night's sleep, but nine years adds up."

Although it's a real medical condition, RLS is often misdiagnosed.

Dr. Michael J. Thorpy, the director of the Sleep-Wake Disorders Center at Montefiore Medical stated, “This is a very common disorder. It affects about 10 percent of the population, but because most people haven't heard about it, it often doesn't get diagnosed."

The Restless Legs Foundation says RLS can cause sleeplessness, a lack of energy -- even depression.

Many who have it, find they cannot sit down or relax because of a continuous need to move the legs.

"Sometimes,” Thorpy said, “it can be very painful, but the symptoms improve if a person is very active."

Researchers say patients with RLS may have a quality of life as poor as those with Type 2 Diabetes or clinical depression.

But Thorpy said drugs in a class called "dopamine agonists" have proven very helpful in combating the symptoms and providing relief. “We now believe that RLS is primarily associated with an alteration in a brain chemical called dopamine,” Thorpy explained. “This medication can augment or add to the effect of dopamine and can help replace dopamine in the brain. And that seems to turn off the symptoms of RLS."

If you think you may have Restless Legs Syndrome, he advises you to visit your doctor. But educate yourself about it as much as possible, first. Thorpy says avoiding caffeine and controlling your weight can help.

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