Restless Legs info

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Symptoms

1. An urge to move, usually due to uncomfortable sensations that occur

primarily in the legs.

The sensations are unusual and unlike other common sensations, and those

with RLS have a hard time describing them. People use words such as:

uncomfortable, electrical, creeping, painful, tight, itching, pins and

needles, pulling, creepy-crawly, ants inside the legs, and many others.

The sensation and the urge can occur in any body part; the most cited

location is legs, followed by arms. Some people have little or no

sensation, yet still have a strong urge to move.

2. Motor restlessness, expressed as activity, that relieves the urge to

move.

Movement will usually bring immediate relief, however, often only

temporary and partial. Walking is most common; however, doing stretches,

yoga, biking, or other physical activity may relieve the symptoms.

Constant and fast up-and-down movement of the leg, coined " sewing

machine legs " by at least one RLS sufferer, is often done to keep the

sensations at bay without having to walk. Sometimes a specific type of

movement will help a person more than another.

3. Worsening of symptoms by relaxation.

Any type of inactivity involving sitting or lying – reading a book,

a plane ride, watching TV or a movie, taking a nap - can trigger the

sensations and urge to move. This depends on several factors: the

severity of the person's RLS, the degree of restfulness, the

duration of the inactivity, etc.

4. Variability over the course of the day-night cycle, with symptoms

worse in the evening and early in the night.

While some only experience RLS at bedtime and others experience it

throughout the day and night, most sufferers experience the worst

symptoms in the evening and the least in the morning.

NIH criteria

In 2003 National Institutes of Health (NIH) consensus panel modified

their criteria in to include the following:

(1) an urge to move the limbs with or without sensations

(2) worsening at rest

(3) improvement with activity

(4) worsening in the evening or night.