Restless legs syndrome?

"Painful sensations disturbing sleep.. could it be restless legs syndrome? (Mario)"

I am experiencing real physical pains during sleep that seem to be inflicted by someone else when I am actually sleeping alone, such as sharp stabbing and burning in my feet, pinching in my waist, intense burning ( like from a cigarette) on my arms and slapping across my face. They pain I feel is so real that it makes me want to look for marks or bruises, but none are never found. These occurrences always seem to happen in the stages before and after deep sleep.

  • asktheneurologist

    Painful sensations disturbing sleep

    How old are you and do you have any othermedical problems?

    Do the sensations improve duringmovement(especially moving your legs?

    Has you neurologist raised the possibility thatsome of your symptoms may be compatible with restless legs syndrome (RLS)?

    Here is a summary of the NIH criteria for restless legs syndrome:-

restless legs insomnia

In 2003 National Institutes of Health (NIH)consensus panel modified their restless legs syndrome 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
  • restless legs syndrome may bedescribed as uncontrollable urges to move the limbs in order to stop uncomfortable, painful or odd sensations occurring most commonly in the legs occurring

    • around the time of sleep onset. Moving the affected body part modulates the sensations, providing temporary relief.

    The sensations and need to move may return immediately after ceasing movement, or at a later time. RLS may start at any age, including early childhood, and is a progressive disease for a certain portion of those afflicted, although the symptoms have disappeared permanently in some sufferers.

    Symptoms

    * “An urge to move, usually due to uncomfortable sensations that occur primarily in the legs.”

    The sensations are unusual and unlike othercommon sensations, and those with RLS have a hard time describing them. People use words such as: uncomfortable, antsy, electrical, creeping, painful, 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 mostcited location is legs, followed by arms. Some people have little or no sensation, yet still have a strong 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

    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. The symptoms are usually worse in the eveningand early in the night which is why this is often described as a sleep disorder.

    While some only experience RLS at bedtime andothersexperience itthroughout the day and night, most sufferers experience the worstsymptoms in the evening and the least in the morning.

    Often sufferers think they are the only ones tobe afflicted by thispeculiar condition and are relieved when they find out that many others also suffer from it. The severity and frequency of the disorder vary tremendously. Many people only experience symptoms when they try to sleep, while other experience symptoms during the day. It is common to have symptoms on long car rides or during any long period of inactivity (like watching television or a movie, attending a musical or theatrical performance, etc.) Approximately 80-90% of people with RLS also have PLMD, Periodic Limb Movement Disorder, which causes slow “jerks” orflexions of the affected body part. These occur during sleep (PLMS = Periodic Limb Movement while Sleeping) or while awake (PLMW - Periodic Limb Movement while Waking).

    About 10 percent of adults in North America andEurope may experience RLS symptoms.

  • The condition is frequently treated by "dopaminergic drugs" such as L-Dopa ropinoriole or other drugs used in Parkinsons disease. Clonex (clonazepam) is also favored by some neurologists.
    • Hope that helps,