Do you toss and turn when you sleep? Huaxi doctors: Be careful! If you always suffer from insomnia, you may be suffering from this disease

Insomnia is an experience that many people have.

But some people

The insomnia they describe

But it seems to be a " strange disease "

I visited many departments over and over again.

Haven't found out the reason.

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"Doctor, I'm lying in bed at night and I'm so sleepy, but my legs just don't feel good and I keep wanting to move ."

"I can't tell where I feel uncomfortable, it feels like there are countless invisible 'little ants' crawling around on my legs ."

You can't figure out why your legs suddenly rebel against your brain, body and mind, but no matter what, you just feel uncomfortable.

If you identify with the above scenario, then you may be suffering from restless legs syndrome.

Wait, restless legs syndrome

What disease is it?

Restless legs syndrome , also known as restless legs syndrome, is a common neurological sensory motor disorder in sleep medicine.

As the name suggests, this disease mainly makes your legs restless, and you always want to move , which seriously affects your sleep and quality of life.

But at the same time, we should not take the word literally because this discomfort is not only in the legs, but can also extend to the upper limbs, face, abdomen, back and other parts .

If you experience any of the following four things, you may have restless legs syndrome :

① A strong and urgent urge to move the limbs, accompanied by various strange sensations in the limbs : such as ants crawling, creeping, burning, electric shock, bloating, soreness, pulling, tightness, tearing, and even pain

②Symptoms are more obvious when resting or quiet, such as lying or sitting

③Relieved after activity

④Symptoms are more severe in the evening or at night, and relatively mild during the day

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Leg discomfort,

What are the dangers?

The first thing to be affected is our sleep. Most patients have combined sleep problems , such as difficulty falling asleep, waking up easily at night, and periodic leg movements.

If we don’t get enough sleep for a long time, it may affect our physical health in all aspects and may even cause anxiety and depression.

The incidence of restless legs syndrome is not low, but it is often misdiagnosed and missed because of this "indescribable" discomfort. So if you belong to the following high-risk groups and have similar symptoms, you should be more vigilant :

① Patients with neurological diseases (such as Parkinson's disease, stroke, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord lesions, etc.)

②Chronic kidney disease , especially patients receiving dialysis

③ Use of certain substances (such as nicotine, alcohol, coffee, antidepressants, antipsychotics, antihistamines, etc.)

④ Pregnant women

⑤Iron deficiency anemia

It is particularly worth mentioning that iron deficiency leading to a decrease in iron reserves in the central nervous system is the most common cause of disease . Women of childbearing age are at high risk of iron deficiency due to menstruation, so they should pay more attention to the body's iron reserves. Checking iron reserves is also very simple. Doctors usually prescribe a blood test + iron metabolism-related tests.

Doctor, I seem to have the symptoms of "restless legs syndrome" you mentioned. What should I do now?

1

Where to go for medical treatment?

If you experience the symptoms described above, please seek medical attention at a sleep medicine center in a timely manner .

Are you thinking: What? Why do I have to go to the sleep department for leg discomfort?

This is because restless legs syndrome is a neurological disease that is classified as a "sleep-related movement disorder."

It is really important to go to the right department for diagnosis! We have seen many patients with restless legs symptoms who did not know where to go for consultation and repeatedly went to orthopedics, rehabilitation, rheumatology and immunology, and even psychiatry for treatment, thus delaying their treatment.

Moreover, we must set the record straight here for our Sleep Medicine Center: the sleep clinic does not only treat insomnia, but also sleep-related diseases and all problems that occur during sleep fall within our professional scope .

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2

What lifestyle habits can help relieve symptoms?

● Develop good sleep hygiene habits and avoid caffeine and alcohol, especially before bedtime.

● Avoiding screen time before bed can also help.

● Do moderate exercise in the evening or before bed, such as walking, jogging, cycling, yoga, etc.

● Massage and foot soaking before bed can help relieve symptoms.

● Eliminate and reduce the risk factors, such as actively treating the primary disease, avoiding or reducing the intake of caffeine, tea, energy drinks, nicotine, alcohol, etc., properly matching diet, preventing iron deficiency, and pregnant women actively supplementing folic acid and vitamins, etc. Maintain a good attitude, because depression and anxiety can aggravate the symptoms of restless legs syndrome.

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2

How is restless legs syndrome treated?

Some patients have mild symptoms that have little impact on their lives. The symptoms can be relieved by adjusting their lifestyle habits and no drug treatment is needed .

However, for patients with severe symptoms , more targeted medications need to be selected under the guidance of a specialist .

The drugs commonly used in clinical treatment of restless legs syndrome are:

①Iron

Iron supplementation helps increase the body's iron reserves and improve the iron deficiency in the brain, thereby alleviating symptoms.

Commonly used oral iron supplements include: ferrous succinate, ferrous sulfate, ferrous fumarate and polysaccharide iron complex.

② α2δ calcium channel ligands

It is the first choice drug for restless legs syndrome, such as pregabalin, gabapentin-enacarbil, gabapentin, etc.

③Dopamine receptor agonists

Dopamine deficiency is one of the pathogenesis of restless legs. Therefore, supplementing dopamine and using dopamine receptor agonists can relieve leg discomfort. The representative drug is pramipexole.

Note: Medical knowledge does not represent diagnosis and treatment advice. Specific medication plans need to be formulated under the guidance of a specialist.

Well, today we have come to the end of our popular science on restless legs syndrome . Let me once again highlight the key points for you:

My legs feel uncomfortable at night and it affects my sleep

Beware of Restless Legs Syndrome!

Restless Legs Syndrome Linked to Dopamine Dysfunction

Iron deficiency is the main reason!

The above symptoms occur

You need to go to a sleep specialist clinic in time!

Statement: This article is a medical-related educational popular science article. It does not involve specific treatment methods or medical behaviors and cannot replace hospital visits.

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References

[1]Manconi M, Garcia-Borreguero D, Schorair B, Videnovic A, Berger K, Ferri R, Dauvilliers Y. Restless legs syndrome. Nat Rev Dis Primers. 2021 Nov 3;7(1):80. doi: 10.1038/s41572-021-00311-z. PMID: 34732752.

[2]Silber MH, Buchfuhrer MJ, Earley CJ, Koo BB, Manconi M, Winkelman JW; Scientific and Medical Advisory Board of the Restless Legs Syndrome Foundation. The Management of Restless Legs Syndrome: An Updated Algorithm. Mayo Clin Proc. 2021 Jul;96(7):1921-1937. doi: 10.1016/j.mayocp.2020.12.026. PMID: 34218864.

[3] Sleep Group of the Chinese Medical Association Neurology Branch, Sleep Disorders Group of the Chinese Medical Association Neurology Branch. Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of restless legs syndrome in China (2021 edition) [J]. Chinese Medical Journal, 2021, 101(13): 908-925.

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Editor: Yang Yali

Map: Eastern Zhou Dynasty