Restless Legs Syndrome: How to Relieve the Pain
What is a restless legs syndrome?
Have you ever experienced a discomfort in your legs, an irresistible desire to move them and the inability to fall asleep at the same time? Obviously, many people will answer this question in the affirmative. And if this is not an accident, but a systematic repetition from day to day? In this case, it may be symptoms of a condition such as restless legs syndrome. What is it?
Restless legs syndrome is a pathological condition of the nervous system, in which a person develops unpleasant sensations mainly in the lower extremities with an irresistible desire to constantly move them. These symptoms prevent a sick person from sleeping and sometimes cause depression. The immediate cause of the disease cannot be identified in more than half of all cases of restless legs syndrome, that is, it arises independently and spontaneously. Other cases are provoked by other diseases and conditions of the body (most often as a result of chronic kidney failure, pregnancy, and iron deficiency in the body).
The peculiarity of the disease is the absence of any signs during a neurologic examination, that is, the diagnosis of this condition is based only on clinical manifestations. Treatment is complex, requires the use of non-pharmacological and medication methods.
Symptoms of the syndrome
A person suffering from restless legs syndrome experiences a combination of the following symptoms:
- Intense pain in the lower limbs;
- Pains are often associated with a strong tingling, burning sensation, a feeling of fullness and compression, itching, cutting in the legs;
- Unpleasant sensations are located in the ankle joint and calf muscles;
- They occur mainly at night;
- Symptoms begin to progress in a state of complete rest;
- Discomfort and painful phenomena tend to decrease with motor activity;
- Rhythmic neuropathic movements in the legs.
Severe insomnia becomes the clinical consequence of the development of restless legs syndrome in the vast majority of cases. The patient cannot sleep for a long time because of increased motor activity and painful sensations in the lower extremities.
Treatment of Restless Leg Syndrome
Once an adequate diagnosis is made and the underlying cause is identified, treatment is prescribed.
Gabapentin (Neurontin) is a registered medicine for the treatment of neuropathic pain. In this regard, the use of these drugs is justified in the treatment of pain forms of the restless legs syndrome. Anticonvulsants are known as the most effective drugs in treating this disease.
Gabapentin is used in the initial dosage of 100-300 mg 30 minutes before bedtime. If necessary, it is possible to increase the dose to obtain an effect or a maximum dosage of 900 mg per night. If symptoms occur in the afternoon, then the dosage can be divided into 2 doses: after dinner and at night. Neurontin is the best drug in the treatment of RLS with severe pain.