The medical community around the globe has done a lot of research on restless legs syndrome (RLS) for over the past few decades. For long years, patients have come out with complaints that they are experiencing a very uncomfortable and distressing feeling in their legs in the evening while resting. The doctors eventually considered RLS to be a disorder.

RLS often disturbs the sleep. It causes sleeplessness. Usually, patients do not describe it as painful, but feels it be more like a “creepy-crawly”

sensation that creates a strong and irresistible urge to move the legs. Moving does help, but only for few moments. Once those suffering with RLS fall asleep, they used to have involuntary leg kicks.

The real cause of RLS is unknown yet, it is associated with the function of dopamine, a nervous system neurotransmitter. Years back, it was found in found in people with anaemia, which makes sense as iron plays a role in how dopamine operates in the brain. When patients with RLS come for check up, their blood levels of iron and ferritin are checked.

Pregnancy can also be a cause for RLS, but usually the symptoms improve after the delivery. However, some women with several children may have persistent RLS. Patients with some kidney problems may also develop RLS. In this case, use of some medications, especially antidepressants and antipsychotics may have resulted in the syndrome. It does tend to run in families. Generally doctors prescribe a variety of medications to help RLS patients. Sleep specialists have been prescribing medications that enhance dopamine functioning in the brain for long years. These dopamine agonists were also used in the treatment of Parkinson disease.

Is RLS an actual condition? Questions always had revolved around this. Many feel that it is a condition that is simply made up. Some believe that RLS was defined as a disorder just to sell pills. But any how, researchers are in efforts to make steady progress in understanding the underlying causes of RLS.

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