RESTLESS LEG SYNDROME 2

 Restless Leg Syndrome

PART 2

As promised in the part 1 of this series, we will cover the differences between the diagnosis of RSL and back ache caused by a pinched nerve. Before we go any further I must first and foremost  emphasize that Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a real condition, it is not an imaginary condition or a condition of the brain. 

That being said, Restless Legs Syndrome  is also known as Willis-Ekbom Disease (WED) which researchers suspect is caused by an imbalance of dopamine. Dopamine is the brain chemical  (neuromodulatory molecule) used by our nervous system for sending messages that control muscle movement. But what everyone does agree upon, is that RSL is recorded as a neurological condition associated with abnormal sensations in the legs.

Restless Leg Syndrome normally emanates itself as an uncontrollable urge to move one's legs due to an uncomfortable sensation in the legs. This sensations most frequently occurs when you remove or reduce your body weight from your legs, like in sitting or lying down. As such, RLS is most prevalent during nighttime hours; and the only relief from this unpleasant feeling, is to move your legs. 

RLS thus makes it difficult to fall asleep and more-often-than-not compels you get out of bed and seek relief by walking. Walking does help but is only a temporary relief. Hence sleep deprivation is part and partial of RLS since you'll find yourself walking about throughout the house in the dead of the night when everyone else is fast asleep.

This difficult to describe yet irritable leg sensation can occur several times per night  and at times - throughout the night. RLS has the ability to wake you when your asleep if you managed to doze off before it's triggered. Such situations can lead to insomnia, which is  considered a sleep disorder. Lack of sleep results in exhaustion in the working and starting the day tired is not way to live.

Many folks who have RLS will describe it in different terms, amongst which are pulling, crawling, throbbing, twitching, itching, electric shock and something crawling under the skin, because each individuals experience individually may be different, thus interpreted differently by others. However all of them agree on the urgent desire to move their legs.

SCIATIC NERVE

Your sciatic nerve originates near the base of the spine and runs from your lower back down the back of your legs, branches off into thinner veins, to terminate at your toes. It is the longest and largest (thick) nerve in the body which spits into two branches at the pelvis, each split traversing between the muscles of your buns and down the back of the each thigh. It again splits into two behind the knee pit, both running along the calf muscle through the ankle, foot and terminates in the toes.

Injury to the sciatic nerve can produce pain can originate any where along its entire length but predominantly in the lower back as back pain. This back pain is normally a constant nagging pain which becomes much worse when moving. Sciatic nerve injury has also been known to make either or both of you legs to go numb.

Or when applying your body weight to either one  of your legs you may experience a sharp pain in your lower back of hip. Hence the difference between Sciatica and Restless leg syndrome is that the former causes pain whereas the later causes discomfort of immeasurable proportions.

I've experienced both RLS and Sciatica hence I can elaborate each. I've hurt my back several times throughout the years. Other than the doctors diagnoses and advice, I've come to realise that the main reason for my back pain was due to bending incorrectly when picking up heavy objects. 

Or perhaps my main reason aught to be that I've lost my six-pack through complacency and insufficient  exercise. The stomach muscles plays a huge role in countering back strain as its part of the core muscle group that relieves stress on the spinal column. It is therefore advantages to keep your visceral fat down to a bare minimum. 

Walking is by far on of the best ways to maintain both your weight and physique. Lean muscle and a strong core are therefore pertinent to preventing back ache (sciatica) and RLS. 

MEDICATION

The medication I used when RLS first truck was Antistax, taken in the morning on an empty stomach - prior to breakfast . According to ardent cyclists many of whom were affected by RLS at some time or the other swear by it, however I found it not to be as effective as they flaunted it to be. 

My regimen for RSL was thus Antistax and two Adcodols. Some people may be apprehensive to taking pain tablets for RLS but it help me to sleep and to some degree extended the efficacy of the Antistax by several hours. Antitax without Adcodols only gave me three to four hour relief whereas with the Adcodols this was extended throughout the night.

EXCESSIVE EXECISE

There was a time when I skipped much, as part of my fitness program. Essentially my legs and angles took the beating and both would be sore but a "nice sore". It gave me the adrenaline and the endorphins associated with my exercise but found by calf muscles to pull tight the following day, eventhough the  adrenaline and the endorphins does help with pain.

I assumed it was the amount of lactic acid that accumulated in the muscles. The sensation in my legs could very closely be comparted RLS but not as sever. I therefore believe RLS can be caused by excessive exercise since several of the cyclist complained of similar sensations after partaking in a race.