Restless legs syndrome after stroke can result in insomnia and affect quality of life. Treatment is usually desirable for a lot of patients. But where to begin?

In this text, we are going to discuss the causes, symptoms, and treatment of restless legs syndrome after stroke.

What’s restless legs syndrome?

Although restless legs syndrome after stroke could cause quite a lot of sensations, probably the most common is, because the name suggests, an irresistible urge to maneuver the legs.

Restless legs syndrome (RLS), also referred to as Willis-Ekbom disease, causes uncomfortable sensations within the legs combined with the urge to maneuver them. This can lead to sleepless nights, which may construct up and result in other uncomfortable side effects of stroke, corresponding to daytime sleepiness and chronic fatigue.

The reason behind post-stroke restless legs syndrome is unknown most often. Surprisingly, RLS affects about 10% of Americans no matter stroke diagnosis, in response to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders.

Although it might occur at any age, restless legs syndrome (RLS) is usually more severe in people middle age or later. As well as, women are twice as likely than men experience restless legs syndrome.

Basal Ganglia and Restless Legs Syndrome After Stroke

While the reason behind restless legs syndrome is a mystery, many studies suggest that RLS-related symptoms appear inside days of a stroke. More moderen studies are examining the link between RLS and strokes involving the basal ganglia.

The basal ganglia are a cluster of neurons situated deep within the cerebral cortex. They play a significant role in helping the brain coordinate movement. They regulate the balance between agonist muscles (muscles that initiate movement) and antagonist muscles (muscles that inhibit movement).

If a stroke damages a part of the basal ganglia, their ability to take care of balance is impaired, which could cause abnormal muscle movements, corresponding to tremors, stiffness, shaking, and other abnormalities.

Other causes of restless legs syndrome after stroke

Restless legs syndrome after stroke shares similar risk aspects, corresponding to smoking, hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes, and obesity. Obesity could cause disruptions in dopamine pathways within the brain, which also can contribute to RLS symptoms.

Other potential causes of restless legs syndrome include:

• Sleep deprivation
• Genetic predisposition
• Environmental triggers
• Low iron levels within the brain
• Medicines taken to treat conditions corresponding to allergies
• Nausea
• Depression
• Psychosis

Caffeine or alcohol consumption also can trigger or worsen symptoms. Restless legs syndrome also can result from other conditions, corresponding to peripheral neuropathy, diabetes, or kidney failure. In these cases, treating the underlying condition can resolve RLS symptoms.

Symptoms of Restless Legs Syndrome

Typical symptoms of restless legs syndrome include:

• An urge to maneuver the legs, especially when sitting or lying in bed.
• Abnormal sensations within the legs (e.g. tingling, crawling, or pulling).
• Symptoms worsen at rest and at the tip of the day.

In cases of mild restless legs syndrome, these symptoms may not occur every night and will be wrongly attributed to anxiety, fear, or stress.

In additional severe cases of ZSN, it’s difficult to derive pleasure from even the best of activities, corresponding to sitting on a plane for a very long time or watching a movie.

Restless Legs Syndrome Treatment

There are several options to assist treat the symptoms of restless legs syndrome after stroke. One of the best technique to treat RLS is to treat the symptoms, in response to National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.

Moving your legs or walking may provide temporary relief. As well as, if you might have an underlying condition, corresponding to iron deficiency anemia or diabetes, appropriate treatment of the underlying condition may provide relief from RLS.

Other treatment options include:

Lifestyle changes

• Limit or eliminate your intake of caffeine, alcohol and tobacco.
• Strive for a daily sleep schedule.
• Exercise on daily basis.
• Consider wearing compression garments in the course of the day.
• Within the evening, get a massage or stretch your leg muscles.
• Take a hot bath before going to bed.
• If symptoms occur, apply a hot water bottle or ice compress.
• Schedule activities that require you to take a seat for longer periods of time reasonably than writing earlier within the day.
• Take a have a look at your food regimen to be certain you’re getting enough essential vitamins and nutrients.
• To extend iron absorption, you need to increase the quantity of foods containing vitamin C you devour.

Supplements

• Iron supplements could also be helpful should you suffer from iron deficiency.
• Magnesium supplements or magnesium oil have shown to assist treat restless legs syndrome.

Before you begin using supplements in your food regimen, seek the advice of your doctor or dietitian.

Medicines

• Dopaminergic agents may help reduce leg mobility.
• Drugs corresponding to opioids can reduce pain and strange sensations and make it easier to calm down.
• Sleeping pills and muscle relaxants corresponding to benzodiazepines can make it easier to calm down and sleep higher.

While there isn’t any cure for Restless Legs Syndrome, managing your symptoms can provide relief. On the subject of treatment options, it’s best to seek the advice of together with your doctor to seek out out what treatment and/or medication will be just right for you!