Are you still medicating your Restless Leg Syndrome?

If you have ever experienced a bout with restless leg syndrome (RLS) you know it is one of the single most annoying physical sensations that you can have, especially when you are really trying your best to go to sleep.

Upon making a diagnosis of RLS many doctors will seek to provide the patient some relief by prescribing medications.

The most prescribed are dopamine agonists. These drugs mimic the neurotransmitter dopamine. The issue with these medications is that anytime you shift your body through the use of synthetic chemicals you run the risk of serious side effects like nausea, fatigue and dizziness.

After dopamine agonists, the other classes of prescribed drugs that can assist in blocking the symptoms are:

Dopaminergic Agents (such as Sinemet) – these drugs increase dopamine in the brain. They may or may not work and may or may not actually increase symptoms. They can also spur on the same possible negative side effects with the possibility of hallucinations and involuntary movements.

Benzodiazepines (Restoril, Klonopin, Xanax..) Central nervous system depressants or sedatives. They are used to help the patient sleep. They cannot be used in the day time and run the risk of addiction.

Opiates (Norco, Oxycontin, Vicodin…) Painkillers are often a last resort because they are highly addictive.

Anticonvulsants (Horizant, Neurotin…) This class of drug is used for chronic pain, seizures and nerve pain.  The idea is to disrupt the signals from the brain to the legs. There is a high risk of side effects with anticonvulsants and they are used as a last resort.

Some of the causes of Restless Leg Syndrome include:

• Varicose vein disease
• Iron deficiency
• Use of antihistamines
• Thyroid disorders
• Magnesium deficiency
• Fibromyalgia
• Peripheral neuropathy
• Diabetes
• Hypoglycemia
• Certain autoimmune disorders

One of the main causes of Restless Leg Syndrome is vein issues, venous insufficiency and vein disease. If you are experiencing twitchy night time legs and are looking for relief your best course of action is to consult a Vein Specialist. Take the first step and visit www.eveinscreening.com to get your FREE initial online screening.

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