What is RLS?
Primary RLS has no known cause and can involve a family history of the disorder.
Secondary RLS is associated with other conditions including iron deficiency, kidney failure, pregnancy, and stress.
Did you know that long-term opioid usage has potential drawbacks for patients with RLS?
Some common drawbacks include:
Although RLS is not life-threating, not being able to sleep can be very difficult to cope with. If you are experiencing any of the symptoms above, you may have RLS.
In additional to causing discomfort, RLS may reduce quality of life in several ways:
RLS is diagnosed by your doctor based on your medical history and symptoms. Your doctor will look to see if you have the following characteristics:
The most common treatments are daily medications, which often become less effective over time. Opioids such as methadone and oxycodone are sometimes prescribed as a treatment for patients who no longer have sufficient response to these first-line treatments.
Effective solutions to help reduce RLS symptoms vary from person to person. Learning to recognize what triggers or helps you can be very important in managing your RLS.