Our Doc's Take: Restless Leg Syndrome

Dr. Howard F. Loomis, a chiropractic physician who also teaches nutrition, wrote an article about Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) in The Chiropractic Journal. He described RLS as “a sleep disorder in which a person experiences vague, unpleasant, seldom painful, but always very annoying, sensations in the legs such as creeping, crawling, and tingling. These sensations occur anywhere from the thigh to the ankle. One or both legs may be affected and, for a small percentage, the sensations may also be experienced in the arms.” Dr. Loomis also reported “people with RLS describe an irresistible urge to move the legs when the sensations occur. Walking, rubbing or massaging the legs, or doing knee bends can bring relief, at least briefly.” Symptoms are often worse during periods of relaxation and decreased activity, especially in the evening and during the night. These symptoms make it difficult to relax and fall asleep; which can lead to sleep deprivation, affecting one’s quality of life.

The article listed three common factors that have been associated with RLS:

1.) Pregnancy: Some pregnant women experience RLS especially in the last trimester, however it often disappears after delivery.
2.) Anemia: Those with iron deficiency anemia or other kinds. This often disappears once the iron and other nutritional levels improve.
3.) Chronic Diseases: Including kidney failure, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and peripheral neuropathy.

There is no laboratory test to diagnose RLS; the only way is through the symptoms that a patient reports. According to Dr. Loomis, based on the symptoms one possible cause would be a lack of range of motion in the pelvis or the sacroiliac joints. This would account for why pregnant women and chronic diseases associated with muscle contraction could create symptoms. Another possible cause of RLS is nutritional; which is why the anemia and some chronic diseases may also bring out symptoms.

Dr. Loomis has the following recommendations for how chiropractors can address and alleviate symptoms of RLS:

1.) Make sure to evaluate and then adjust the joints of the feet, ankles, legs, knees, hips, pelvis and lumbo-sacral region.
2.) Teach specific exercises to strengthen the pelvis, lumbo-sacral area, the discs and include a walking program.
3.) Stretch at the beginning and end of the day, especially the hamstrings. 4.) Patient's should be made aware that symptoms could be due to side effects to anti-nausea drugs, anti-psychotics and some cold and allergy medications.

I want to add that based on the anemia aspect one should also get their blood drawn for a cbc with differential, iron and ferritin. This way one can rule out iron deficiency or folic acid, B-12 and other vitamin deficiencies as a possible cause.

In health and happiness,
Dr. Liselotte Schuster
(847)509-9067