No, Restless Legs Is Not The Next Big Dance Craze
There are a great many dances with fantastic names; the Mashed Potato, the Bunny Hop, the Twist, the Chicken Dance, the Boot Scootin’ Boogie to name a few. Restless Legs seems like it would fit nicely in that category, but it is not the name of the next big dance craze.
Restless legs syndrome (RLS), also known as Willis-Ekbom disease can be a painful syndrome. An individual with RLS tends to have an uncomfortable sensation in the legs or arms that causes the person to want to move. The uncomfortable sensation can be described as aching, burning, itching, or tugging to the point of compelling the person to move. This can be problematic if you are trying to go to sleep.
The exact cause of RLS is not fully understood but is thought to be linked to how we process dopamine, which is a neurotransmitter that has an active role in the movement of our muscles.
Some remedies for RLS include regular exercise, hot or cool packs, soaking in a warm tub, limiting caffeine and sugar, especially before bedtime, limiting alcohol and tobacco use, and going to bed at the same time every night. There are also several different classes of medications that can help mitigate symptoms as well.
If you feel the urge to break out and start dancing the Macarena or the Hokey Pokey whenever it is time for you to go to sleep, please talk to your practitioner at Advanced Spine and Pain and let us help point you in the right direction for treatment of your symptoms, because ♪♫ that’s what we’re all about.♪♫