Can Vein Disease Cause Restless Leg Syndrome?
Getting a proper night’s sleep is crucial for functioning on a daily basis. However, there are a variety of illnesses that can affect the way you sleep including a very common one known as Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) or Willis-Ekbom disease.
If you have RLS, there can be a lot of causes, and in many cases, doctors don’t have a specific identifier for the disease. As a result, there is no specific treatment that can cure you of the troublesome ailment.
That being said, knowing the symptoms is a very important step to helping curtail your RLS and provide an array of potential solutions depending on the possible causes.
In this article we’ll go over what RLS is including its causes, symptoms and how you might be able to treat it, especially if it is related to vein disease.
Background
RLS is a condition that affects the legs and lower body that stems from the brain sending signals through the nervous system. It is a neurological condition that causes the brain to create discomfort in the legs and can often last for hours.
The reason we may see an increase in leg activity at night due to RLS is because as we try to lie still and bring the body into shut down mode, your brain kicks in, trying to prevent that. That’s what makes this particular disease so frustrating.
There are two kinds of RLS:Primary RLS and Secondary RLS.
Primary RLS
This is the version most associated with the disease. It causes the sufferer to feel a powerful urge to move their legs, with these movements not being related to any physical symptom such as a rash, pain or other noticeable medical factor. That is why this form has no known cause, making it incredibly difficult to treat.
Secondary RLS
Luckily, this form is caused by a known, identifiable medical condition. That means your doctor can help create a plan based on the specific cause that is resulting in your RLS.
Some of these causes include:
1. Family history
Many health issues can be traced through genealogy, and if your family has a history of RLS, then you have a higher risk of getting the disease as well, unfortunately. This is probably why nearly 15% of the world’s population has RLS.
2. Pregnancy
The hormones and other factors such as weight gain that develop during pregnancy can lead to a higher risk of developing RLS.
3. Iron deficiency
A lack of iron in the body is one of the leading factors seen in people with RLS.
4. Aging
The older we get, the weaker we become in most respects. This is just a fact of life. Not only do our muscles begin to lose strength faster, so do our veins. Weak veins are a significant factor for RLS and vein disease as the next cause we will explain further.
5. Venous insufficiency or vein disease
Common vein diseases include varicose veins, spider veins, venous insufficiency, and in severe cases deep vein thrombosis (DVT). These are caused by a weakening of the valves in the veins, and because they are in the leg, they already have an uphill battle to get blood pumped back to the heart. With a lack of strength to do so, these veins get backfilled with blood, causing them to swell, which can lead to various vein diseases. The symptoms of these vein diseases share a lot with that of someone with RLS.
RLS Symptoms
Discomfort in the legs
Jerking, twitching, and other involuntary leg movements
Sleep disruption
Insomnia
Exhaustion
Itching
Much of why people associate vein disease and RLS together is because they share a lot of these symptoms and causes including pain in the legs, itchiness in the lower body, lack of exercise and most importantly, poor vein health.
Thankfully, there are steps you can take to improve your vein health and therefore, lower your risk for vein disease and RLS related to them.
Treatment/Prevention
1. Regular physical activity
Exercise is a great way to keep the blood flowing and reduce weight gain. If your blood is moving, it is less likely to pool in your veins and cause serious issues such as venous insufficiency.
2. Elevation
If you’ve ever been to physical therapy you may have heard them talk about RICE, but they weren’t talking about the white grain that goes great with orange chicken. It’s an acronym meaning Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation. The latter is incredibly important to the movement of blood through the body and proper blood flow is vital to reducing vein disease and the causes of RLS.
3. Don’t stand or sit for long periods
Normal movement can be something you incorporate to lower the risk of getting varicose veins as well as potentially decrease the size of existing varicose veins. Blood flow is key to vein health, and staying in one position for too long can restrict it significantly. It also helps by preventing your brain from sending those signals that you need to move your legs because you’re already doing that.
4. Sleep on your left side
Did you know that we have a major vein running along the right side of our body? It’s true, and while you may not get a ton of good rest with RLS, there are practices that can be incorporated to fight varicose veins while you dream. If you are prone to sleeping on your right side, you could be adding extra pressure to the veins in your body. This pressure can exacerbate issues such as varicose veins. A helpful trick you can implement is combining this method with elevation to really increase the blood flow while sleeping. Think of it as a one-two punch for fighting off those pesky varicose veins while also hopefully catching up on some much needed rest.
5. Consume a vein friendly diet
While the food you eat cannot cure you of varicose veins or RLS, it certainly can contribute to your health. There are also plenty of foods that help when it comes to varicose veins including fiber, low-sodium foods, fruits and vegetables as well as things high in Vitamins A and C. These will also help with maintaining a healthy weight which is especially important for good blood circulation.
6. See a medical professional
Whether this is your normal primary care doctor, a RLS specialist or a doctor specializing in the field of vein health, it is important to seek out someone who can give you the proper treatment options for what you are dealing with.
Regardless of the reason behind your RLS, consulting with vein specialists, like the team at Elmore Medical, can help you better understand RLS and mitigate its symptoms.
Elmore Medical Vein & Laser Treatment Center is the premier vein specialty medical practice in the Central Valley. Dr. Mario H. Gonzalez and his staff offer years of experience and medical expertise that you won’t find anywhere else. Contact us to set up a consultation appointment.