A Study on Restless Legs and Blood Pressure
Author: Empowered Doctor
Restless legs syndrome is an odd, yet common disorder that causes people to continually move their legs, especially at night when they're trying to fall asleep.
As if that wasn't bad enough, now there's new research that shows it may increase one's blood pressure and overall risk for cardiovascular disease.
This is a neurological problem, sort of in the same family as Parkinson's.
But this latest research does indeed suggest a spill-over effect on the cardiovascular system.
Helen Catlin is a nurse who can tell you first hand what being a patient with restless legs syndrome is like.
Patients with RLS may report an almost irresistible urge to move the legs.
The sensations usually are worse during inactivity.
It would bother me at night, sometimes I would have trouble going to sleep or sometimes it would wake me up at night, it would be a sensation of not pain, but enough discomfort that you would have to move, an ache a real ache that would only be relieved by moving your legs, says Helen. As it progressed I realized I was waking up because my legs were bothering me.
And those frequent awakenings, common for those with RLS, appear to create a cardiovascular risk.
"You actually wake up a little bit when they do sleep studies and during that period of awakening or almost awaking the blood pressure goes up and then it comes down again, and then you have frequent little awakening, frequent little increases in blood pressure," says Dr. Howard Maker, a neurologist at Beth Israel Medical Center.
The study found blood pressure rates during periodic leg movements rose by an average of 20 points for the systolic reading, which is the top number, and by an average of 11 points for the diastolic reading, which is the bottom or second number.
The authors argue that drastic blood pressure surges at night have been associated with a higher rate of stroke in the elderly.
Dr. Maker though, says the jury is still out with RLS. Restless leg syndrome may or may not have a bad effect on the cardiovascular system it hasn't been proven that these little increases in blood pressure have been dangerous, we do know that the patients are grateful that the restless legs is diminished and that is what we are treating, we are making the patients feel better, their quality of life improves.
And, by treating the restless legs, the blood pressure issue presumably would go away.
Helen's blood pressure typically runs in the low range, so she's not at risk; but the medications have changed her life in the more obvious way. " I get a good night sleep, on the medication I am relieved of the symptoms totally. I wouldn't know what I would do without it."
Dr. Maker points out this was studied in only ten patients, so, a bigger study is required.
That shouldn't be hard to do, because RLS is very common as we mentioned. Affecting about 10-15% of the general population, with men and women affected equally. It is often unrecognized or misdiagnosed.
Many patients are not diagnosed until 10-20 years after symptom onset.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/a-study-on-restless-legs-and-blood-pressure-224273.html
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I have an appintment with a rhematoligst tomorrow,is he the type od doc , i need to see about posible fibro?
I have , joint pains, muscel aches, sleep problems,both either constipation or diahrrrea,carpel tunnel syndrome, moodiness, heachaches, depression, no energy, fatigue,memerory loss..I have just recently been diagnosed with sleep apnea, as i couldnt deal with the sleep problems anymore.. So i was sent in for a sleep study…i use a cpap machine to try and sleep now…I’be been on some antinflamatorys , but no go..also i have now notied skin rashes on my legs, gum problems, been to every dental professional around, noone no’s whats wrong..I’m wondering what are the pressure points for this .. I have pain in my wrists, neck, back..upper and lower…shoulders..i also have restless leg syndrome,what does the doctor do to my body , in order to see if or how many pressure points are effected?
Rheumatologist is specialized in bone and joint diseases, he will ask for your symptoms, maybe check blood tests.. Do your symptoms get worse when it is cold?
Would you consider seeing someone who knows about acupuncture/acupressure? They can tell you about pressure points.
Are you asking about fibromyalgia? Yes i think rheumatologist is the right choice then. Good luck
30wks and i’m freakin out!!?
Ok so I have had one rough pregnancy and now I am at such a low point I don’t know what to do. So I have really bad contractions that hurt pretty bad but the worst part of it is the after pain. I have a cerclage in and during and after the contraction the sharp “ripping” pain that is coming from that area ( not vag and not bottom of tummy but in between from the inside) hurts so bad it makes it hard to breath. Then my lower back hurts so incredibly bad from the contractions. Then on top of that my mid back right by my kidney hurts so incredibly bad I have been throwing up from the pains. It freakin hurts to breath. Doc said I don’t have a kidney infection so don’t know what it is from, maybe weight? Don’t know neither does she. So almost everyday I throw up because the pain is so bad, my fibromyalga is killin me too. His weight puts so much pressure on my joints that I use like a tube of bengay everyday all over to try to make it. Everyday it is worse. I can’t sleep more then 2-3 hrs if I am lucky, I pass out around 6 to 8 am but the rest of the night I feel like a drug addict going through withdrawals or something!! I freak out from restless leg syndrome but it is in my whole body instead of just my leg. I have tried everything and yesterday just lost it. I feel like I can’t do this anymore!! I feel so helpless, on so many meds for the contraction. I don’t know what to do!!! I am 30 n half wks and don’t know how to handle this anymore!!! What should I do…what can I do? I see my doc every week and she knows of all of this but doesn’t seem to be worried. I can’t handle the pain anymore, the no sleep, the restlessness, the PAIN!!!!!it has never been this bad and gets worse everyday. What do I do? I am giving up but I can’t cause we have been waiting so long for our miracle baby for so long! I don’t know how to keep going, please help!!!! Doc knows everything, but tells me nothing we can do but percocet, which I have seen what happens to babies addicted to it.and percocet doesn’t help anyways!!!!what do I do???? Please help I can’t find the strength to go on!!
I am sorry to hear what you are going thru and I understand your frustration. I am in a fairly similar situation and i was placed on terbutaline which really helps with the pain from the contractions however the main side effect is no sleep.. Ask hubbie for full body massages wih a warm oil or something that will momentarily soothe you. I know with a cerclage you are most likely on bedrest but try to walk around a little bit. I really really wish you the best of luck because i know. At times i just cry because i feel that NOONE understand what i am going thru. Just keep on telling yourself its for a veryvery good reason you are going thru this. You will soon be ok
34 weeks pregnant, seeing pinpoints of light?
I’m 34 weeks into my second pregnancy and just today I’ve noticed seeing pin points of light every once in a while. My first pregnancy they induced me 20 days early because of mildly high blood pressure. This pregnancy my BP has been fine up until my last appt two weeks ago it rose slightly that my doc mentioned it but said it wasn’t a big deal at this point but they’ll keep an eye on it. I’ve been having really bad circulation at night when I lay down to go to sleep. So much so that my doc perscribed Ambien for restless leg syndrome. Since my last doc appt. I’ve been waking up really sore and my legs feel like they have no blood in them.
My next appt. is tomorrow but was just wondering if I should be concerned and call the doc now. Does this sound familiar to anyone? Personal experiences?
I had high blood pressure with all 4 of my pregnancies and it never was a concern until the last 4-6 weeks of each pregnancy. Those pin points of light are dues to the blood pressure being high. It doesn’t hurt to call your doctor and tell him what is up, and let him decide if you should come in early. When your blood pressure is too high it can really cause problems for you and the baby, and you have every right to be worried. Don’t second guess, and give the doctor a call. i know pressure of where the baby sits can possibly effect your sensation in the legs, but make sure you tell him all those worries too. It will be ok hun, and your peace of mind and being able to sleep knowing all is ok is worth a call to the doctor today. My pregnancies were all induced because of very high blood pressure, that was after being hospitalized for 2-3 weeks…was a drag. Good luck and congratulations on the baby!
There is a lot going on with my health?? Need advice before calling my doctor.?
I am a 48 yr. old female that deals with a lot of stress with my two boys, job, money, etc.. as everyone does these days. I have heart disease, diabetes, hypothyroidism, fibromyalgia, restless leg syndrome, and high blood pressure to name a few. My sugar levels have been at an up and down stream. To add to the mix I am still going through the dreaded menopause. Everyone experiencing the terrible heat wave, I have been feeling tired, half sick in the stomach, and the other day was sweating to the point that I had to go home from my job and change my clothes, they were drenched with sweat and I work in air conditioning in a residential home with just minor chores to do. When I got off several hours later my clothes were a mess again with sweat. I didn’t put this all together at the time but when I thought about it these signs don’t sound to good when put together. I also have been having terrible headaches each day with my face getting SO hot like I have sunburn or something. When I take my BP and sugar test they all seem fine when going through these symptoms. Could someone please help me out and tell me what advice you have to give me other than I’m falling apart at the seams?