|
Treating
In most cases, restless legs syndrome is a lifelong condition, though some people may go days or months without any symptoms. For those people, or for others whose symptoms do not affect their quality of life, no treatment may be necessary. Read more about managing RLS in the Management section. For people with more severe symptoms, medicines are available. Several medications may be used to treat RLS, although most are not specifically approved for that purpose. Read more about managing RLS in the Managing section.
Some medications can make restless legs worse. These include some antihypertensive medications (taken for high blood pressure) and antidepressants. Your doctor may recommend stopping these medications, finding alternatives that do not worsen your symptoms, or adding medications to treat RLS.
Although RLS can often worsen--or appear for the first time--during pregnancy, doctors usually don't recommend taking drugs for the condition during pregnancy. If symptoms are severe, a pain medication may be acceptable, especially in the third trimester.
If the symptoms of restless legs syndrome are being caused by another disease, such as peripheral neuropathy or diabetes, treating the underlying disease may reduce the symptoms. Similarly, because low blood levels of iron can also cause these disorders, treating anemia may relieve the symptoms.
This section contains more information on:
|
