ABSTRACT
Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is possibly one of the commonest movement disorders known, but remains relatively under-recognized and undertreated within the neurology and movement disorders communities. RLS has been referred to as ‘the most common disorder you have ever heard of ’ by the American Restless Legs Syndrome Foundation. The under-recognition of RLS may be because it is largely perceived as: (a) a disorder of sleep, and (b) a condition with little effective treatment. All of the above assumptions are erroneous and, in the UK, many patients with this condition continue to suffer in spite of effective treatment being available. On the other hand, many are diagnosed inappropriately with RLS when they may have alternative conditions, the so-called RLS ‘mimics’. Although RLS principally affects sleep and causes ‘terrible nights’ and chronic sleeplessness, it also occurs during quiet wakefulness and can affect the hands. It is worth noting that restlessness of legs or arms can be caused by several conditions and these conditions, such as leg cramps, positional discomfort of the legs or pain in the legs, are not the same as RLS, which is a distinct condition in its own right.
