`

Restless leg syndrome

Comorbid symptom - not an autoimmune disease

Names

Restless leg syndrome
Willis-Ekbom Disease

Symptom Of

Restless leg syndrome may be a symptom of the following autoimmune diseases:

Description

A condition that causes an unpleasant or uncomfortable sensation in the legs and an irresistible urge to move them. Restless leg syndrome is a symptom of several autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, Sjogren’s Syndrome, Crohn’s disease, and inflammatory bowel diseases. However, since RLS is a relatively common condition affecting 8% of the population, the correlation with autoimmune disease might not indicate a causative relationship.

Prevalence

US cases: 12 - 90 million [Innes 2011], but most of these cases are not autoimmune, so we do not include this condition in our prevalence estimate.

Typical Age of onset

Early onset begins before 45 and late onset begins after 45

Symptoms

  • Sensations that begin after rest. The sensation typically begins after you've been lying down or sitting for an extended time, such as in a car, airplane or movie theater.

  • Relief with movement. The sensation of RLS/WED lessens with movement, such as stretching, jiggling your legs, pacing or walking.

  • Worsening of symptoms in the evening. Symptoms occur mainly at night.

  • Nighttime leg twitching. RLS/WED may be associated with another, more common condition called periodic limb movement of sleep, which causes your legs to twitch and kick, possibly throughout the night, while you sleep.