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"Reader Question: I keep seeing commercials for &amp;quot;restless leg syndrome,&amp;quot; which sounds ridiculous. Is this a real disease? On Call Response: Restless leg syndrome (RLS) was first described 350 years ago as an uncomfortable, uncontrollable urge to move your legs, yet the diagnosis is somewhat shrouded in controversy and experts still don&amp;#039;t know the exact cause. One thing experts do agree on: RLS interferes with sleep in a major way, particularly since the symptoms get worse at night. Although moving your legs seems to help relieve the symptoms, once you stop moving, the uncomfortable urge returns. So it&amp;#039;s a vicious cycle: When you try to stop moving in order to fall asleep, the symptoms start again.  The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke says some people equate the feeling to &amp;quot;insects crawling inside the legs.&amp;quot; RLS tends to run in families and the recent discovery of a genetic risk factor, a specific chromosomal variant linked to periodic limb movements in sleep, opens new avenues for future treatment possibilities. Nonetheless, some critics continue to deny that it is a true medical disorder. Since the FDA approved Requip (ropinirole) as a medical treatment for RLS in May 2005, the condition has received a lot more attention. Studies say that up to 15 percent of people suffer from RLS and it can worsen with age. The condition is more common in women, especially pregnant women. Requip (which has been used for the last 10 years as a treatment for Parkinson&amp;#039;s disease) works by stimulating dopamine receptors in the brain to help control the urge to move your legs, but the drug can have some serious side effects: It often lowers blood pressure, so it can cause dizziness as well as nausea and headaches. It also makes you sleepy, which can be a good thing if you are trying to go to sleep. If you think you have RLS, before you turn to drugs, try these conservative measures. Cut out caffeine, tobacco and alcohol, and add a little exercise in the afternoon to help relax your legs. Also, talk to your doctor to rule out other medical conditions. Certain medications, including some antidepressants and antihistamines, can also exacerbate symptoms. Low iron levels, folate deficiency, low magnesium levels, thyroid problems and even Lyme disease can masquerade as RLS. These can be checked with blood tests.  I want to hear from you, so e-mail me your questions at dailywd@womansday.com. Disclaimer: Your seeking information on health related topics and/or Sandra Adamson Fryhofer, M.D.&amp;#039;s providing such information herein constitutes neither the solicitation of nor the provision of medical advice, services, care or treatment. Communication with Dr. Fryhofer on this website does not create a doctor/patient relationship. For concerns about your own particular medical condition, you should consult your own medical professional, who can examine and evaluate you. Communication on a website is not a substitute for taking an active role in your own medical care and treatment and being personally seen by a physician of choice in your area. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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