Is Restless Leg Syndrome Real?
Sometimes, it seems that the medical industry is just making up conditions and syndromes in order to sell more drugs. I remember the first time I saw a TV commercial for restless leg syndrome – I, along with everyone else in the room laughed. It seemed so silly. Then I mentioned it to my mother who informed me that she has been on medication for RLS for over 6 months. Leave it to my mother to be on the cutting edge of everything – even syndromes. That’s when I began to do some investigating.
First of all, many doctors are still divided as to the true severity of the problem and if it became exacerbated due to all of the media attention. Yet, many others in the medical profession believe it is a true syndrome and treat it as such. Before we see what RLS is, we must discover what it is not. People who are jittery by nature or ingest a lot of caffeine and feel the need to tap their foot or bounce their leg all of the time are not suffering from RLS. Neither are you experiencing RLS if you have overdone it and are suffering from aches and pains in your legs as you try to get to sleep. Restless Leg Syndrome is described as an uncontrollable burning or itching feeling inside the legs that only enjoys temporary relief when the leg is moved. That is why it is most noticeable at night as you try to relax.
It is very real for those who suffer from RLS. The newest drugs that treat RLS are part of the group of drugs known as dopamine agonist. These control the receptors in the body and help to eliminate that restless feeling. For more information about whether RLS and other disorders can be covered under your insurance, contact Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina today.