Restless Leg Syndrome and Fibromyalgia! Find Out The Similarities And Differences?

Restless leg syndrome is a common condition to hear from people with fibromyalgia.

Restless leg syndrome and fibromyalgia are currently under study for ways to treat and prevent them.

Both disorders disrupt sleep in one way or the other and this lack of sleep can have undesirable side effects including poor job performance, lack of safety while driving and problem in enjoying social activities.

Similar symptoms between restless leg syndrome and fibromyalgia:

Both the syndromes are characterized by uncomfortable sensations in the limbs. In restless leg syndrome, you feel often the urge to move the legs while in fibromyalgia, you feel fatigue or pain in the muscles or joints.

Both syndromes tend to have disrupting sleep patterns, though troubled sleep seems to be the problem with those suffering from restless leg syndrome and fibromyalgia sufferers tend to have problems maintaining REM sleep due to periods of brain activity through the night.

Different symptoms between restless leg syndrome and fibromyalgia:

There are differences between two syndromes. Fibromyalgia can be caused more in females than in males while restless leg syndrome does not have specific gender. As fibromyalgia disrupts the actual process of sleep, once the person falls asleep, it tends to have more events of extended periods of dizziness and loss of motor dexterity.

Restless leg syndrome is a secondary condition as a result of other disorders such as diabetes, but fibromyalgia tends to exist as primary condition, though trauma such as surgery or accidents can trigger it.

Similar treatments for restless leg syndrome and fibromyalgia:

Both the syndromes result from problems with dopamine levels in the brain. The problem is also linked to Parkinson’s disease. Because of this, both syndrome sufferers show positive results from the use of same medications that help in treating the Parkinson’s. The symptoms of the both the syndromes can be alleviated by the drugs that stimulate dopamine receptors.

Pramipexole, a drug that stimulates dopamine D2 and D3 receptors and is used to treat both restless leg syndrome and Parkinson’s and have showed positive effects on fibromyalgia.

Both the syndromes also respond to the exercise to help alleviate the symptoms, but the exercises should not be too strenuous.

Natural treatment for restless leg syndrome and fibromyalgia includes getting up and walking around. Take warm bath, use heat pads and even massage provide relief. These treatments promote blood flow to the body which provides benefit of soothing, relieving the symptoms.

Lifestyle changes can alleviate the symptoms such as avoiding caffeine, alcohol and other stimulated drinks. Establishing regular sleep routines and eating a healthy diet control both the symptoms.