The Link Between Low Vitamin D and Restless Legs
If you’re living with restless leg syndrome, a vitamin D deficiency could be to blame. Here, we explore the connection between this key nutrient and your legs.
Solutions for Restless Legs Syndrome
If a creeping, throbbing, or aching feeling disturbs you while you’re relaxing, it can be hard to get the rest you need. This is the plight of people with restless legs syndrome (RLS). Those with this condition regularly feel discomfort in their legs. Moving their legs eases that sensation — but at the cost of getting up.
This can mean sleep disruptions and challenges getting comfortable after a long day of work. Ultimately, RLS can interrupt your downtime to the point that it interferes with your quality of life.
But you’re not stuck with these uncomfortable sensations in your legs. At Vascular & Interventional Associates, serving the areas of Northern Kentucky and Cincinnati, our expert vascular surgeons and vein specialists have extensive experience diagnosing and treating restless legs syndrome. We can help you find the right treatment to get relief.
Symptoms of restless legs syndrome
RLS is aptly named. This condition causes uncomfortable sensations in your legs that are eased by moving your legs. As a result, the most common symptom of RLS is the seemingly uncontrollable urge to move your legs. This feeling is most likely to strike when you’re reclined.
People most frequently describe the sensations they feel as a result of RLS as:
- Pulling
- Electricity
- Crawling or creeping
- Throbbing
- Itching
- Aching
Usually, RLS doesn’t feel like a muscle cramp.
Because RLS symptoms are most likely to occur when you’re sitting or lying down, this condition often interrupts sleep. It can also make it difficult to do seemingly simple activities like taking a long car ride or a flight or sitting at a desk all day.
Diagnosing and treating restless legs syndrome
If these symptoms sound familiar to you, our team at Vascular & Interventional Associates can help you find relief. We may combine a physical exam, symptom evaluation, a neurological exam, or blood tests to diagnose your RLS and identify the root cause.
Then, we work with you to find relief. Some of the solutions we offer include:
Treatment for vein conditions
About one-third of people with RLS have a chronic vein condition. Treating that condition alleviates the RLS, so our team applies targeted vein treatment if we find that a vein condition is causing your symptoms.
Supplements
Iron deficiency or low vitamin D can cause RLS. Our team can diagnose your nutrient deficiency and help you select the right supplements to correct it.
Medication
We can also help you explore the medication options that can ease RLS symptoms, from muscle relaxers to medications that balance your brain chemicals.
Lifestyle changes
In many cases, lifestyle changes can help to bring you quick relief. At-home RLS care might include:
- Regular moderate exercise
- A warm bath
- Self-massage
- Hot or cold packs
Ultimately, our team works with you to find the right treatment or treatments to end uncomfortable sensations in your legs and help you get the rest you need. To start the RLS treatment and diagnosis process, contact Vascular & Interventional Associates by phone, or book your appointment with us online.
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