About 10% of the US population suffers from restless legs syndrome (RLS), according to the National Institutes of Health. That’s about 33 million women and men who aren’t getting a good night’s rest, thanks to uncomfortable sensations in their legs.
As a top-ranked vein treatment center in Florida, Vein & Cardiovascular Center is dedicated to providing customized, state-of-the-art treatment for restless legs syndrome, helping our patients find relief and improve their sleep and overall wellness.
With practices in Orlando, Sebring, and Davenport, Florida, Ashish Pal, MD, and the team use advanced technology to treat the root causes of RLS. Here’s how we can help you.
Restless legs syndrome: Causes and symptoms
RLS is a chronic condition that causes uncomfortable feelings in your legs (and much less commonly, your arms). These feelings have been described as aching, crawling, creeping, and itching. With RLS, you feel like you need to move your legs to relieve your symptoms.
While movement can cause symptoms to subside, the effect is temporary, and the feelings return soon afterward.
RLS symptoms typically only occur late in the day or at night when you’re trying to sleep. As a result, RLS can interfere with your sleep, causing moodiness, fatigue, and problems with memory and concentration during the day.
Many people with RLS also have a related condition called periodic limb movement of sleep (PLMS) that causes frequent muscle twitches during sleep — sometimes as often as every few seconds.
Different factors can cause or contribute to RLS, including some genetic factors and nutritional deficiencies. But research also shows a link between RLS and chronic venous insufficiency, a vascular condition that prevents blood from flowing normally from your legs back to your heart. Treating underlying vein disease can provide many people with the relief they need from their RLS symptoms.
How we treat RLS
For patients with RLS and chronic venous insufficiency, Dr. Pal offers two advanced vein treatment options to help relieve symptoms and improve circulatory health, as well.
VenaSeal®
VenaSeal is a minimally invasive treatment option that involves an injection of a specially formulated medical-grade adhesive into the diseased vein.
The adhesive safely seals off the vein, preventing blood from flowing through it. Instead, blood is rerouted to neighboring veins for better circulation in the area.
VenefitTM endovenous therapy
Venefit is a second type of minimally invasive vein procedure. Instead of using adhesive, this technique uses a thin tube called a catheter to deliver precise amounts of radiofrequency (RF) energy to the inside of the diseased vein.
The RF energy acts on the vein walls, tightening fibers and shrinking the vein so it closes off. As with VenaSeal, blood is redirected to neighboring veins for improved circulation.
Don’t let RLS keep you from getting a good night’s rest
Restful sleep is important for your physical and emotional health. If RLS is interfering with your ability to sleep and rest, we can help. Call the office or book an appointment online to let Dr. Pal and his team create a custom treatment plan just for you.