The following symptoms and complaints may indicate restless legs syndrome (RLS):
Leading symptoms (essential criteria).
- Motor restlessness: spontaneous leg movements/optionally also of the arms (in resting situation 50% of cases); imperative urge to move (in resting situation 95%).
- Dysesthesias (insensations; at rest 91% of cases) such as tingling, pulling, drilling, burning, itching, cold or heat sensation – mainly on the legs.
- Improvement or sistieren (interruption) of the complaints by movement.
- Circadian rhythm: symptoms usually occur only during periods of rest or relaxation, i.e. in the evening or at night, which causes the sleep disturbances.Symptoms may be limited to one side, change sides or affect both legs.
A fifth criterion (“The symptomatology cannot be explained by any other”) makes the diagnosis more specific.
A supportive (assisting) criterion for the diagnosis of RLS is response to dopaminergic medication (see under drug therapy).
Associated symptoms
- Sleep disturbances (95% of cases)
- Difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep [esp. difficulty falling asleep]
- Daytime sleepiness (20-80% of cases).
- Periodic Limb Movements – periodic movements of the extremities while awake or asleep (approximately 90% of all RLS patients).
- Decreased performance, fatigue and depressed mood to depression.
- Intensity and frequency increase in the course of the disease.
Frequency of symptoms in patients with idiopathic RLS.
The diagnosis of restless legs syndrome is based solely on the assessment of symptomatology!
