What is the Cause of Restless Leg Syndrome and how is it Treated?

Restless leg syndrome is a condition that affects millions of people around the world.  While there does not appear to be any one cause of restless leg syndrome, many health experts believe that RLS is has its origin in the chemistry of the brain. A root cause of restless leg syndrome causes the brain to send impulses to the nerves in the leg and thighs that indicate a sense of something crawling on the body and urge the limbs to movement as a means of dealing with the situation.

One possible cause of RLS has to do with our diet. Consumption of foods and liquids that result in a high levels of caffeine in the body appear to be one of the reasons that the brain may send out the impulses for movement, as well as making the nerves transmit pain to the impacted areas. If this is the case, then eliminating some or all caffeine from the diet will result in a speedy deliver from this particular cause of restless leg syndrome.

Stress and emotional fatigue may also be a cause of restless leg syndrome. Prolonged stress leads to many health ailments, including impacting the way the brain works and what information it communicates to the various parts of our body. If we can eliminate or lessen the stress in our lives, we may find that RLS becomes a thing of the past for us.

Nicotine is another potential cause of restless leg syndrome. The regular user of tobacco products slows down the body's natural ability to absorb vitamins and other nutrients from the food we eat. This could lead to a chemical imbalance, especially in terms of the levels of potassium and iron in our bodies. By eliminating the use of tobacco, the occurrence of RLS will begin to recede until the phenomenon stops altogether.

A qualified physician can run the proper tests to determine the root cause of restless leg syndrome in your case. Once understanding what is causing your body to behave as it does, steps can be taken to change your lifestyle in order to effectively treat the ailment.