If you’ve ever had frequent throbbing or tickling sensations in your legs that are only relieved by moving them, you could have restless leg syndrome, or RLS. RLS is categorized by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as a sleep disorder. Often, RLS causes those who suffer from it to kick or move their legs while sleeping. While experts suspect an imbalance of the brain chemical dopamine — which controls muscle movement — could cause RLS, some studies show a link between the disorder and chronic venous disease.
A study by the Illinois Phlebology Group published in 2007 concluded that “RLS appears to be a common overlapping clinical syndrome in patients” with chronic venous disorders. The study included a group of 174 subjects, 63 of whom showed evidence of RLS. Of those 63 who showed evidence of RLS, 62 were diagnosed with a chronic venous disorder.
Yet another study, published in the April 1995 edition of Dermatological Surgery, set out to determine if patients who had undergone sclerotherapy for varicose vein disease also felt relief from symptoms of RLS. Sclerotherapy treats spider veins or small varicose veins by injecting a “sclerosing” agent into the vein. The substance causes veins to harden and eventually seal off.
For the study, 113 RLS patients underwent sclerotherapy. Nearly all 111 patients treated reported initial relief from RLS symptoms, according to the report. The study concluded that RLS is common in patients with varicose vein disease and that sclerotherapy could be a viable treatment option for those RLS patients.
To learn more about sclerotherapy and how it could help you, schedule a consultation today with the health professionals at MercyOne Iowa Heart Vein Center.
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