Restless legs syndrome during pregnancy

Pregnancy is both a joyful and difficult time. The woman is looking forward to the appearance of the long-awaited baby, listening to his movements, talking to him. However, her health is not always good.

Most women complain that they are constantly haunted by fear for the health of the child and their own, taste preferences change, and all foods in the first months of pregnancy resemble a bland, tasteless mass. A pregnant woman is plagued by morning nausea, which sometimes does not go away for many months, heartburn and insomnia. Another common problem is restless legs syndrome (RLS).

This condition occurs in many pregnant women. As a rule, at night or before going to bed, while lying down, a woman experiences pain of unknown origin in the hips, legs, ankles and feet.

What is restless legs syndrome during pregnancy?

Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a condition characterized by the appearance of paresthesias in the legs (more often: in the depths of the legs) at rest, mainly in the evening, at night. It is extremely rare that discomfort can spread to the hands. The intensity of negative manifestations decreases with physical activity and massage of the affected limb.

Recent studies estimate that RLS affects 2 to 10% of people. This syndrome is a common cause of agripnia: in every 6–7 patients suffering from a chronic sleep disorder, the disease is caused by RLS.

Try again and again

“Over time, I found two ways that help me. The first is to smear your calves with “Star” balm before going to bed. The skin burns a little at first, but the legs relax well. The second way is acupuncture.”
“The following methods helped me (although not always one hundred percent): swimming, bananas before bed, body position during sleep, in which the legs are slightly higher than the torso.”
“I didn’t have these problems during my first two pregnancies, but this time it’s just terrible. It cramps both legs and arms. And not only in bed, but also when I’m driving a car, for example, or just sitting. Sometimes it just drives me crazy. I realized what makes it worse - coffee and Benadryl. Calcium helps some people, but it didn’t help me. A massage and a piece of soap under the sheet (this is, of course, strange, but I was in complete despair) helped, but not for long. Now I'm going to try the iron. I believe that I will find a way that will work - after all, I still have three months to bear.”

Restless legs syndrome during pregnancy: etiology

Depending on the causes of occurrence, SNB is divided into primary and secondary.

Primary (idiopathic) SNB

An illness that occurs in the absence of a somatic or neurological disease is called idiopathic. It often appears during the first 30 years of a person's life. Idiopathic RLS persists for life; the severity of symptoms usually worsens over time, although fairly long remissions are possible.

There is every reason to believe that the disease is caused by a genetic defect and, in the case of illness of one of the parents, is transmitted to the offspring with a 50% probability.

Secondary (symptomatic) RLS

SNB is considered secondary in cases where its development is due to the presence of another disease. This type of disease first appears mainly in people over 50 years of age.

The causes of RLS may be:

lack of iron, magnesium, B vitamins;
deficiency or excess of thyroid hormones;
diabetes;
COPD;
uremia;
cryoglobulinemia;
amyloidosis;
porphyrin disease;
Sjögren's syndrome;
rheumatoid arthritis;
obliteration of arteries or CVI of the legs;
alcoholism.

RLS is sometimes diagnosed in patients with familial tremor, fibromyalgia, Tourette's syndrome, Charcot's disease, Parkinson's disease, or Huntington's disease, but it is not completely clear whether these diseases are the causes of this condition.

NDS sometimes manifests itself in healthy people after significant physical exertion, severe stress, or caffeine abuse. However, there is a theory that these factors only help the syndrome to manifest itself, and the reason for its development lies elsewhere.

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RLS is found in approximately every 5 expectant mothers. Moreover, in some cases, the condition manifests itself only in the 2-3 trimesters and goes away after the child is born.

Women who become pregnant due to RLS may complain of a worsening of the condition. This is often due to a lack of iron and/or folic acid - nutrients that play an important role in the development of the embryo and are consumed by the body in increased quantities. Difficult blood circulation in the vessels of the legs also contributes to the exacerbation of RLS.

Restless legs syndrome during pregnancy: treatment

If you suspect the development of RLS, you should consult a doctor for a diagnosis. After this, the cause of the symptom is identified and therapy is prescribed to influence the original disease.

Expectant mothers are advised to undergo venous blood tests to determine the levels of iron and vitamin B9 in the body and, if they are deficient, begin a long course of taking the appropriate nutrients. According to reviews, the symptoms of restless legs syndrome caused by iron deficiency during pregnancy can be quickly alleviated with the help of injections of iron supplements.

In severe cases accompanied by agripnia, the doctor may prescribe dopaminergic drugs.

How to calm restless legs syndrome during pregnancy without drugs

Lifestyle changes can also help relieve symptoms of RLS.

Moderate physical activity. The main thing is not to overdo it with loads, otherwise you can get the exact opposite effect.

Caffeine taboo. Coffee, tea, cola, chocolate - it is better to avoid all these foods if you have RLS.
Wearing quality compression stockings or tights. This measure can help with RLS caused by stagnation of blood in the vessels of the legs. Tights or stockings are a matter of taste and personal convenience; in practice, the benefits of them are the same. Compression level 2 is preferred.

Foot massage. The legs are warmed up, rubbed from bottom to top, starting from the toes.

Water procedures. A warm bath or contrast shower for your feet shortly before bed can help in the fight for proper sleep.

Conclusion

Restless legs syndrome is a common condition among expectant mothers. It in itself does not cause direct harm to the child, but can be the result of a number of quite serious diseases, and also negatively affects the quality of sleep and, consequently, the general well-being of the pregnant woman.

RLS therapy is aimed at compensating for the underlying disease (if any) and eliminating symptoms. You can also alleviate the condition with lifestyle changes. Often, drug therapy for RLS during pregnancy comes down to correcting the deficiency of vitamins and microelements.

In what cases is the appearance of chills an alarming sign?

Unfortunately, situations are sometimes possible when the feeling of cold does not indicate pregnancy, but the fading of the fetus. However, it is important to note that this condition is typical for the later stages of the first trimester. In addition, several signs may indicate such a pathology. These include a sudden cessation of toxicosis, disappearance, and a sharp decrease in basal temperature. Moreover, such signs appear 3-4 days after the fetus freezes. The chill itself occurs as a result of intoxication. In such a situation, a woman needs to urgently seek advice from her doctor.

Another warning sign of chills during pregnancy can be a lack of microelements in a woman’s body. In addition, expectant mothers with vegetative-vascular disorders suffer from a constant feeling of cold. This condition does not pose a certain threat, but still it would not hurt to see a doctor.

Chills often appear when blood pressure rises and is a rather dangerous symptom, especially during pregnancy. It may also indicate that the woman was worried. This is why it is so important to remain calm during pregnancy and not panic ahead of time.

If you are slightly concerned about the current situation and cannot understand what is causing the chills, then the best solution would be to consult a specialist. An experienced doctor will always listen to your complaints and help you cope with your anxiety. Well, if this symptom indicates that a new life has arisen in your body, then all we can do is congratulate you on an incredibly happy event!

Take care of yourself!

Especially for

— Ira Romaniy

Experienced women begin to be tormented by doubts about whether they are pregnant after a missed period. If a woman consciously wants to conceive a child, selects favorable days for this, then within a day or two after possible conception she wants to know: did it work out? And this impatience of the expectant mother is quite understandable. After all, there is still a long wait for the final verdict - before the delay and acquisition. What can serve as a signal that conception has taken place?