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Restless legs syndrome (RLS, Wittmaack-Ekbom’s syndrome, or sometimes, but inaccurately, referred to as Nocturnal myoclonus) is a condition that is characterized by an irresistible urge to move one’s body to stop uncomfortable or odd sensations. It most commonly affects the legs, but can also affect the arms or torso. Moving the affected body part modulates the sensations, providing temporary relief. RLS causes a sensation in the legs or arms that can most closely be compared to a burning, itching, or tickling sensation in the muscles. Some controversy surrounds the marketing of drug treatments for RLS.
The sensations — and the need to move — may return immediately after ceasing movement or at a later time. RLS may start at any age, including early childhood, and is a progressive disease for a certain portion of those afflicted, although the symptoms have disappeared permanently in some sufferers[citation needed].
In 2003, a National Institutes of Health (NIH) consensus panel modified their criteria to include the following:
RLS is either primary or secondary.
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