Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) (What IS RLS?)

Restless leg syndrome or Willis-Ekbom disease is a common disease in the West, less common in Asian and African countries. Restless leg syndrome is the fourth leading cause of insomnia and is the cause of a significant amount of morbidity and impairment of daytime functioning among its sufferers. The disease was first described by Willis in 1685 and published by Ekbom in 1960. Restless Leg Syndrome is relatively common in the populations described and ranges from 3.9 to 15% in prevalence. RLS is frequently underdiagnosed or confused with other conditions. There is a need for greater awareness of restless leg syndrome and further research in its etiology, which would aid in the development of novel treatments.