Restless arm syndrome: is it a rare disease?

About For one in 10 people, prolonged periods of inactivity can trigger an uncomfortable urge to move again. Long bus rides, lounging in bed, or even an afternoon at the movies lead to unpleasant sensations in the lower extremities which can only be relieved by repositioning the legs.

Without a clear cause or objective means of diagnosis, restless leg syndrome (RLS) may affect more people than you think, what does one of the most common neurological disorders in the world. Despite all its mysteries, our knowledge of RLS is light years away from a similar syndrome It affects the arms and shoulders.

With so few cases in the literature, it’s easy to assume that restless arm syndrome (RAS) is relatively rare. However, case studies of the few examples we know of indicate that people tend to suffer in silence long before they are diagnosed.

Pain therapists Ulrich Moser and Jasmin Schwab of Bavarian State Medical Association to Germany now suggest that RAS reports may not represent its true prevalence, especially for mild and less chronic forms.

His recent report published in the magazine BMJ Case Reports focuses on the case of a 66-year-old man who had back pain and discomfort in his right shoulder for over 20 years. Visits to radiologists, neurologists and rheumatologists did not provide long-term relief. They prescribed anti-inflammatory drugs. Massage, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, and even a visit to the chiropractor did not resolve her condition.

In March 2017, the patient visited Moser report your symptoms of pressure, stab wounds and deep pain. His back pain was relieved by the processing, but a follow-up appointment in 2020 presented reports of new symptoms: severe pain and a feeling of restlessness in both hands and forearms which had steadily worsened over the past two years.

Thinking it might be a case of “break” O “finger on the trigger” and maybe some arthritis, an orthopedic surgeon prescribed surgery and a course of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Unfortunately for the patient, the discomfort remained.

The symptoms were similar to restless legs syndrome. During the day, while moving and exercising, everything seemed to be fine. It is only during periods of relaxation that sharp sensations, tingling and burning appear. Interestingly, the discomfort was alone in his arms. He had never felt such sensations in his legs, not even a little. Yet, although little is known about the mechanisms behind restless leg syndrome, we have ideas on how to relieve your symptoms.

After ruling out other possible causes, and essentially checking all of the boxes for the SPI severe, although in the arms, Moser prescribed drug therapy typically used for restless legs, which provided an extra dose of dopamine in the brain.

But the case need a little research ior who raised the issue of how many people with similar experiences could be there. “The patient reported here had symptoms that could have been reminiscent of restless arm syndrome for many years,” they report. Moser and his colleague Schwab.

And they add: “Over the past two years, these symptoms have worsened enormously and the essential diagnostic criteria of the International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group have been fully met, except that the symptoms were exclusively in the upper limbs ”.

If what doctors learn RLS could be applied to upper limbs, there might be a chance to bring great relief to patients whose diagnosis is delayed as they undergo testing for a variety of unrelated conditions, trigger finger arthritis.

On the contrary, There could be subtle differences that help improve therapies, or even lead to a better understanding of overall agitation. “This is a field of research in which we should be interested in moving forward, ”the specialists conclude.

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