Sensations in restless legs syndrome

To characterize the verbal descriptors of the sensations in restless legs syndrome (RLS) in depth.

Fifty-six patients with primary RLS (interviewed in person) and 738 members of the French RLS Association (sent a postal questionnaire) were included in the study. Patients in the clinical series were asked to report their RLS sensations in detail. The two groups completed a French reconstruction of the McGill Pain Questionnaire (QDSA) to assess their RLS sensations.

All patients in both groups had abnormal sensations associated with the urge to move the legs. Most patients in the clinical series reported spontaneous "electrical," "prickling," "burning," "tingling," and "itching" sensations. In the QDSA, more than two-thirds of subjects in both groups selected the sensory subclasses "temporal" and "paresthesias," and the affective subclasses "evaluative," "nervous tension," "asthenia, fatigue," and "punishment." More than one-third of subjects chose the sensory words "electric shocks," "irradiating," and "tingling," and the affective words "exhausting," "distressing," "unbearable," "irritating," and "depressing." The subjects used more heat than cold descriptors to express their sensations.

RLS is a primary sensory disorder without any pure motor form. The sensory descriptors in RLS could be similar to those of neuropathic pain, except for rare cold and numbness sensations.