How do doctors diagnose RLS?
Your doctor should: • Listen to a description of your symptoms. • Complete a diagnostic interview checking for symptoms highlighted on the previous page. • Review your medical history. • Complete a thorough physical exam. • Rule out conditions that may be confused with RLS. Your doctor might: • Check your iron (ferritin) levels. • Ask you to stay overnight in a sleep study lab to determine other causes of your sleep disturbance. Your doctor cannot: • Use lab tests to confirm or deny the presence of RLS (no tests are available). back to top ^ Is RLS hereditary? Answer: RLS often runs in families. Researchers are currently looking for the gene or genes that may be responsible for RLS. back to top ^ Is there a known cause for RLS? Answer: Extensive research into the cause of RLS is occurring worldwide. A single unifying cause has not been identified, but we are getting closer. Here is what we do know: • RLS often runs in families. This is called primary or familial RLS. Researchers are cu
