Table 3.

Restless legs syndrome: differential diagnosis [2]

Leg cramps	Complaint of a painful sensation in the leg with muscle hardness or tightness that causes awakenings from sleep because of painful leg sensations, often improved with massage, movement, or application of heat
Peripheral neuropathy	Pain in both feet and/or tingling that is usually present during the day time, but may be worse during the evening
Radiculopathy	Shooting pains down one leg, often present during the day and with activity
Arthritis	Pain localized to a joint that usually is associated with swelling of the joint; often worse with the use of the joint or weight-bearing
Positional discomfort	Discomfort that occurs with a particular position; a single movement can relieve the discomfort
Frequent unconscious foot or leg movements (hypnic jerks, foot-tapping, leg-shaking, nervous movements)	Not preceded by abnormal sensations or an urge to move the leg; often without conscious awareness of the movement
Akathisia	Generalized restlessness not localized to the legs and occurring without a circadian pattern; often associated with dopamine receptor antagonist or as a feature of Parkinson disease