Periodic Limb Movements of Sleep (PLMS)
Periodic Limb Movements of Sleep (PLMS) is another disorder that affects the limbs during sleep. It frequently interferes with the person's ability to get a full night of restful sleep. It has previously been called nocturnal myoclonus. Movements appear after sleep onset that can be seen and recorded in one or more limbs either individually or can occur on a unilateral or bilateral basis. They occur in runs of muscle contractions and can be strong enough to cause the limb to move and in rare cases to cause a flinging or jerking movement that can wake the patient or can disturb their bed partner. Generally speaking people with RLS have some degree of PLMS but patients with PLMS do not necessarily have RLS.
Is this a serious condition?
It is a potentially life-threatening condition that may require immediate medical attention. The risks of undiagnosed obstructive sleep apnea include heart attacks, strokes, impotence, irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure and heart disease. In addition, obstructive sleep apnea causes daytime sleepiness that can result in accidents, lost productivity and interpersonal relationship problems. The severity of the symptoms may be mild, moderate or severe.
How does the doctor determine if you have OSA?
A sleep test, called polysomnography is usually done to diagnose sleep apnea. An overnight polysomnography test involves monitoring brain waves, muscle tension, eye movement, respiration, oxygen level in the blood and audio monitoring. (for snoring, gasping, etc.) This is a painless test that is usually covered by most insurance.