It is not uncommon for new Greenville, Spartanburg and Anderson area patients to visit us with abdominal, flank, chest, or groin pain that remains undiagnosed. It is particularly frustrating when their previous doctors failed reveal a source. To the afflicted, self-doubt and then depression may set in.

For many, examination of the somatic system (muscles, nerves and ligaments) can hold the answer. Most of us understand that one sign of a heart attack is referral of pain into the chest wall and left arm. There is not as much awareness that musculoskeletal problems including Neck Pain, Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, and Myofascial Syndrome can cause similar complaints, including an initial impression that the heart is the source, when in fact it is not. Similar examples exist for abdominal, pelvic, flank, and groin pain.

Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a sensory-motor (movement) disorder characterized by uncomfortable sensations in one or both legs, which are worse during periods of inactivity or rest or while sitting or lying down. There is often a positive family history of the disorder. The symptoms of RLS may begin at any stage of life, including childhood, adolescence, or adulthood; however, the disease is more common with increasing age.

Fifty percent of patients report that discomfort in the legs prevents them from getting a good night’s sleep. Those with severe symptoms may sleep for only a few hours each night and, as a result, experience excessive daytime sleepiness. Increasing difficulty falling asleep and maintaining sleep is usually associated with a worsening of RLS symptoms.