Restless legs syndrome (RLS) happens during sleep and consists of the appearance of leg movements at regular intervals that may lead to the sufferer waking up briefly, interrupting and disrupting sleep patterns, producing daytime sleepiness and/or insomnia.
The syndrome involves deep, ill-defined discomfort or dysesthesia, normally with pain or a tingling, itching sensation, associated with an irresistible urge to move the affected limbs. This neurological disorder occurs more often in women and in older adults.
The more widely known causes are iron deficiency, kidney failure and peripheral neuropathy triggered by lesions in the nervous system.
To prevent RLS and avoid more serious disorders developing, the doctor will test for blood ferritin levels and rule out causes of polyneuritis such as uraemia or diabetes. The best way of treating this condition is to be referred to specialists in the field and to a sleep unit, as these are the professional teams best equipped to study and treat this syndrome.
