Nervous legs syndrome

This is a neurological disorder that affects all ages and both sexes in which patients notice a restlessness in the lower legs and a compelling need to move them to relieve this sensation. This problem affects 5-10% of the adult population and 2-4% of children.

Symptoms usually appear at night when the person is resting, sitting or leaning. For example, when watching a film at the cinema, travelling on a plane or in bed trying to fall asleep.

Symptoms improve with walking or by simply moving the lower legs. This is why patients can suffer from insomnia, since these unpleasant sensations in the legs do not allow sleep at night when lying in bed.

It is associated with situations in which there is a lack of iron, such as iron deficiency anaemia, pregnancy and kidney failure. The disorder can be mitigated with iron supplements (if there is a deficiency in the blood) or various medications such as gabapentin, pregabalin, dopamine agonists, perampanel, and oxycodone/naloxone.