Trembling, stinging, itching, tingling, heat or pain are some of the complaints that people with restless legs syndrome suffer from. They mainly occur when at rest. This explains the difficulty in initiating and maintaining sleep, as approximately 80% of sufferers make periodic limb movements during sleep. These jerks typically occur every 20 to 30 seconds at night and often result in prolonged interruptions to sleep.
Precisely to inform and talk about their daily life, the Spanish Association for Restless Legs Syndrome (Aespi) will hold in Alicante some open days with doctors and patients on the occasion of World Day, celebrated on September 23rd organize.
As part of the event, round tables will be held in which the disease from a scientific perspective and the everyday life of those affected by this neurological disease will be discussed. A disease that “affects between 3 and 10% of the Spanish population,” explains Purificación Titos, vice president of Aespi. And it’s a big unknown because “up to 90% of patients don’t know they have this disease,” he adds.
This is despite the fact that it is an important cause of insomnia. In fact, the symptoms of this disorder significantly affect the quality of life of patients.
Chronic lack of sleep leads to fatigue and reduced ability to concentrate during the day. This greatly influences these people’s professional and family lives as well as their state of mind.
As for the cause, this disease may be hereditary. It can also be the result of another disease that, if present, worsens the underlying syndrome. Anemia and low blood iron levels are associated with the symptoms of restless legs syndrome, as are chronic diseases such as peripheral neuropathy and kidney failure.
