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Restless legs
Category: Brain & Nerves · All brain & nerves symptoms
What it can feel like
Restless legs means an irresistible urge to move the legs, usually with crawling, creeping or aching sensations deep inside them, arriving in the evening and at rest, and relieved — temporarily — by moving or walking. It fragments sleep and is frequently mistaken for cramps or insomnia.
Possible causes
A symptom can have many causes, and most are not serious. The lists below group conditions this symptom can be associated with — common causes first. They are possibilities to discuss with a clinician, not a diagnosis.
Common causes
Restless legs can be associated with low iron stores (even without anaemia), pregnancy (usually the third trimester), caffeine, alcohol, and medicines including some antidepressants and antihistamines.
Other possible causes
Restless legs can also be associated with kidney failure, peripheral neuropathy and thyroid problems. A similar restlessness can be a side effect of medicines used for mental health conditions.
Red flags — when to seek help promptly
- Restless legs with severe sleep disruption and daytime exhaustion
- Restless legs with pallor, hair loss or other signs of iron deficiency
- Leg restlessness with kidney disease or during dialysis
- Restlessness that is one-sided or comes with weakness and numbness
What a clinician may do
A clinician will confirm the pattern (urge, worse at rest and in the evening, relieved by movement) and check iron stores (ferritin), kidney function and medicines. Treating iron deficiency, adjusting culprit medicines, sleep measures and, where needed, specific medicines form the management.
Watch: related videos
Examination and clinical videos from the MedicalVideos.com library relevant to this symptom. Some clinical footage is graphic — that is the nature of a medical video library.
Related guides on MedicalVideos.com
Frequently asked questions
How is it different from leg cramps?
Cramps are sudden, hard, painful contractions you can see and feel as a knot, relieved by forceful stretching. Restless legs is an urge and a crawling discomfort, relieved by voluntary movement and returning when you lie still — no knot, no lock.
Why check iron for a leg symptom?
Iron is essential for the brain's dopamine signalling, which is central to restless legs. Ferritin (iron stores) can be low while the blood count is still normal, and correcting it — when low — is one of the most effective treatments.
Related symptoms — Brain & Nerves
Browse the R section of the A–Z list or return to the Symptoms A–Z hub.