Q Every night it feels like insects are crawling on my legs, and it gets worse when I stay still. Why does this happen?
A Restless legs syndrome causes unpleasant sensations in the legs along with an urge to move them, typically worsening at rest, improving with movement, and intensifying at night. The main causes are impaired dopamine regulation in the brain and iron deficiency.
Detailed Answer
Restless legs syndrome (RLS) produces tingling, burning, or crawling sensations in the legs when you lie down to rest or sit still, creating an irresistible urge to move them. Moving brings temporary relief, but the discomfort returns once you stop, and it is most severe at night, disrupting sleep.
Herbal Clinic Perspective
In Korean medicine, the core of restless legs syndrome is understood as blood deficiency (血虛) and kidney yin deficiency (腎陰虛). When blood is insufficient, the muscles and nerves of the lower limbs are not adequately nourished, giving rise to abnormal sensations; when the kidney yin is weak, deficiency heat (虛熱) rises at night and aggravates the symptoms. Treatment is based on nourishing the blood and replenishing yin (補血滋陰) using formulas in the Samul-tang and Yukmijihwang-tang families.
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