Restless Leg Syndrome May Herald Iron Deficiency

In particular, the treatment of iron deficiency is important in female patients of reproductive age. Although those with chronic diseases such as diabetes and kidney failure have no chance to eliminate their disease, it is important to minimize metabolic problems in order to control symptoms.

Restless leg syndrome is a disorder that is quite common in the society, especially in the evening hours, and can be experienced during the day in the later stages of the disease, and causes complaints such as pain and tingling in the legs that occur when resting. Typically, the person has the urge to move their legs, swing and sometimes get up and walk to eliminate this discomfort. In this way, when the patient whose complaints disappeared, he / she rests again or when he / she lies in bed.

Associate Professor Ülkü Figen Demir from Yeni Yüzyıl Hospital Gaziosmanpaşa Hospital Neurology Department gave information about 'restless leg syndrome' and said this disease may also be a precursor of iron deficiency. Stating that 50% of the people with the disease have a family history; He also drew attention to the presence of pathologies such as kidney failure, diabetes, anemia, iron deficiency, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, spinal cord injury, and neuropathy.

Its incidence in the community is around 10%. It is slightly more common in women than in men. Although symptoms can be experienced at an early age, symptoms become evident especially in the 40-50s.

The reason for today is not entirely clear. However, the theory of dysfunction of a substance called dopamine in the body is one of the most widely accepted theories. When questioned, most of the patients indicate the presence of relatives with complaints similar to their own. According to the results of the studies conducted, approximately 50% of the patients have a family history.

Restless legs syndrome sometimes occurs without an underlying detectable cause. In a group of patients, there are pathologies such as kidney failure, diabetes, anemia, iron deficiency, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, spinal cord injury, and neuropathy. Apart from the diseases listed, pregnancy can be counted among the factors that increase the severity of the disease.

Unpleasant sensations such as pain, numbness, tingling are mostly seen between the knees and feet, but are rarely felt on the arm. Although initially it can be felt unilaterally for a while, it becomes bilateral over time. Typical features are that the symptoms increase especially in the evening hours and decrease with moving and walking. Due to this situation, activities such as cinema and theater that need to sit still can become challenging.

All of these have both physical and psychological repercussions and result in sleep disturbances. So much so that sometimes the main complaint of patients is not being able to fall asleep, and when questioned accordingly, it is understood that the main diagnosis is Restless Legs Syndrome.

In the treatment, if an underlying reason can be determined, the treatment of the disease is the basis. In particular, the treatment of iron deficiency is important in female patients of reproductive age. Although those with chronic diseases such as diabetes and kidney failure do not have a chance to eliminate their disease, it is important to minimize metabolic problems in order to control symptoms.

In cases where these basic approaches are insufficient, drug therapies come to the fore. The most used and most effective drugs are some agents used in the treatment of Parkinson's disease or epilepsy. The disease generally tends to progress and the drugs used may become ineffective after a while. For this reason, it may be necessary to keep the most effective alternatives to the later stages of the disease as much as possible, and if the drug becomes ineffective, it may be necessary to switch to the other agent and pause that treatment for a while.