Stating that RLS, which disrupts the comfort of life of the individual, can lead to serious problems in the following years, experts point out the importance of early treatment. RLS, which frequently occurs in pregnant women due to iron deficiency, can often be confused with rheumatism.
Üsküdar University NPISTANBUL Hospital Neurology Specialist Prof. Dr. Sultan Tarlacı said that Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS), which impairs the quality of life of the individual, can lead to serious problems in the following years.
ALSO OCCURS ON LONG JOURNEYS
Stating that Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) is not only a disorder that disrupts the comfort of life, but also a neurologically based disease that will cause serious problems in later years, Prof. Dr. Sultan Tarlacı said, "The general picture of RLS is as follows: Often some people get up as soon as they go to bed at night, rub their feet, even get up and put them in the basin. Or they pacing between rooms at home at night. Often this can also occur as soon as they go to sleep or during long bus rides that limit movement. Sometimes it occurs when sitting still for a long time in a movie theater and the person has to leave the theater. In such people, there is a feeling of restlessness in the feet, a desire to move, a desire to stretch and pull. Sometimes the patient may have difficulty identifying it. The most prominent and dominant sensation is the 'irresistible urge to move'. When this desire to move is intense, it seriously affects falling asleep and sleep quality. Sleepless nights are added one after the other."
AFFECTS SLEEP QUALITY
Stating that RLS may appear as a neurological disease whose effects increase with advancing age, Prof. Dr. Sultan Tarlacı said, "When the history of the person's disease is listened to, these leg restlessness usually occur in the evening hours and in progressive cases, after prolonged immobility during the day. Moving the legs partially relieves the discomfort. This is why most RLS patients have difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep. In addition, these people may experience leg movements like dancing at certain intervals during sleep."
OCCURS FREQUENTLY DURING PREGNANCY
Prof. Dr. Sultan Tarlacı also gave the following information about the causes of the disease: "Although the cause is not known exactly, it is accepted that RLS develops as a result of decreased iron intake from the blood in some parts of the brain and decreased effect of the neurotransmitter called dopamine. The disease frequently occurs in women during pregnancy. This is usually due to iron deficiency. Every woman with RLS should have her blood iron measured and if it is low, it should first be raised. Iron elevation alone can relieve the symptoms. Sometimes, even if iron is normal, loading iron or raising it further can improve the symptoms. There is also a family history of RLS and this is usually a complaint that persists for years."
CAN BE CONFUSED WITH RHEUMATISM
Stating that the disease is treated, Prof. Dr. Sultan Tarlacı stated that the disease is compared to rheumatism and said, "Drugs that increase dopamine levels and are used in the treatment of Parkinson's disease are also effective in the treatment of RLS. However, when these drugs are given to patients, patients generally find this situation strange. They ask, 'Do I have Parkinson's disease? However, it is the first effective treatment of RLS in the world and Dr. Şevket Akpınar from Izmir was the first to realize that these drugs were effective. Akpınar informed the scientific world in 1985 with his research that the drugs used in Parkinson's disease are very good for RLS. Since then, neurologists around the world have been using the same treatment. There may be patients who do not respond to this type of treatment and other groups of drugs are used in these patients, but the specialist must decide which drug to choose. In general, it is a disease in which both patients and physicians smile with treatment. However, patients may have to live with this disease for years as they often go to other physicians thinking it is rheumatism rather than a neurologist."