Restless Leg Syndrome - Non Drug Treatments

What is RLS

Estimates of five to twelve percent of people worldwide suffer from Restless Leg Syndrome. A recent study found a gene that may be linked to RLS. They also found that low levels of iron were common in RLS sufferers.

Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a neurological condition that is characterized by the compulsion to move the legs, it often manifests it self during sleep.

* You have a strong urge to move your legs which you may not be able to resist.

The need to move is often accompanied by uncomfortable sensations. Some words used to describe these sensations include: creeping, itching, pulling, creepy-crawly, and tugging.

* Your RLS symptoms start or become worse when you are resting.
* Your RLS symptoms get better when you move your legs.
* Your RLS symptoms are worse in the evening especially when you are lying down.

RLS can also cause difficulty in falling or staying asleep which is one of the chief complaints of the syndrome and RLS is closely associated with PLMS, periodic limb movements of sleep . These are jerks that occur every 20 to 30 seconds on and off throughout the night. This can cause partial awakenings that disrupt sleep.

What You Can Do

Distraction

Intense concentration on something other then the symptoms will generally relieve RLS. This was the most widely effective response to the onset of an attack. A period of intense concentration may hold the symptoms at bay for the night or only while you are concentrating. The degree of effectiveness can vary by person and from attack to attack. There are reports that this method becomes more effective over time and with practice.

Stretching / Massage

Some do yoga, others have specialized stretches they like. Firm self massage of the leg's muscle groups also seem to work.

Heat and cold - Using Heat and cold to alter the bodies temperature is reported as working for many . Heat seems to work for some while cold works for others. Alternative hot and cold may be the most effective. Some people report it's enough to go to sleep or get back to sleep. 

Based on reports from suffers of RLs the  Distraction, stretching / massage, and Temperature change, are effective to some degree for most people. However, there seems to be little scientific information as to the effectiveness of treatment other than pharmaceutical treatments. 

This is a summary of posts from a community support forum for people with restless leg syndrome.  Mostly this list just provide a quick list of approaches people visiting the forum have tried to reduce the effect or duration of their symptoms. One thing that can be drawn from this is that massage is one of the most common and effective responses to the onset of RLS symptoms. Yes means that the people trying this approach found it to have some level of effectiveness in their case.

These totals were compiled by the moderator of the community support forum. A small sample but interesting none the less.

Tools used:

Leg massager - III yes, I no
Handheld massager - II yes, I no
TENS unit - III yes, I no

Lotions/Creams/Etc.
Icy Hot - II yes
Absorbine Jr. - II yes
Miracle II neutralizing gel - I yes
Arthricream Rub - I yes
Atomic Balm (used with a barrier first) - I yes

BodyWork

Massage - IIIII yes, II no
Deep tissue massage - II
Reiki - II yes, I no
Ayerveda - I
Motion palpation at chiropractor - I
Acupuncture - I yes, I no
Craniosacral - I
Acupressure - I
Chiropractor - I yes, III no
Vein treatment - I

Nutrition

Supplements - People posting on using supplements tended to use a combination of supplements. Remember supplements can have interactions between each other and a variety of side effects. Medical advice is recommended and necessary when a person is also taking medicines to counteract the symptom's of RLS.

Low levels of iron was reported in one study as a common factor in people suffering from RLS. So it is not surprising that it was reported as one of the more common supplements tried and one of the most effective. It should be remembered that iron as well as other supplements are toxic in dosages that exceed your bodies requirements. 

Iron - IIII yes
Calcium - IIIII yes
All Calm - IIII yes
Tyrosine - IIII yes, III no
Zinc - III yes
Magnesium - III yes, III no
Mucuna Pruriens - II yes
Melatonin, 3 mg - II yes, I no
Calcium, Zinc, and magnesium together - I yes
Valerian root - II yes, I no
NADH - II yes, I somewhat
Cal-mag citrate - II yes
Magnalife - II yes, I no, I for a few days but stopped
Nerve-fix - I yes
FOlic acid - I yes, I no
Gaba 750 - I yes
CoQ10 - I yes
Glutamine - I yes
L-Glutathione - I yes
Ginko Biloba - I yes
Doans - I yes
Variety of calcium/magneisum products - IIII yes
Mannatech - I yes, I no

These are the things people have tried related to diet.

Eliminating aspartame - IIII yes
Follow gluten free diet - III yes
Follow diet for hypoglycemia - III yes
Reduce salt intake - III yes
Eliminate MSG - III yes
Drinking tonic water - II yes, III no
Drink warm milk - II yes
Calorie restricted diet - I yes, I no
Eliminate Splenda - I yes
Juice therapy - I yes
Eliminate dairy - I yes
Drink Red Bull - I yes
Pedialyte - I yes
Eliminate caramel colored soda - I yes

Some antidotal reports.

I have finally after many years.....(It has gotten increasingly worse with age) gotten relief. I started with the calcium/mag, added ,vit B and Omega (for good measure)!!1 can of tonic water+(orange juice for taste) (apparently there's quinine in which helps(my pharmacist's idea) and 1/3 niacin tablet.

I started Calcium and elimated all soda... I found relief with those two simple changes,

Increasing my iron was the difference between a 10pm onset with PLMs and a 1am onset, with milder symptoms and no PLMs.
 

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