Restless Leg Syndrome Treatment

One restless leg syndrome treatment is massage therapy. Massage therapy benefits restless leg syndrome (RLS) and other sleep disorders. Let's look at what RLS is and the benefits of massage therapy on it.

Restless leg syndrome (RLS), also known as Wittmaack-Ekbom's syndrome, is a neurological disorder that most commonly affects the legs but can affect the arms and torso also. It has even been known to affect the phantom limbs of amputees. The condition causes what is described as an itching, tingling or tugging feeling that gives the sufferer an overwhelming urge to move his legs. Movement helps relieve the sensation temporarily, but it soon returns once the activity stops.

This condition doesn't just disturb sleep. It can also make it quite uncomfortable for sufferers to sit still. The constant need they feel to move their legs can disturb many aspects of life. The syndrome does become worse as you rest and in the evening. It also becomes worse when laying down. This ultimately causes problems sleeping.

Researchers are unsure what causes RLS. The condition seems to run in families and overlaps other conditions. It's not uncommon for people with anemia, renal failure who are on dialysis, peripheral neuropathy, and attention deficit disorder. Some women develop it during pregnancy. Some people develop this condition as a negative reaction to a medication they are taking.

Medication is sometimes used to treat RLS, but they often have bad side effects, including nausea, dizziness, low blood pressure and suddenly falling asleep during the day. It is best to treat the underlying conditions. Once these conditions are dealt with the RLS should go away.

Have your iron levels checked for anemia. If you are having kidney problems follow your doctor's advice strictly. If your RLS is a reaction to a medication you take for another condition talk to your doctor to find out if you can switch to another medication.

Massage for RLS

Doctors often recommend self-massage as a restless leg syndrome treatment. Sufferers are told to rub their legs up and down and squeeze them when they feel symptoms. This method does ease the discomfort that makes you want to move your legs. It is quite simple to do.

You don't have to use massage lotion or oil to massage your own legs. You can massage them through pants but it is usually easier to massage them through thin pants than through blue jeans.

Usually much of the tension you experience when you have RLS is in the calf muscle. While sitting, you can bend over and grab calf muscle with both hands. Your thumbs are on the front of your leg and your fingers are on the calf muscle. Use your fingertips to massage by moving them back and forth on the muscle. Move down the leg of the muscle toward the ankle while moving your fingers back and forth. Repeat this several times. Now use one hand to grab the thickest part of the calf muscle. Squeeze it and pull it away from the bone. Repeat this several times also.

If you get RSL in your thighs also you can use the same technique for those muscles. Repeat the massage as needed throughout the day.

If you start to feel discomfort in your legs while sitting it is also helpful to straighten your knees and make circles with your ankles. Rotate them a few times one way and then the opposite direction. This simple movement can act as a quick restless leg treatment when you can't massage your legs.

While self-massage does help getting a professional massage helps ease symptoms even more. Methods like trigger point therapy, myofascial release, and reflexology can be used to ease the tingling sensation.

Natural Restless Leg Syndrome Treatment

You can also make some lifestyle changes that will help with your restless leg syndrome treatment. Smoking aggravates the symptoms of RLS as does caffiene and alcohol. Avoiding these substances will lessen your symptoms.

As with most conditions eating a balanced diet and staying well hydrated will also help get rid of your symptoms. A deficiency in folic acid can cause RSL. Add foods that are high in folate to your diet. These foods include:

• spinach
• calf's liver
• pinto beans
• lentils
• garbanzo beans
• kidney beans
• turnip greens
• collards greens

You could also be lacking B vitamins in general so supplementing with a B complex could be useful.

If you are interested in herbal medicine there are a few herbs you can use to help treat RLS. One of the best ways to deal with the vitamin deficiency that may be causing your problem is by drinking daily herbal infusions. Nettle infusion contains a lot of iron. You can also drink oatstraw infusion for calcium and magnesium. Infusions are good because they provide the nutrients your body needs in a way that is easily accessible. Because the nutrients are in the water they are very easy for the body to absorb. Find out more about how to make herbal infusions.

If you feel like making infusions is too difficult you can eat more vitamin rich foods and supplement with the necessary vitamins.

• B complex
• magnesium
• calcium

Having too much iron in your body can be dangerous. Talk to a doctor before taking iron supplements. You should have your blood tested regularly if you are taking iron supplements to make sure you don't have a toxic level of iron in your body.

Try taking a warm bath before going to bed to help you sleep. Warming the body up in the bath will help calm your muscles making it easier to sleep through the night.

I hope these natural solutions to RLS are helpful for you in your search for a restless leg syndrome treatment.

Products You May be Interested In

Restless Legs Syndrome: The RLS Rebel's Survival Guide

Restless Legs Syndrome: Coping with Your Sleepless Nights (American Academy of Neurology)

Restless Legs Syndrome: Relief and Hope for Sleepless Victims of a Hidden Epidemic