Does any one have any non-drug treatments for Restless Leg Syndrome?
Saturday, March 14th, 2009 at
3:45 am
PurpleAnkh asked:
I am 29 weeks pregnant and CANNOT get a decent night’s sleep. I am incredibly uncomfortable and exhausted. I obviously can’t take any medicines for this. Does anyone have any suggestions? I totally cut out caffeine now, and I am taking my vitamins, walking, and eating right.
I am 29 weeks pregnant and CANNOT get a decent night’s sleep. I am incredibly uncomfortable and exhausted. I obviously can’t take any medicines for this. Does anyone have any suggestions? I totally cut out caffeine now, and I am taking my vitamins, walking, and eating right.
Tagged with: Restless Leg Syndrome • Sleep • Vitamins
Filed under: Restless Leg Syndrome
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I heard drinking tonic water helps, it has quinine in it.
The doc’s don’t prescribe it any more.
Go to the RLS.org website. They have a publication on RLS and pregnancy. Also, get your ferritin tested – it may be low (anything under 50 is low for someone with RLS).
RLS is commmon in the last trimester. There are no perfect non drug methods, but here are some that people say work (oh, and tonic/quinine helps cramps, not RLS.)
-warm or cold bath (not too hot cus of the baby)
-massage legs
-wear support hose or wrap legs in Ace type bandages
-change the hours you sleep for now if you don’t work – go to bed after the RLS stops (if it does). It stops for many of us at 2-5 AM and we can sleep well after than for several hours
-make sure you’re not taking something else that is making it worse (check out rlshelp.org for a list of OTC things that can make it worse)
If all else fails and you truly are miserable, you can take opioids. Yes, the baby will go through withdrawal, but he or she will be safe. It’s only used when the RLS is truly awful, but some women go days without sleep, which is potentially worse for her and the baby.
Good luck.
Here are some ideas from the Mayo Clinic:
Lifestyle changes
Making simple lifestyle changes can play an important role in alleviating symptoms of RLS. These steps may help reduce the extra activity in your legs:
Take pain relievers. For very mild symptoms, taking an over-the-counter pain reliever such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others) when symptoms begin may relieve the twitching and the sensations.
Try baths and massages. Soaking in a warm bath and massaging your legs can relax your muscles.
Apply warm or cool packs. You may find that the use of heat or cold, or alternating use of the two, lessens the sensations in your limbs.
Try relaxation techniques, such as meditation or yoga. Stress can aggravate RLS. Learn to relax, especially before going to bed at night.
Establish good sleep hygiene. Fatigue tends to worsen symptoms of RLS, so it’s important that you practice good sleep hygiene. Ideally, sleep hygiene involves having a cool, quiet and comfortable sleeping environment, going to bed at the same time, rising at the same time, and getting enough sleep to feel well rested. Some people with RLS find that going to bed later and rising later in the day helps in getting enough sleep.
Exercise. Getting moderate, regular exercise may relieve symptoms of RLS, but overdoing it at the gym or working out too late in the day may intensify symptoms.
Avoid caffeine. Sometimes cutting back on caffeine may help restless leg. It’s worth trying to avoid caffeine-containing products, including chocolate and caffeinated beverages such as coffee, tea and soft drinks, for a few weeks to see if this helps.
Cut back on alcohol and tobacco. These substances also may aggravate or trigger symptoms of RLS. Test to see whether avoiding them helps.
Stay mentally alert in the evening. Boredom and drowsiness before bedtime may worsen RLS.
Stretch out your day. Begin and end your day with stretching exercises or gentle massage.
Don’t fight it. If you attempt to suppress the urge to move, you may find that your symptoms only get worse. Get out of bed. Find an activity that’s distracting. Stop frequently when traveling.
Rise to new levels. You may be more comfortable if you elevate your desktop or bookstand to a height that will allow you to stand while you work or read.
Seek help. Support groups bring together family members and people with RLS. By participating in a group, your insights not only can help you but also may help someone else.
Try The Bowen Technique. Am in the process of learning it and it is a very appropriate for pregnancy. Only go to a fully qualified practitioner. The coccyx procedure can be used near time of labour but not before as it will help to deliver the baby (mentioned for info only). Other than that it is safe and very gentle. It really works wonders!
I can’t say I have prior knowledge of the following association but you could try ‘ligament calcification’ for a list of therapists in the US. In the UK go to . You can even sign up to be a Case History of someone learning the therapy (again, you do not need to be concerned as it is completely safe), which will be free of charge.
Other than that, MLD is brilliant. I am fully qualified in that (www.mlduk.org.uk for therapists or in The States) and have successfully helped pregnant mums with restless legs using Manual Lymphatic Drainage. Again, only go to properly qualified therapists.
Hope you get some relief soon. Good luck with the rest of the pregnancy.