Effective Natural Remedies for Restless Legs Syndrome Relief

Rubbing Alcohol

Posted by Nancy (Shreveport, LA, U.S.) on 04/27/2009
★★★★★

Since I am seeing more posts about Restless Leg Syndrome, I thought I would share with all of you as a possible solution. I was telling a friend about the Earthclinic web site and she told me she once had restless leg syndrome. She said remembers how releatives used rubbing alcohol for horses legs. She thought, why not and rubbed her legs with it. The next day and to this day she has had no more symptoms. I don't have personal experience with this but I thought I would throw it into the mix to see if anyone else had tried it.

Blackstrap Molasses

Posted by Joyce (Joelton, Tn) on 04/27/2009 490 posts

Hello Donna,

Hope you didn't have a visit from the FDA that has you so cautious about using the word "cure".

If you can remove symptoms of a problem with vitamins, minerals or supplements, I call that replacing something that you are not getting from your diet, not a cure. Of course if a deficiency is the problem, then you are going to have to continue to take the vitamins, minerals or supplements that help unless you alter your food intake to supply what you are deficient in. When you alter your diet to include what you are missing, I call this improvement in nutrition which in turn gets rid of the problem of a deficiency. However your body is most likely going to require certain vitamins, minerals, etc. so the only cure is to alter the diet to supply the required nutrients. The general consensus today seems to be that our soil is so depleted that it is next to impossible to get all our bodies need from fruits & vegetables grown in it. However it seems that our Supreme Being is doing a better job of rebuilding the soil in the woods than our farmers are (organic farmers are learning to do a better job of it) because the "critters" living in the wild seem to be quite healthy.

Iron and Potassium

Posted by Donna (Brattleboro, VT) on 04/27/2009

Of course, it goes without saying to check with your doc before starting ANY supplements. It is not actually low iron that can cause RLS, but low Ferritin stores. I have not seen anyone mention this.You have to ask for the Ferritin test, not just an iron test. It all depends on how your brain assimilates the iron, and stores it. Your iron level is another whole test. and, that would be why Molassess helps because of all the iron in it. Remember one "cure" that works for one person, will be troublesome for the next one. using the word cure with RLS is a misnomer, as there is no cure. Like there is no cure for diabetes. You can control the symptoms at times for RLS, but not cure it.

Blackstrap Molasses

Posted by Donna (Brattleboro, VT) on 04/27/2009

Be very careful what you call a "cure". something may help you with your symptoms, nbt by no means is it a cure. If you stopped taking the BSM your RLS would come back, so that is not a cure, it is a method of treating RLS for SOME people. what works for one person does not work for the next person. people should use the word CURE sparingly and carefully. Insulin does not CURE Diabetes, but it controls it. Way different than a cure.

A Bar of Soap

Posted by Donna (Brattleboro, VT) on 04/27/2009
★☆☆☆☆

Good Morning, I would just like to mention that I moderate 3 online supprt groups for RLS and sleep disorders. I do have SOME members (under a dozen) who swear by the soap thing. I think almost all of us have tried it at one point or another when we were desperate. Out of 1500 members, I would say that soap may work for 6 of them. I am not putting it down, but most of us need more than soap to keep the RLS at bay, and our sleep partners from getting kicked, if you have PLMD. It is most certainly a trial and error thing, treating RLS, and we just have to keep plugging away.
Thanks!

Magnesium

Posted by Mary (Douglasville, Georgia, USA) on 03/28/2009

I have found magnesium supplements at bedtime work like a charm. However, they also loosen the bowels a bit, but nothing uncontrollable.

Selenium Deficiency Trigger

Posted by Rich (Boca Raton, Fl) on 03/28/2009
★★★★★

Restless Leg Syndrome: I have a theory on this one, that this disease, RLS, exists in the animal world with a different name. WMD - White Muscle Disease.

Somebody on here with this disease will eventually get a blood test. I propose that someone with RLS tests for Selenium Deficiency.

A Bar of Soap

Posted by Rita (Plano, TX) on 03/19/2009
★★★★★

I had never heard about putting the bar of soap at your feet but I have put soap on a wet paper towel and rubbed it on my legs at work. It works wonderful. I am so glad someone told me about it. It's awful when you are trying to work or sleep and can't because of RLS.

Baking Soda

Posted by pro8688 (Vincentown, NJ) on 03/17/2009
★★★★★

Baking soda cured my RLS (Restless Leg Syndrome).

Up to now, I have used a 500mg magnesium tablet and it worked for several years...take a tablet and 20 minutes later no more RLS.

Lately, it isn't working as well, so I came back to EarthClinic.

I tried the baking soda... one quarter teaspoon in a half cup of water...it worked fine...30 minutes and no more RLS.

What a blessing to have this site to reference!

Horse Chestnut

Posted by Carl (Studio City, CA) on 02/22/2009
★★★★★

Horse Chestnut tabs from a health food store will relieve symptoms of RLS in some people. There is some evidence that insomnia and RLS may be secondary to folic deficiency. People with a family history of RLS may benefit from taking 5-10 mg per day of folic acid. However, those taking folic acid should make sure they are receiving at least 500-1000 mcg of vitamin B12. Also, consult a physician before using folic acid if you have epilepsy as folic acid interacts with some epilepsy medications and can trigger a seizure in some people. Obviously, from the discussion, different people benefit from different supplements and treatments. One should experiment carefully until you get it right.

Folic Acid

Posted by Pamela (New Smyrna Beach, FL) on 02/19/2009
★★★★★

Folic Acid cured my inherited Restless Legs. My mother also had restless legs. I am 47 years old and I have had restless legs in the evening for about 10 years. I couldn't sit on the couch and try to relax or take a long car ride at night without my legs going crazy twitching. It's only been in the last year or so that it has actually affected me in bed while I'm trying to sleep. It progressively got worse until it was keeping me awake for most of the night. That's when I realized I was not going to take this lightly anymore. I have done research and tried many things over the years, but when you read so many things some of it just goes over your head. The folic acid connection was one of the things that just kept going over my head. So when I looked deeper into it recently, I started seeing many accounts of how folic acid deficiency can be inherited. Some people just cannot absorb and utilize folate effectively and that can be an inherited problem. I looked deeper and learned that some of the signs of folic acid deficiency, aside from restless legs, are periodontal disease (my mom had it in her mid thirties and had all her teeth removed), poor circulation (my hands & feet are always cold), and even Alzheimer's (my mom contracted Alzheimer's in her mid sixties). I read that if this is the case with you that you need to supplement with high doses of folic acid. I bought the 800 mcg tablets and started with just a couple of them at a time. I have built up to taking 15 of them at night before bed and my restless legs are no more. I can hardly believe it, but it's true. It took about a week or two for it to completely disappear and if my body adjusts to this dosage and it comes back, I will just continue to increase my dosage as necessary. I am a firm believer in healing ourselves with natural products and methods. I have used much information from this wonderful site to improve and cure my problems.

I'd like to add that EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique), which is a form of self-applied acupressure, has also helped me greatly. Used correctly, it will stop the twitching in your legs. For me it was only temporary because of the folic acid deficiency, but it was a huge help to me in the middle of the night when I couldn't get to sleep because of my restless legs. I hope this can help someone else who struggles with this problem.

A Bar of Soap

Posted by Jack (Hendersonville, NC USA) on 01/11/2009
★★★★★

Took a drug every night at bedtime to ease RLS so I could get some rest. Discovered that the drug would become ineffective after 24 months and then there was no help. Desparation began to mount.

At dinner one night a friend told me about the bar of soap. He was very sheepish because he thought I would laugh. When I didn't, his wife presented me with a bar of Ivory Soap. Used it that night and threw away the drugs. That was 4 months ago. Since then, no drugs, no RLS, and lots of sleep.

I use Ivory Soap unwrapped between the sheets somewhere between the waist and knees. There may be variations that also work but I am not broke so I will not fix it.

A Bar of Soap

Posted by Sammie (Ventura, Ca) on 12/09/2008
★☆☆☆☆

I have restless legs that intesify after a workout. I've tried the bar of soap remedy, and it does not work for me at all.

Multiple Remedies

Posted by Michele (Los Angeles, California) on 10/31/2008
★★★★★

I too have had the creepy crawly sensation, associated with Restless Leg Syndrome. I tried lots of home remedies and finally I am cured but there is not one single remedy that did the trick. A remedy is good for a little while then it is not efficient anymore and I have to use another one for a while. I have listed everything I tried and your readers have to do like me: test them and by trials and errors they will find a few that are good for them.

VERY EFFICIENT FOR ME:
1-Massaging the legs.
-Almond oil is a light oil widely used in the profession but any good oil will work.
-Three places to massage: on the side above the ankle, inside the thighs, vertically all along the back of the calves.
-Tapping gently on the great saphenous vein with castor oil. It runs along the inside side of the thigh.

2-Being warm:
This is extremely important for me: even if I have never noticed that my legs were cold, I have discovered with surprise that my legs need to be warm.
Wearing a pyjama and also sometimes support stockings (but I believe any regular hosiery will do). I have a dawn conforter and a dawn matress pad. If nothing works, I crawl against my husband and the warmth of his body always helps me.

Feet
All the problems of the feet have an influence on the legs.
-Foot bath before retiring with hydrogen peroxide or Epsom Salt or baking soda or sea salt are extremely important.
-I massage lightly my legs, from ankle to knee (in this direction) with the water from the bath.
-I have worn insole in my shoes for more than 25 years. I cannot do without them.

3-Drinking before going to bed
1/2 teaspoon of baking soda in a glass of water
or
Baking soda and cider vinegar (Ted's recipe)
or
Cinnamon and honey in warm water

4-Spiritual healing (reiki or other modalities)
Laying on of hands done by yourself or a practitionner
or
Remote healing sent by a friend or a practitionner.
If you don't know anyone to send it to you, you can contact me and I will do it for you for one or two days so that you can experience it and see if you can get some relief this way. (My pleasure. No charge)

5-Other good aids:
Exercices with legs
Inversion table
Full bath
Magnet anklet
Foot detox pads

NOT EFFICIENT FOR ME BUT IT MAY BE FOR SOME READERS:
Soap in bed
Magnesium supplement
Molasses
In-home professional massage
Sleeping on the floor
Bed in North-South direction
Unplugging everything in bedroom (to avoid the electromagnetic field EMF)
Avoiding digital clocks on bedstand

OTHER IDEAS WORTH EXPLORING
Chi Kong
Tai Chi
Electric massager
Cider vinegar on legs
Foot bath with cider vinegar
Reflexology
Drinking drops of hydrogen peroxide

POSSIBLE ROOT CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM
While massaging my legs, I discovered that there are three places inside the legs that feel hard and painful and benefit immensely from the massage: on the side above the ankle, inside the thighs, vertically all along the back of the calves.

Looking at a chart, I realized these places correspond to the path of the great and the small saphenous veins. Does that mean that Restless Leg Syndrom is a blood circulation problem?

Baking Soda

Posted by Beryl Ann (Washington, DC) on 10/08/2008
★★★★★

First and foremost, I truly "appreciate and thank all of you that are responsible for having and providing this web site, which I have to confess that I became of aware of, within the past couple of days, and as a result of me having felt so overwhelmed, plagued by/with, and was unable to understand what had been happening to me, in terms of all of the discomfort, loss of sleep, irritation and other factors associated with the Lazy Leg Syndrome (rls) in my own case.

As a result, being unable to sleep/rest, feeling very irritated and more, I found myself in dire need of getting some sleep, although I had been/was, once again at this time, unable to sleep, which for me had been the case for numerous days and/or nights now.

Thus, for days, weeks and finally a couple of months now (...and yes, I'd gone to my doctor, including a couple others, explained my rls symptoms, even had some x-rays done, but to no avail), I found myself very sleep deprived, which for me, had really begun to take its toll in some ugly ways, as I became more short tempered with family members, other people, felt tired all the time and a host of other things that I knew had begun to make me a very unlikeable person to be around: I didn't even want to be around me at the time!!!

So, it was out of deep frustration, and feeling as if I would, any day or time now, come to a breaking point/brink of having losing it, because of my lack of being able to get some real rest and sleep during the night, which had begun to, I believe, bother me from an emotional, mental and physical stand point. I needed sleep!!!

Anyway, once again I'd given up my efforts to try and rest/sleep on a particular night, despite the fact that I had gone to bed early, around 8:30 p.m., and according to the clock in my bedroom, the time was already 3:30 a.m.

By the way, on that night, like many others, all I had done while in my bed, for the most part, was toss and turn along with experiencing lots of discomfort, pain, groaning and moaning that was directly associated with the rls that felt as if it was going to never stop, but would, instead continue to get worse.

So, I was up again, sitting at the computer and surfing the web trying my best to not disturb others of my family members, all of whom appeared to, during this time, be into a deep, restful and peaceful sleep, unlike myself.

But, at last I found myself actually smiling while reading your web page, and having come upon a portion related to the ailment of, as well as some of the remedies for rls. Before long I became very interested in all of the information I had read about, as well as absorbed, concerning rls and the use of baking soda to help cure and/or remedy some of the discomfort associated with rls. True, I was extremely non-trusting and found myself unable to believe that most, if any of the remedies/things mentioned on the page I found myself reading would help my rls in any way at all.

Still, there was information dated 08/07/07 from Pat who said he/she resides in Frederiksburg, Virginia, and that he/she suffered with rls and had, as a result, used 1/4 tsp of baking soda in a cup of water, and within 20 minutes her/his legs became calm and he/she was able to sleep!

I do not know if I will ever really know just what made me believe that this same thing, once I got me some baking soda and took it, as described by Pat, that I too would feel some relief, and might actually experience the joy of getting some rest and sleep, but I did believe what Pat had been kind enough to share with me and other readers of that information on your web page, and a result, that very night I found a brand new box of baking soda (I often buy baking soda to use for its many uses, and had recently purchased at least three boxes of it), took some of it, although reluctantly; but actually fell into a deep and restful sleep for the first time in a very long while.
"Thank you so much Pat." I really am grateful to you for helping me out in the matter of the use of baking soda to help ease and/or cure symptoms of rls. You have certainly won my approval, and I am so grateful to you, I might even vote for you as the new President for the USA in the up and coming Presidential election.
Sincerely, Thank you, again, and ever so much for helping me get some relief and sleep in dealing with my episodes of rls by using the 1/4 tsp of baking soda remedy, as described by you in your letter to this web site.

Greateful

Prescription Drug Link to Rls

Posted by Sharin (Seattle, WA) on 10/06/2008
0 out of 5 stars

Guess what kids, one of the major causes of RLS, is anti depressants and over the counter cold/sinus meds. muscle relaxers too. You didn't hear much about RLS until everyone and their brother was on ANTI Ds. Also, a lot of sinus medications, cold and flu meds.

I noticed this as a child, I could not take over the counter or prescribed meds because of those side effects. I decided I would rather have the symptoms of the cold or allergies than the RLS they gave me, back in the 1960s, 70s,80s, they didnt have a name for it, you hardly ever heard of it. But once the whole world got in anti depressents you starting hear about it. Even Nyquil or Benedryl does it to me, flexeril, all that stuff.

So if you have RLS, you might start looking back on when it started and what meds you introduced into your life. I'm not saying you should go off your prescribed meds, but every once in awhile the insert of a medication will now list RLS as a side effect, but not often enough. I hope this info can help someone. Just a thought.

Electric Massager

Posted by Victoria (Santa Barbara, CA) on 09/07/2008
★★★★★

Re creepy crawly leg sensations associated with restless leg syndrome... using an electric massager on the afflicted area of my leg, usually the calf, stops the creepy crawly sensation. This sensation is associated with Restless Leg Syndrome although my leg does not twitch or jump. I experience this sensation in the early afternoon or evening when I am lying down and resting on the couch. When I use the above treatment for about 5-10 minutes, the crawling sensation cycle is broken.

A Bar of Soap

Posted by SoapOpera (Raleigh, NC) on 08/26/2008
★★★★★

RLS --I vote "Yea" to Soap and Yea to Calcium Magnesium tablets. Don't know why the soap at your feet works, but, it does. Immediately. CM tablets also work--when I remember to take them!

Magnesium

Posted by Amanda (Orem, Ut) on 03/20/2007
★★★★★

I have had restless leg syndrome for years. One day a lady suggested magnesium to me. Now I take magnesium at night and find it helps my legs relax and I can get to sleep. My mother also has restless leg syndrome and has been taking medications for it but has had a lot of side effects. I told her about magnesium and now she only needs half the medication that she used to to get to sleep. Hopefully this helps other people.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Posted by Lois (Florida) on 12/29/2006
★★★★★

I started taking apple cider vinegar for the acid reflux , i took one tablespoon with a cold glass of water a day for a week and right away i notice that my legs didn't hurt at night any more, which they have been bothering me for years. i never went to the doctors about it. every night it kept me awake for hours,and i felt like crying thinking i don't want to have to go through this the rest of my life. i started taking aleve or whatever else i could think might work which i don't like taking med. aleve didn't work that good. anyway, the apple cider vinegar did work for me. i did have to quit taking it every day because i only weigh 132 pounds and the vinegar was making me lose weight so now i only do the vinegar every 3 or four days and it is still working. i'm very glad i started taking it for the acid reflux and found that my legs no longer I'm am so thankful. i have no problem going to sleep at night any more. as bad as it bothered me and now that it doesn't, i want every one that has restless legs to give it a try . oh yea i started taking it october 5th 2006. well that is a bout it good luck to any one with restless legs. i know what it is like to have restless legs ,and i hope it works for all who tries it. good luck