Near Infrared Light treatment

Please share your experiences, successes, and failures in using non-drug therapies for RLS/WED (methods of relief that don't involve swallowing or injecting anything), including compression, heat, light, stretches, acupuncture, etc. Also under this heading, medical interventions that don't involve the administration of a medicine to the body (eg. varicose-vein operations, deep-brain stimulation). [This forum contains Topics started prior to 2009 that deal with Non-prescription Medicines, Supplements, & Diet.]
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ellenis
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Joined: Tue Nov 19, 2019 9:12 pm

Near Infrared Light treatment

Post by ellenis »

Hello,

I just joined this discussion board and have already found many of the postings very useful. I've been suffering from RLS for many years, but kept it under control with mindfulness meditation breathing exercises. Then, suddenly a few months ago it became unbearable. I've tried Gabapentin (up to 600 mg) which didn't work and I'm now on Mirapex (.25 mg at bedtime) That's somewhat helpful, but not good enough. I did a search in Google Scholar recently and found a couple of studies that showed promising results with the use of special near infrared light devices. That last study was published a few years ago and there doesn't seem to be anything more recent. Has anyone in this group tried such a device? If so, did you have any success with it? I'd love to find some non-pharmaceutical treatment option to supplement or replace the drug options, since all of them seem to eventually lead to awful side effects. Thanks so much for reading this. I'm looking forward to your responses.

Best,

Crazy Feet

Polar Bear
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Re: Near Infrared Light treatment

Post by Polar Bear »

I am unaware of Near Infrared Light Treatment for restless legs. Possible other members may have heard of it.
If you wish to try non pharmaceutical options... I do know that some sufferers have tried using a tens machine with varying ranges of success. At least one of our members has been quite successful.

Most of us have tried the hot or cold baths/showers, magnesium. etc. If you take a look at the Non Prescription Forum you will find relevant information.

Gabapentin at 600mg is still quite a low dose. You are now on Mirapex .25mg. Have you discussed with your doctor taking the Gabapentin and the Mirapex together. Although I do understand that you would prefer not to be taking medication.

Also, have you had your ferritin serum level checked, this is pretty important and really should be done before prescribing a DA such as Mirapex or Ropinerole. It is a blood test that is not normally done with routine blood works and you need to ask for it. This tells and approximation of the level of iron stored in your brain – and that is what is important to us sufferers of WED/RLS. We need a level of around 100, especially if we are taking a DA drug such as pramipezole/mirapex or ropinerole. When getting the results of this test please ask your doctor for the actual level = do not accept ‘normal’ as an answer. Doctors and Labs may consider 20 to be normal… but it isn’t normal for us.

This book is wonderful, it is easy to read and can be used for discussion purposes with your doctor.
Clinical Management of Restless Legs Syndrome by Lee, Buchfuhrer, Allen and Hening. Make sure to get the second edition. These Authors are at the top of the league when it comes to the treatment of WED/RLS. It can be found on Amazon.
Betty
https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/a ... 0/fulltext
Opinions presented by Discussion Board Moderators are personal in nature and do not, in any way, represent the opinion of the RLS Foundation

ellenis
Posts: 4
Joined: Tue Nov 19, 2019 9:12 pm

Re: Near Infrared Light treatment

Post by ellenis »

Thanks for your detailed response. I found several promising sounding studies on near infrared light treatment for RLS, so I was hoping some members of this group might have tried it out. All the studies turned up when I searched both plain Google and Google Scholar. They all sounded like they were done by legitimate medical facilities and the success rates - using a variety of over the counter devices were very high. So I think I may pursue this on my own and report back on my results.

I have nothing against medication but the options for RLS seem pretty grim. Gabapentin made me feel awful, Mirapex is somewhat helpful, but apparently there's a strong possibility that in the long run it will make the situation much worse. Opioids seem to be effective and the risk of addition is probably low for treating this condition, but in practical terms, who's going to prescribe them for long term use?

I've also tried CBD tinctures with and without THC, with no success

I did get my ferritin level checked and although I have to look up the exact number it was in the ball park of 100.

So for now, I'll stick with Mirapex as long as it keeps the situation under control and look further into near infrared light.

Rustsmith
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Re: Near Infrared Light treatment

Post by Rustsmith »

ellinis, there are two ways to get a doctor to be willing to prescribe low dose opioids for RLS. The first and simplest is to go to a doctor who is highly knowledgeable in treating RLS. The RLS specialists all understand the value of opioids in treating RLS and the very low risk that patients face. The second way is to find a doctor who is willing to learn and then to educate them of the safety and need for this line of treatment. The book that PolarBear gave is a good place to start with that and there is a paper that was published in Jan 2107 in the Mayo Clinic proceedings with a title that is something like "the appropriate use of opioids in the treatment of refractory restless legs syndrome". The combination can be effective so long as the doctor has an open mind and isn't under political or policy pressure from a clinic or hospital.
Steve

https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/a ... 0/fulltext
Opinions presented by Discussion Board Moderators are personal in nature and do not, in any way, represent the opinion of the RLS Foundation, and are not medical advice.

badnights
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Location: Northwest Territories, Canada

Re: Near Infrared Light treatment

Post by badnights »

HI
I got a portable NIR device about a year ago - probably more now. It is a MedLight 630 Pro. If symptoms are mild, it is moderately to mildly effective. The variability might be because it is hard to keep the light on the place I need it.

The unit is designed to be held. There is an air vent that not be covered, but it is exactly opposite the light - the light is on one side facing your body, the vent is on the other side facing away. Both are at the very end of the unit. So if you want to strap it on, there's nowhere to strap it except under the light, whereas it would be best to strap it right over the light, to hold the light on the place you want. Strapping offset from the light levers the light away from the body, depending on the contours of the place you're trying to treat. Mostly I want it on the front of my ankles, and it's just about impossible to hold it there with straps.

Besides that issue, there is the issue that I would like to treat both legs at two different places each, which could only be done with 4 units and 4 plugins. And many straps and it would all be rather ineffective because you can't strap over the vents.

I did notice that if I treated one leg, the other one seemed to respond as well. Wierd.

It was not effective if I was having real symptoms. Only if I felt the onset of mild symptoms.
Beth - Wishing you a restful sleep tonight
Click for info on WED/RLS AUGMENTATION & IRON
I am a volunteer moderator. My posts are not medical advice. My posts do not reflect RLS Foundation opinion.

ellenis
Posts: 4
Joined: Tue Nov 19, 2019 9:12 pm

Re: Near Infrared Light treatment

Post by ellenis »

Thanks for your post. You're the first person I've heard of who's actually tried NIR treatment and it sounds like it might be promising. The units I'm considering can stand up by themselves or can be hooked on to something, so placement wouldn't be so difficult. Also, they may be more powerful, which could make a difference. I'll be making a decision soon on what to buy and once I've tried it out for a while, will report back to the group on how it worked.

badnights
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Joined: Tue Mar 10, 2009 4:20 pm
Location: Northwest Territories, Canada

Re: Near Infrared Light treatment

Post by badnights »

I'll be interested in your results.

I looked into it before but my brain is fried these days so I can't remember what I "learned". iirc, the near-IR light might somehow counteract the suspected hypoxia (low oxygen) that somehow is involved in causing WED/RLS symptoms. Clear as mud...
Beth - Wishing you a restful sleep tonight
Click for info on WED/RLS AUGMENTATION & IRON
I am a volunteer moderator. My posts are not medical advice. My posts do not reflect RLS Foundation opinion.

ViewsAskew
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Re: Near Infrared Light treatment

Post by ViewsAskew »

I remember looking it up, too, but not what I found. I seem to recall that it was promising, and that there was something that made it a bit less straightforward - no idea if that was price, consumer quality units/vs professional, where/how to use, etc.
Ann - Take what you need, leave the rest

Managing Your RLS

Opinions presented by Discussion Board Moderators are personal in nature and do not, in any way, represent the opinion of the RLS Foundation, and are not medical advice.

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