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.]
How do you do this? With a TENS unit or massage or something?
As I have trigger points for my RLS, they start at the bone and then through the muscle. I thought it was the nerves but it seems to be more from the tendons. My achilles tendon is a real pain. So if I press on the sensitive area on the bone that stops symptoms, but many trigger points on the bones just aren't reachable.
I've had great success targeting the femoral nerve in the thigh with various things. If you sit on an office chair and cross one leg, it should go numb after a while. There are variations on this you can do without the chair and that stops symptoms for the night.
The other thing is to use a tourniquet and numb the lower leg. This takes a while but works well.
For me it is a distinct process of the trigger point is active, the brain creates the symptoms, and if I can disrupt that signal through the nerves the brain mostly loses interest and moves to another trigger point. Mostly if I only have a few trigger points I can disrupt them and sleep for the rest of the night.
My RLS is from oxalate so my trigger points may be only for RLS from that. But for anyone with RLS if you can do something to the nerves, which is short term mild injury of some sort so they send a signal to the brain, it will mess with the RLS process and should stop symptoms
For me it is a distinct process of the trigger point is active, the brain creates the symptoms, and if I can disrupt that signal through the nerves the brain mostly loses interest and moves to another trigger point. Mostly if I only have a few trigger points I can disrupt them and sleep for the rest of the night.
I've had the exact same experience where using TENS at a very high level specifically placed at exposed nerve points or high levels of compression I can block the signal. Unfortunately for me it always finds somewhere else to go. I was able to block off the whole lower half of my body below my hips but the stupid signal moves to my back at that point and I haven't figured out a way to cut it out there. Can't exactly tourniquet my neck lol. And I particularly hate it in my back. Those muscles don't seem as capable of tolerating the jolt from a flexibility standpoint. Very interesting though, thank you for the info!
... but the stupid signal moves to my back at that point and I haven't figured out a way to cut it out there.
That is very interesting. I use a TENS with EMS that flexes the muscles and if it hits the right spot can create symptoms. I also have nights of chasing symptoms. Anyone with similar patterns to mine I also suggest that they consider oxalate. Although yours sounds different in that I have never had any symptoms above the knee.
I haven't tried what you have done, and well done for finding this out. My RLS can be stopped if I can stretch the muscle trigger point, which is a challenge in the calf due to the biomechanics of the foot which limits the stretch. Awhile back I flexed all my calf muscles for around 5 minutes before going to sleep which was hard work, but worked until I tried something easier and then moved on to something else. I'm currently using a hand held massager mostly, as I go through cycles of using my collection of devices.
The back has the same issue with stretching. My first thought for ideas is one of my favorites, the spiky massage ball. I've heard of people hitting the spot with different balls that they lay on, on the floor the find the spot in the back. The principle is the same that if you can compress the area so the brain gets a signal it can stop the symptoms.
I have had RLS for years and currently have it controlled (mostly anyway) with an opioid prescribed by my wonderful sleep doctor in the Midwest.
I recently underwent a 7-day trial spinal cord stimulator (SCS) for leg/back pain and for RLS. Since I could not stop the opioids due to withdrawal symptoms, I reduced the night dose. After two days, RLS symptoms stopped almost entirely until the device was removed 5 days later! To further verify, I kept the lesser opioid regimen for a few days after the trial stimulator was removed: RLS returned immediately and powerfully.
The "permanent" SCS requires a longer surgery, the leads are not as easy to remove and it requires a sewn-in battery that you charge weekly, so I have hesitated to go to that second stage. Plus I've tried a myriad of things over the years that work well- until they don't. My sleep doctor and pain doctor encourage using the device, but other professional's I've asked do not recommend.
Do you have any thoughts or experiences on this topic? It's a tricky decision to have a stimulator installed in your spine when you have the problems largely controlled. While I'm very grateful for the opioids, I am concerned about the long term ramifications of their use - and dislike the monthly pharmacy/opioid runs. I'm on 30 MG (mme) per day and holding steady.
I have had my stimulator for over a year and a half. It helped but I got diarrhea for two months until we realized that I could not tolerate it at the suggested setting. It did help my back pain.
We had to turn it down, so I still need other meds for my RLS.
You also have restrictions for a couple of months while the area heals. No bending, no twisting, no reaching, no lifting over 5 pounds or so. In other words, nothing that weighs over a gallon of milk.
I don't tolerate any meds at high doses.
I take 1800 mg gabapentin, and .25 mg buprenorphine.
I have severe RLS. It started around 1990.
Good luck.
PS: You also have to turn it off for x-rays, MRI's, airport scanning, etc.
I've stopped the buprenorphine. I'm only taking gabapentin.
When I first got the stimulator I had switched from methadone to tramadol and a muscle relaxant. I was afraid of not taking an opioid.
It's been almost a week since stopping the buprenorphine. I've had no RLS and have been sleeping 8 hours. I also turned up the intensity of my stimulator by one light. (One click) My back had started to ache without having any opioids. It's better today. I'm starting to feel normal. After 32 years of sleep deprivation, I know it's still going to take time.
I am so sensitive to meds. It seems like they work at first, then they begin to cause RLS but I'm not always aware of that. I tended to take more meds.
For me less is better. The stimulator is actually doing it's job. Stopping my RLS.
I recommend the spinal stimulator for RLS.
I had one incident of RLS. I took the buprenorphine one night, Sept 1st. I've turned up the stimulator 2 more times. I haven't taken anymore buprenorphine since that one night. No RLS since.
As my injection wears off, it will be interesting to see what happens.
The injection has helped.
The stimulator is working !!