Article – Thoughts can Heal

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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eliza
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Joined: Thu Nov 30, 2006 5:56 pm
Location: Washington State

Article – Thoughts can Heal

Post by eliza »

http://www.parade.com/articles/editions ... s_Can_Heal - Accessed 4-21-08

This is a link to an article in the Seattle Times, Parade insert (March 9, 2008, Thoughts Can Heal Your Body by Robert Moss). It was interesting to me as an RLSer because it noted that studies showed Parkinson’s patients had increased dopamine levels even if they just thought they’d had treatment. Dopamine is also a main issue with RLS.

The quote: “In a recent study, Parkinson’s patients who were given fake surgery or fake drug treatments produced dopamine (a chemical their bodies lack) in quantities similar to those they might have received in a genuine intervention. Medical research has suggested that 30% to 70% of successful treatments may be the result of the patient’s belief that the treatment will work.”

So, I thought I’d give it a try. While squirming with horrible RLS in church, I insisted to myself that my brain was simply playing a cruel joke on me and that the RLS thing wasn’t real at all. I imagined dopamine squirting across the synapses and flooding my brain. Well, as long as I was concentrating on this with all my might, my symptoms did subside. The downside is that it took a huge effort to maintain focus on the dopamine. Each time I was the least bit distracted my symptoms returned with a vengeance. By the end of the service, I was emotional and had a terrible headache. (I rarely get headaches).

So, it did work, but the effort was huge, I was left emotionally unstable, and I couldn’t pay any attention to the service anyway. I decided my oxycodone works way better. :- ) Sometimes if I’m in a spot, I do resort to intense visualization though. It can get me by for a few minutes but that’s about all I can manage.

Eliza

ViewsAskew
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Post by ViewsAskew »

Eliza, I wonder if that is in some way related to people whose RLS gets better without medical treatment. For years, the doctors have noted that many people "cure" their RLS for periods of time, yet what they are doing or using doesn't work on anyone else...that makes doctors feel that what we have wasn't real :?

But, maybe somehow our actions (whether it's soap in the bed or candles or essential oils or lotions) trigger some increase in dopamine inadvertently. Hence, the RLS goes away....
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.

Terrytunes
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Joined: Mon Feb 25, 2008 10:05 pm

Post by Terrytunes »

How interesting it worked. But there was the Catch 22, right? You couldn't concentrate on your chruch service with or without your rls meds, right? That's my Catch 22 also. The other one for me is that when I do take my Requip for church, I tend to fall asleep. Catch 22!! It doesn't happens as much now, but so much better with my meds, I decided. I feel like it's better to take the meds, especially for chruch services and sleep, so that I can get the most out of both of those events. When it comes to controling my rls, those are the two most important events for me.
I have to qualify my above comments, my rls isn't as bad as that of others that post on this board. I don't have pain with it, and I can control it with Requip. I know others have a terrible time with their rls. I'm glad my rls is the least of my health problems. I wish I could control my rls with my mind. Most of us probably could if we could sit at home all day and just concentrate. Unfortunately life happens: we work, go to school, raise children, we go to church, we go to parties, and so on, and so on...

I'm not saying EVERYONE with rls should use meds. We do what we need to do to control it, or what options are left. For some of us we don't use meds, others have one that works, others use a cocktail of meds. The thing I love about this board is that nobody (so far) if judgemental as to "meds or no meds." We do what works for us, some of us (like me) are often open to trying some "no meds" options. Most of them don't work for me, but it doesn't hurt to try them, right. If they work then I found something that works.

TT

Scarlett46
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Joined: Wed Jun 04, 2008 6:43 pm
Location: Michigan

Post by Scarlett46 »

This is totally what Dr. Bernie Siegel's books are about...

Years ago, when I was in the military, bored, and needed a book to read; I met someone who introduced me to Dr. Bernie Siegel. He is an oncology surgeon who also believes in the healing power of the mind. Very interesting. Very moving. Changed my outlook on life, really. It didn't matter that (at that time) I had no connection to cancer... this can apply to everything. Positive thoughts render positive results more often than not. And the same for negativity.

Anyway... short on time here, but this post reminded me that it's been a while since I've read one... Maybe I need to pick one up again!
"After all... Tomorrow is another day!"

ViewsAskew
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Post by ViewsAskew »

That's sort of related to The Secret or What the Bleep, too.

In terms of The Secret, all those thoughts keep us in a certain place or from a certain place. We don't realize how we self-sabotage.
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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