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.]
Wilhelm Reich was a brilliant psychptherapist who did research into the causes of neurosis in the 1930's and 1940's. He found that it was holding patterns in the muscles that created blockages that strangled the flow of blood and body energy. Reich found that a complete and full orgasm would release these holding patterns and totally free the body from tension.
This was the beginning of somatic psychotherapy. More modern approaches use movement, body energy work(reiki, cranial sacral therapy and others) in conjunction with verbal therapy so that the work can be done with the help of a therapist.
I have begun working with my 2 month old rls in a few of these modalities and am hopeful I can reduce my symptoms(day and night ) or eliminate them.
My thanks go out to all of you who take the time to post your helpful thoughts on this board. Knowing we are surrounded by caring and empathic beings makes my load a little lighter.
Steve
I use requip an neurontin, take herbal supplements
I have found that orgasm completely relieves my rls symptoms for a short amount of time. It's a great sleep aid when I can achieve it with sex at the end of the night and fall asleep blissfully. Maybe it releases extra dopamine, maybe it's the euphoria. I dont know but I'll take it! What better way to find relief and get to sleep at night. My fiance is up for physical therapy whenever I need it
The light of a good character surpasseth the light of the sun
It defintely releases brain chemicals - happy ones! And, since we know brain chemicals are involved (and things like opiates, which also stimilate happy brain chemistry help us) this probably is somehow related to why it helps many. I wish it helped me. It usually is neutral, but once actually made me GET RLS. No fun, no fair.
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.
I read some literature that claimed that rls symptoms "disappear" while sexually engaged, and that has been true to my experience as well. I have even left work a few times because I felt like I was going to cry in my office from the rls and couldn't communicate with anyone because I was having an anxiety attack associated with the relentless rls. I left work and came home and masturbated, and that got me through the terrible symptoms for long enough to relieve my anxiety attack. The problem is that as soon as the sexual act is over all of the symptoms come back as strong as before. I do not have a very active sex drive (not on any anti-depressants, just always been low in this area) so it's hard for me to want to engage with my partner. I started taking female libido supplements, and those things not only helped my sex drive but also my mood and, I think possibly, my rls. More sex = less rls, to me. Hope it works for you!
) or eliminate them.
