Cold Baths

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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Sleuth
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Cold Baths

Post by Sleuth »

I just came from my doctor. She said that I should be in a cold room. She said that I should keep my my legs as cool as possible. She said that would help with the night cramps and the other RLS symptoms. I have a very hot apartment, so she suggested I sit in a cold bath for 20 minutes when I come home from a walk and before I go to bed.

Has anyone tried this?

Thanks,

Dale

SquirmingSusan
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Post by SquirmingSusan »

I haven't tried it in the bathtub, but a couple years ago I did sit in an icy cold river for about a half hour. My legs felt great for the next few hours. But there's something much more appealing to me about sitting in a lake or river on a warm day, than sitting in a bathtub full of cold water. But it does help my legs a lot.
Susan

ViewsAskew
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Post by ViewsAskew »

Sleuth, there is an old old post somewhere in this section (occasionally updated) about a method of taking a warm bath or shower followed by icy cold water.


Many people like baths for reducing RLS. Some like 'em hot. Some like 'em cold. Some like 'em hot then cold. And, a few of us don't get any help from them hot or cold...

Try them all. See if any work for you.
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.

Betty/WV
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Re: Cold baths

Post by Betty/WV »

Hi: At times when I was desperate, and ready to scream, I would run the bath tub full of water as hot as I could stand it and sit in it. It would relieve my RLS and I would be able to go to sleep. Sometimes I would be sitting in the tub at 3 or 4 am. At first my husband thought I must be a "neat freak".
Cold water to me doesn't sound very comforting. But I have heard of others using it for their RLS. Whatever works. Wish you success. BETTY/WV
Thanks to rls.org, I have learned so much about my condition. I have received encouragement from my friends here. This is a site I can come to when I am up most of the night, and I vent, and know those who read my messages understand

mackjergens
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Post by mackjergens »

I have always taken hot baths for my rls. yrs ago before meds for rls I at times would take 2-3 hot baths a night just to get some sleep. I have never tried the cold water bath.

You might try Calcium/mag vits for the night cramps, as they are really not part of rls.

Polar Bear
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Post by Polar Bear »

Yes, before I took meds for my symptoms, I used to sit with my feet/lower legs in a bucket of icy cold water for about 20 minutes, and splash the water up my legs. This helped for a while, to try to get to sleep.
Betty
https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/a ... 0/fulltext
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Wayne
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Location: Virginia (USA)

Post by Wayne »

Maybe it's just me, but wouldn't sitting in an icy cold bath or river tend to decrease the circulation and numb the extremity that was in the water (hypothermia)?

If you're in long enough to where the numbness sets in I'm sure you're brain isn't worrying about RLS symptoms at that point, so yes you could feel some relief.

I wouldn't be worth it for me to jump into an icy cold body of water unless I was trying to save someone (or myself if the boat was sinking or on fire).

Warm baths, swimming pools and such for me, thank you

Polar Bear
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Post by Polar Bear »

Feet/lower legs in a bucket of cold water is only a big 'shock' for about the first 10 seconds. After that, all it is, is cold. It certainly helped me when I was desperate, and without meds.
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

Wayne
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Location: Virginia (USA)

Post by Wayne »

I guess the nickname "Polar Bear" is appropriate :)

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