Thought i'd get the ball rolling in here with a few things that i've tried and found helpful:
I've found that massage (swedish) has been a great way to help me relax when I've been having trouble with my RLS. I usually get my back, neck & shoulders done, but during the worst times a good leg massage has helped enormously.
I was referred to a CranioSacral therapist in January this year when I was at my absolute lowest point since being diagnosed in June last year.
CranioSacral Therapy (CST) is a gentle, hands-on method of evaluating and enhancing the function of a physiological body system called the craniosacral system - comprised of the membranes and cerebrospinal
fluid that surround and protect the brain and spinalcord. Using a soft touch generally no greater than 5 grams, or about the weight of a nickel, practitioners release restrictions in the craniosacral system to improve the functioning of the central nervous system.
I have had about a dozen sessions and each time (bar one when I was too emotional from having been to three funerals in a row) I have come away feeling ever so relaxed and little by little my sleep patterns were improving. During one session when my legs were going "hell for leather" we "discovered" a particular spot about where the occipital bone meets the cervical vertebrae. After about 10mins of gentle manipulation on that spot, my legs had virtually stopped!! Needless to say we've marked that spot with a great big "x" (invisible one that is!).
I hijacked my dad's home gym set and it's now set up in our spare room. It gets a good workout when my symptoms are such that all I want to do is stretch the bejesus outta my leg muscles.
The idea about "taking your mind off your legs" is not as dumb as it sounds. I took up scrapbooking late last year and the time I spend concentrating on putting pages together (sometimes hours) completely takes my mind off my legs. Reading a really gripping novel has also been known to help when I'm having trouble.
Well, that's about all I can think of for now.
Nadia
28/Qld/Aust
Massage & CranioSacral Therapy...amongst other things...
Massage & CranioSacral Therapy...amongst other things...
Nadia
My philosophy is simply this: Life is too short to be diplomatic. Your friends should not care what you do, or say; and for those who are not your friends ... their loss!!!
My philosophy is simply this: Life is too short to be diplomatic. Your friends should not care what you do, or say; and for those who are not your friends ... their loss!!!
Chinese Herbs
Nadia,
I've recently started something that an accupuncturist prescribed for me: an herbal supplement called "Corydalis Formula" made by Golden Flower Chinese Herbs (Placitas, NM); each tablet contains 600 mg of Corydalis yanhusuo rhizome extract, Paeonia lactiflora root, and Glycyrrhizae uralensis root. I only started it last week so it's too early to tell if this stuff is any good, but it seems to help when I do take them three times a day.
Have you ever heard of anyone else who'se tried this?
By the way, I've been to Queensland twice and I LOVE your forests there.
I've recently started something that an accupuncturist prescribed for me: an herbal supplement called "Corydalis Formula" made by Golden Flower Chinese Herbs (Placitas, NM); each tablet contains 600 mg of Corydalis yanhusuo rhizome extract, Paeonia lactiflora root, and Glycyrrhizae uralensis root. I only started it last week so it's too early to tell if this stuff is any good, but it seems to help when I do take them three times a day.
Have you ever heard of anyone else who'se tried this?
By the way, I've been to Queensland twice and I LOVE your forests there.