Acupuncture for RLS

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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carlguhman
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Joined: Sun Jun 23, 2013 2:53 pm

Acupuncture for RLS

Post by carlguhman »

I have had problems with RLS since back in the 80's, but it had worsened in the last five years to nearly every night. I tried stretching, yoga and a couple of medications for RLS but got only brief temporary relief. Sleep would come after I reached a point of total exhaustion. Then, while being treated with acupuncture for cancer pain in September, I asked the Oriental Medicine doctor if we could try acupuncture on the restless legs. This took a little "head scratching", as it was a new complaint for this acupuncturist, but it worked. For the last 5 months I have slept 7 hours a night with only bathroom interruptions: more sleep than I've had in years.
This was an "off label" use of the acupuncture, which had originally been prescribed by my oncologist for another reason, but I was floored by our success. My case is not a double-blind study, I know, but I was at a point of desperation, and not getting any help from more conventional means. I think acupuncture is well worth looking into, if you are open to another type of medicine.

badnights
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Re: Acupuncture for RLS

Post by badnights »

One person I know of (I think it as andreadrea on this board) has had success with acupuncture. She posted here a couple of years ago. She went regularly and if she missed, the symptoms returned. A few others have had wishy-washy success (it feels a bit better, get some relief, that sort of thing). There was also a person using a Mad-1 which could be said to simulate acupunture, who said it relieved her symptoms completely. Seach for Mad-1 in the Search box.

The difference may be in what points are used for the needles. If anything about acupuncture is correct, the needles have to be in places that relate to the ailing part of you; if they aren't, they can't help. So possibly, the many recipients of unsuccessful acupuncture (at least 20 I know of from this and another forum) had an acupuncturist who mis-understood the disease and put the needles in unhelpful places.
Beth - Wishing you a restful sleep tonight
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I am a volunteer moderator. My posts are not medical advice. My posts do not reflect RLS Foundation opinion.

Polar Bear
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Location: United Kingdom

Re: Acupuncture for RLS

Post by Polar Bear »

I tried acupuncture for WED/RLS without success - but have to also say that it also did not help my sore shoulder which was the reason for my initial attendance.
Good treatment of this sort would rely on the talents of the individual acupuncturist.
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

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