Soap & the Restless Leg Syndrome

If you've ever felt tingling, twitching, tugging, aching, burning, cramping, pulling, tenseness or electric sensations in your legs when they're still, you may be suffering from restless leg syndrome (RLS). Not only is RLS uncomfortable, it can interfere with sleep and relaxation. RLS stems from several causes but has no singular cure.

In the search for effective treatments, some who prefer natural and homeopathic approaches claim that a simple bar of soap tucked into the bedsheets can provide significant relief.

Symptoms

• The sensations associated with RLS often begin at night, especially when a person is still. Because of this, RLS is sometimes looked at as a sleep disorder. But one doesn't have to be sleeping or even trying to sleep to feel the effects. Sitting on the sofa, a chair, a car seat or even just standing still can still provoke symptoms.

  Patients with RLS often experience the need to handle their legs. Typically, they don't feel numb or hard cramping, but a number of sensations that draw their attention to their legs and which cause them to move their legs to find relief.

Misdiagnosis

• One common problem with RLS is getting the correct diagnosis. Because the symptoms are similar to those of other conditions, doctors may mistakenly decide a patient has nervousness, stress, insomnia or simple muscle cramps. Patients sometimes find their symptoms are difficult to describe, which adds to the doctor's difficulty in diagnosing.

  It's very important for an RLS patient to give a doctor a full description of symptoms, including sensations, times of day, and activities they are undertaking when symptoms strike in order for a doctor to conclude that the patient has RLS.

Causes

• Of the causes of RLS, iron deficiency is the easiest to diagnose and treat. Simply adding more iron to a person's diet or adding iron supplements can cause RLS symptoms to subside.

  According to the Mayo Clinic, about 50 percent of RLS patients can blame heredity--especially those who experience onset at a young age. Researchers have discovered genes thought to be responsible for RLS.

  Pregnancy may aggravate or lead to temporary RLS in some women. Often the symptoms are worse during the third trimester and subside after the pregnancy.

  Additionally, peripheral neuropathy--or nerve damage in hands and feet--may accompany or exacerbate RLS, as is the case with kidney failure.

Soap

• So where does soap fit into this syndrome? Well, on some websites, such as peoplespharmacy.com and earthclinic.com, people write about putting a bar of soap under their bedsheets as a remedy to reduce RLS symptoms. One writer even admits there is no research on the subject one way or another. It's just shared, anecdotal advice.

  There's no proving soap doesn't work--but no evidence exists that soap does anything more than keep us cleaner.

Clinically Proven Treatments

• There are natural ways to help relieve RLS. Moderate, regular exercise is one. Using hot and cold temperatures is another. For this, you can use either hot packs and cold packs or hot and cold baths. Stretching and massaging legs before bed or when feeling discomfort may also have a positive impact.

  You can also avoid triggers and complicators. Caffeine, for example, is likely to exacerbate RLS. Additionally, some over-the-counter medications, particular cold and sinus medications, can aggravate RLS patients. And just as important, don't move too much or too little. Being confined for too long causes problems, but so does excessive or intense exercise. The middle ground is the place to be.

  If these precautions and personal practices aren't making the difference, doctors can offer a number of prescription medications, including anti-Parkison's medications, opiates, anti-epileptics, muscle relaxants and sleep medications. It may take a doctor several tries to find the medication that works best for you.

Warnings

• RLS can be complicated to diagnose. And once a physician has diagnosed it, it may take awhile to figure out all the factors involved for a patient and the best course of treatment. Every case is different. Be sure to talk to your physician carefully before proceeding with any assumptions about RLS or choosing a treatment method.