The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
A Bar of Soap
Posted by Sal (Fresno, Ca, 93726) on 01/04/2010
★★★★★
Yes. A bar of ivory soap also worked for my RLS. You would have to put a new one every now and then.
Baking Soda
Posted by Mark (Roanoke, Va) on 12/16/2009
★★★★★
Drink the Baking Soda/water. IT REALLY DOES WORK! Allow 10 to 20 minutes and you're good. THANK YOU so much to the original poster.
Baking Soda
Posted by Kristy31 (Highgate, Vt) on 10/28/2009
Do you rub the baking soda and water on your legs or do you drink it?
Blackstrap Molasses
Posted by Alimaacd (New Fairfield, Ct) on 08/06/2009
I have no problem calling something a cure if it does the trick! I have Hashimoto's thyroiditis / Hypothyroidism and my last bloodtest showed low Ferritin which can be a precursor to Anemia. Molasses is one of the high iron suggestions to help increase iron levels. It provides the body with something it needs....that's a cure! Obviously if you are not taking in enough of the vitamins and minerals it needs it will again become deficient.
A Bar of Soap
Posted by Stephanie (Racine, WI) on 07/29/2009
★★★★★
I have used the bar under the sheets as well. I think it is a life saver!!! another trick, if you wear socks to bed at night; you can also use a sliver of soap in each sock. I do this too, when my husband complains about the bar of soap in the bed.
Poppy Seeds
Posted by Anita (Princeton, WI) on 07/29/2009
★★★★★
I have suffered from restless legs for 15 years (since I was started on an SSRI for depression). I could not go off the antidepressant because otherwise I would become unable to work. When I took hydrocodone for a pain condition, my restless legs went away. My doctor tried me on all sorts of medications for restless legs and nothing worked. When I told her that hydrocodone worked, she said "I cannot prescribe that for restless legs or I could lose my license." So, I did some research and found out that hydrocodone, like other opiates are made from poppy seeds. Now I take 1 pound of poppy seeds (you can get from bulk food stores) and mix with 16 ounces of fruit juice. Shake well for 20 minutes. Poke small holes in the top of the fruit juice bottle and drain out the juice. Drink approximately half cup of that juice every night and you will not have restless legs. At least, it works for me. You can use the poppy seeds twice and then toss.
Blackstrap Molasses
Posted by Luis (Cali, Colombia) on 07/13/2009
★★★★★
Dear Barbara:
1. A half cup of soy milk added with 1 tablespoon of blackstrap molasses, 1 capsule of folic acid (1000 mcgr.) and 1 table of potassium citrate (250 mgr.). Use your blender.
2. A strong alcohol massage in both legs (calf), before going to bed.
It is working to my mother, so far. No more sleeping interruptions.
To your best days.
Luis
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Joyce (Joelton, Tn) on 07/13/2009 489 posts
Hello Barbara,
I haven't checked this out personally but have read that putting a bar of ivory soap in the bed gets rid of restlessleg sysdrome. Nobody seems to know how it works but have read where several different people with restless leg syndrome says it works. One of the claimants said you don't even need to remove the wrapper from the bar of soap.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Barbara (Swansea, South Wales) on 07/13/2009
I have just recently been suffering from RSL and it is making my life completely miserable. So I have just been reading all the useful remedies provided by fellow sufferers. Thank you very much. Starting to-day! I am going to have a go. Strangely however I have always dedicated my good health to Cider Vinegar, but in recent times have neglected to do so. I wonder if this is the cause of my nightly suffering. I saw my doctor who gave me pain-killers and sleeping tablets but they are causing other problems like I do not have the energy I usually have. I will start to-day from the beginning of these pages and will let you know in about a week how I have got on.
Thank you all so much.
Barbara from Wales
Exercises
Posted by Faye (Odessa, TX) on 06/25/2009
★★★★★
Can say that I was diagnosed with RLS about 2 years ago. One night I was reading online and noticed that I was hurting in my lower back while sitting. I looked to see what would help that problem and found- 3 -simple exercies and when I did those I slept all night long. It seems that the lower back is related to Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS). I do also believe that a lack of minerals and folic acid and Vitamin D3 are also needed but the exercises doing them 3 to 6 times a day about a minute and I sleep all night long. This works whether I take the vitamins and mineral or not as sometimes I get lazy about taking pills all the time and can go weeks before I take the supplements again. But the exercises are simple: 1-Rotate the Hips as in trying to use a Hula Hoop. 2-Twist the upper body 3-Do squats with the knees as low as possible and do all of this no more that 1 minute for all 3 exercises. Do this a minumin of 3 times or more as needed.
Avoid Artificial Sweeteners
Posted by Julia (Brooksville, FL) on 06/07/2009
Glen, Look into Aspartame and artificial sweetners and you'll see why diet drinks, as well as many other things that contain this product are not good for you. I use Stevia. It's a natural sweetner, not a chemical. You can find it online, or in your local health food store.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Gail (Melbourne, Victoria Australia) on 04/29/2009
★★★★★
RLS
I believe the recommended dose of vinegar for weight loss is 2 teaspoons in 16oz of water sipped throught the day I don't know if this will be enough for rls if not do it 2 or 3 times throught the day but also rub your legs with the vinegar, I get almost instant relief from this. Hope it works for u too. Gail
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Alice Curt (Seale, Alabama) on 04/28/2009
I am new to the site. I have had restless leg syndrom for MANY years now and take medication for it. I DO NOT like the side effects. I see where many people are talking about acv. I have severe rls and would like to know how much acv and water to mix? Also what time of day should this be taken? I can not take naps either because if I take a pill to sleep I am no good for the rest of the day.
I am a 59 year old female, about 5ft6inches and weigh 180, I would also like to try the acv for weight lose. Any suggestions?
Thank you for your time,
Alice Curt
Blackstrap Molasses
Posted by James (Burlington, VT) on 04/27/2009
I've seen support groups on the net that are actually fronts for pharmaceutical and other special interest groups. So if you signed up for one of these groups, you'd see that they are actually promoting a medication for restless leg syndrome and giving negative press to effective and much cheaper home remedies. Why else would someone want to beat the whole Not a Cure drum here?
Rubbing Alcohol
Posted by Nancy (Shreveport, LA, U.S.) on 04/27/2009
★★★★★
Since I am seeing more posts about Restless Leg Syndrome, I thought I would share with all of you as a possible solution. I was telling a friend about the Earthclinic web site and she told me she once had restless leg syndrome. She said remembers how releatives used rubbing alcohol for horses legs. She thought, why not and rubbed her legs with it. The next day and to this day she has had no more symptoms. I don't have personal experience with this but I thought I would throw it into the mix to see if anyone else had tried it.
Blackstrap Molasses
Posted by Joyce (Joelton, Tn) on 04/27/2009 489 posts
Hello Donna,
Hope you didn't have a visit from the FDA that has you so cautious about using the word "cure".
If you can remove symptoms of a problem with vitamins, minerals or supplements, I call that replacing something that you are not getting from your diet, not a cure. Of course if a deficiency is the problem, then you are going to have to continue to take the vitamins, minerals or supplements that help unless you alter your food intake to supply what you are deficient in. When you alter your diet to include what you are missing, I call this improvement in nutrition which in turn gets rid of the problem of a deficiency. However your body is most likely going to require certain vitamins, minerals, etc. so the only cure is to alter the diet to supply the required nutrients. The general consensus today seems to be that our soil is so depleted that it is next to impossible to get all our bodies need from fruits & vegetables grown in it. However it seems that our Supreme Being is doing a better job of rebuilding the soil in the woods than our farmers are (organic farmers are learning to do a better job of it) because the "critters" living in the wild seem to be quite healthy.
Iron and Potassium
Posted by Donna (Brattleboro, VT) on 04/27/2009
Of course, it goes without saying to check with your doc before starting ANY supplements. It is not actually low iron that can cause RLS, but low Ferritin stores. I have not seen anyone mention this.You have to ask for the Ferritin test, not just an iron test. It all depends on how your brain assimilates the iron, and stores it. Your iron level is another whole test. and, that would be why Molassess helps because of all the iron in it. Remember one "cure" that works for one person, will be troublesome for the next one. using the word cure with RLS is a misnomer, as there is no cure. Like there is no cure for diabetes. You can control the symptoms at times for RLS, but not cure it.
Blackstrap Molasses
Posted by Donna (Brattleboro, VT) on 04/27/2009
Be very careful what you call a "cure". something may help you with your symptoms, nbt by no means is it a cure. If you stopped taking the BSM your RLS would come back, so that is not a cure, it is a method of treating RLS for SOME people. what works for one person does not work for the next person. people should use the word CURE sparingly and carefully. Insulin does not CURE Diabetes, but it controls it. Way different than a cure.
A Bar of Soap
Posted by Donna (Brattleboro, VT) on 04/27/2009
★☆☆☆☆
Good Morning, I would just like to mention that I moderate 3 online supprt groups for RLS and sleep disorders. I do have SOME members (under a dozen) who swear by the soap thing. I think almost all of us have tried it at one point or another when we were desperate. Out of 1500 members, I would say that soap may work for 6 of them. I am not putting it down, but most of us need more than soap to keep the RLS at bay, and our sleep partners from getting kicked, if you have PLMD. It is most certainly a trial and error thing, treating RLS, and we just have to keep plugging away.
Thanks!
Magnesium
Posted by Mary (Douglasville, Georgia, USA) on 03/28/2009
I have found magnesium supplements at bedtime work like a charm. However, they also loosen the bowels a bit, but nothing uncontrollable.
Selenium Deficiency Trigger
Posted by Rich (Boca Raton, Fl) on 03/28/2009
★★★★★
Restless Leg Syndrome: I have a theory on this one, that this disease, RLS, exists in the animal world with a different name. WMD - White Muscle Disease.
Somebody on here with this disease will eventually get a blood test. I propose that someone with RLS tests for Selenium Deficiency.
A Bar of Soap
Posted by Rita (Plano, TX) on 03/19/2009
★★★★★
I had never heard about putting the bar of soap at your feet but I have put soap on a wet paper towel and rubbed it on my legs at work. It works wonderful. I am so glad someone told me about it. It's awful when you are trying to work or sleep and can't because of RLS.
Baking Soda
Posted by pro8688 (Vincentown, NJ) on 03/17/2009
★★★★★
Baking soda cured my RLS (Restless Leg Syndrome).
Up to now, I have used a 500mg magnesium tablet and it worked for several years...take a tablet and 20 minutes later no more RLS.
Lately, it isn't working as well, so I came back to EarthClinic.
I tried the baking soda... one quarter teaspoon in a half cup of water...it worked fine...30 minutes and no more RLS.
What a blessing to have this site to reference!
Horse Chestnut
Posted by Carl (Studio City, CA) on 02/22/2009
★★★★★
Horse Chestnut tabs from a health food store will relieve symptoms of RLS in some people. There is some evidence that insomnia and RLS may be secondary to folic deficiency. People with a family history of RLS may benefit from taking 5-10 mg per day of folic acid. However, those taking folic acid should make sure they are receiving at least 500-1000 mcg of vitamin B12. Also, consult a physician before using folic acid if you have epilepsy as folic acid interacts with some epilepsy medications and can trigger a seizure in some people. Obviously, from the discussion, different people benefit from different supplements and treatments. One should experiment carefully until you get it right.
Folic Acid
Posted by Pamela (New Smyrna Beach, FL) on 02/19/2009
★★★★★
Folic Acid cured my inherited Restless Legs. My mother also had restless legs. I am 47 years old and I have had restless legs in the evening for about 10 years. I couldn't sit on the couch and try to relax or take a long car ride at night without my legs going crazy twitching. It's only been in the last year or so that it has actually affected me in bed while I'm trying to sleep. It progressively got worse until it was keeping me awake for most of the night. That's when I realized I was not going to take this lightly anymore. I have done research and tried many things over the years, but when you read so many things some of it just goes over your head. The folic acid connection was one of the things that just kept going over my head. So when I looked deeper into it recently, I started seeing many accounts of how folic acid deficiency can be inherited. Some people just cannot absorb and utilize folate effectively and that can be an inherited problem. I looked deeper and learned that some of the signs of folic acid deficiency, aside from restless legs, are periodontal disease (my mom had it in her mid thirties and had all her teeth removed), poor circulation (my hands & feet are always cold), and even Alzheimer's (my mom contracted Alzheimer's in her mid sixties). I read that if this is the case with you that you need to supplement with high doses of folic acid. I bought the 800 mcg tablets and started with just a couple of them at a time. I have built up to taking 15 of them at night before bed and my restless legs are no more. I can hardly believe it, but it's true. It took about a week or two for it to completely disappear and if my body adjusts to this dosage and it comes back, I will just continue to increase my dosage as necessary. I am a firm believer in healing ourselves with natural products and methods. I have used much information from this wonderful site to improve and cure my problems.
I'd like to add that EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique), which is a form of self-applied acupressure, has also helped me greatly. Used correctly, it will stop the twitching in your legs. For me it was only temporary because of the folic acid deficiency, but it was a huge help to me in the middle of the night when I couldn't get to sleep because of my restless legs. I hope this can help someone else who struggles with this problem.
