I am confused, they operate on your legs, I thought it was to do with your brain sending out signals so why would you operate on your legs. I have restless legs all over one side off my body from my neck to my ankle.
We are indeed desperate. Off to work just now, will watch video later. These surgeons are just doing what they are taught - cut and sew! They've got a right to make $$££€€. Some early research:
I'm not sure. Had nerve compression surgery in 1981 in both wrists for bilateral carpel tunnel syndrome. Worked like a charm. Have had no nerve pain, numbness or tingling in my hands since then. 38 years and counting. I'd like to see more research and info. Something definitely to think about. I think I vote for the brain/nervous system. IMO RLS is only psychological to those who don't have it! And if chemical wins out then BIG Pharma can come up with a drug that may or may not work but will be very expensive and they will make lots of MONEY!!!
phantom RLS is a real thing. My sister works with paralyzed veterans, and amputees, and the amputees have wicked phantom RLS. That proves it is the brain.
It is to do with the brain, so any site offering to do an operation on the legs for RLS (seriously??) has no idea as to what RLS is all about. Unfortunately, there are those out there who wish to profit from us poor sufferers. It’s insulting!!
There are various reasons for RLS; not just a Neurological chemical reason. Yes it can be from a Dopamine deficiency, but it can also be caused by a low Ferritin (iron) level in the blood or from pressure on the nerves in the lower legs which can result in neuropathy or restless leg syndrome as Dr Anderson suggests, or a combination of these things. Just as not all the symptoms are the same, so not all causes are the same and there have definitely been people who have benefited from this surgery. Dr Anderson is located in Fort Collins CO and is a very good foot and ankle surgeon. Most of the people he operates on have RLS symptoms only in the lower legs so you probably would not be a candidate for his surgery.
No, low Ferritin is definitely a cause, as is low Dopamine. Pressure on the Peroneal nerve or on the Soleus sling in the back of the calf can also cause RLS. I think we all just want to better understand this awful problem so as to alleviate it.
RLS is neurological. And we dont have low dopamine, we have enough dopamine, it just that it doesnt transport to where its needed. And having some type of operation on your lower limbs for RLS, never heard of such a thing. !
Pay no attention to those doctors who say they can "cure" you with surgery. It is like the vein clinics advertising the same thing. It is all about the $$$$ They have been saying for 30 yrs that "surgery can help" well. have not seen ONE person that surgery every helped with RLS. RLS is neurological. That is why it can affect the whole side of your body.
I've RLS mainly in both legs, but when one of the Anderson Podiatry docs did some foot surgery (cyst removal from a joint) on me a few years back, with the operation starting late afternoon, my RLS started kicking in. Even two OR assistants couldn't hold me still. They brought me to twilight so I could help hold my leg/foot still. And while that worked, my upper body started the RLS jive. I've also noticed that when "trapped" for many hours on overnight international flights or even longer late afternoon domestic flights, when wiggling my legs and feet when seated in the airplane seats didn't provide enough relief, wiggling my upper body helped. Given that, despite my living where Anderson Podiatry has their practice, I'd not assume something that may have some basis in leg-related movement, isn't really triggered by something in your brain - and thus unlikely to offer much in the way of relief. Thus, despite my primarily lower-body-based RLS (90% of the time that's where it "hits" me), I'm not pursuing that very local-to-me option (I live in the same town where Anderson Podiatry has their practice). But with so much RLS up in the air as to causation, maybe for those whose RLS is very very localized and possibly the result of specific nerve or circulatory impingement in the legs, it might offer some relief. Until I had the "upper body" wiggle, I'd not realized that I had the issue anywhere other than in my legs and so at that point, I had been considering the Anderson Podiatry surgery.
There are conditions that mimic RLS. so probably people think its RLS they have. RLS is always usually in the legs altho other parts of the body can be affected, like arms and torso.
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