Does sex help?

[davidadill]

As a man, I have no idea whether this will help women, but I am wondering if any of the men on this site have noticed that sex help delays the onset of restless legs.

[Madlegs1]

Only if it's orgasmic.

[Hidden in reply to Madlegs1]

I beg to differ, I beg for sex too but that's a different story!

I can think of nothing better than sex to treat RLS and I long for the day it can be got on the NHS, although I have a sneaking suspicion I may have difficulty explaining it to the Mrs - lets hope NICE have the guidelines right!

Seriously though as Joolsg says Dopamine is released along with a host of other pain relieving neurotransmitters. Sex, and I am really thinking of intimate sort of stuff as opposed to a quick leg over, is an extremely healing activity. It is exercise, it brings closeness, kills pain, relieves RLS and is a good distraction. It can help alleviate anxiety and depression which can exacerbate RLS too. It's an all round great healing tool with no negative side-effects like many of the drugs we use and the only side-effect is an increase in well-being.

Now that said a quick 'manual release' for want of a better phrase can also bring relief with the release of dopamine and distraction.

It is VITAL that the NHS and NICE pick up on this and include it as a healing pathway... so I can show my Mrs and maybe have to beg a little less

[Madlegs1 in reply to Hidden]

What's to differ?

It only works if orgasm occurs.

Without satisfactory conclusion, one experiences profound ache in the disaffected regions. Male or female.

Tantric sex with prolonged dry orgasmic experience can achieve night long relief from RLS symptoms. But personally, I consider this to be due to extreme exhaustion, rather than overdosing on dopamine.

But I stand to be corrected by my mentor, when I next meet with her.

Tashi.

[Hidden in reply to Madlegs1]

Well I was just trying to be humorous... !!!

In my experience I don't need to orgasm to enjoy sex or have it bring relief for my RLS symptoms. As you say it could be exhaustion but not in my experience - even with M.E. those 15 seconds don't last long enough to exhaust me

I keep telling Mrs raffs she doesn't need to orgasm to enjoy sex but she isn't as convinced as I am

What does Tashi mean?

[Madlegs1 in reply to Hidden]

Slán. 🙏

[Joolsg]

It’s a definite help. Orgasm releases dopamine so it will keep the jumpy legs at bay for a few hours.

[Parminter]

Sex gives you a surge of dopamine, so yes, it would help. Unfortunately, brain chemicals do not hang around for very long.

[Hidden]

Sex doesn't just release dopamine it also releases endorphins, (more potent than morphine). There's quite a few ways of stimulating endorphins e.g. eating chilli peppers.

Sex or chilli peppers is a matter of preference!

[WideBody in reply to Hidden]

But I don't need consent from a jalapeno.

[Jumpey]

YES,YES,YES!

[cordtex in reply to Jumpey]

No no no when you get to my age nothing works, except RLS

[Goldy700]

As Maneva says sex released endorphins which are potent pain relievers. It is interesting why some people get relief with low dose naltrexone as it briefly blocks the endorphin receptors which release a large amount of endorphins when the LDN wears off… It doesn't seem to work for everyone though.

[Awkward_fellow]

I my case, no. It makes no difference. Onset of the night's restless legs starts between 4pm and 10pm (usually the latter, thank goodness). Nothing stops it.

[MumofSam]

Speaking as a woman, yes, sex helps women for exactly the same reason it helps men with RLS. Brain works the same way!

[cordtex]

cant remember what sex was like now being past 80

[Squeakychalk]

Ha ha ha, nice try

[ijsgrandma]

Speaking as a woman with RLS It can work temporarily with an orgasm. But all the years that I was taking Ropinirole (dopamine drug) or Gabapentine, I lost complete interest in sex and an orgasm was impossible. It definitely caused issues in the bedroom. I am in my 70s and thought maybe it was just my age until I became drug free and I realized it was a side effect of the drugs. I now control my RLS with CBD with no side effects at all. Everything works again. 🤣

[travelingannie]

I do find sex helps in fact my husband always ask hows your RLS tonight?

[davidadill]

When a passenger in car or bus or train or airplane, my right leg is restless within 30 minutes. On Sunday night I was a car passenger for four hours without a problem. What I did was to raise my right leg quickly as far as possible 40 times every 15 minutes. Before the trip started I walked briskly for about ten minutes.

During a later part of the trip, I waited until my leg started to feel bad before raising my leg. Even when doing it continuously, that did not solve the problem. Apparently preventing the problem is easier than solving the problem.