Does Heat trigger RLS?

[thorp]

I have severe restless legs and sever PLMD .I take 250 mg pregabalin and 2mg rotigotine every night

My symptoms dont normally start until around 2130

But I have also arthritis in my knees and last night around 1800 the pain was so bad I decided to use a small heat pad ( about 2 foot by 3 foot.) I placed this pad around my knee

Within 2 minutes I was jerking away badly

But as soon as I removed the heat pad, after one last jerk, everything. was quiet again.

Until 2130 again of course

Has anyone else had experience of heat triggering RLS

And if so, does. anyone know why heat triggers this horrible disease?

[ChrisColumbus]

Yes, heat pad/hot water bottle can trigger my RLS (if I'm on the edge, e.g. if I've had too much sugar in the evening). I've had to stop using even in the depths of winter just in case.

On the other hand, there was a post just the other day where several members were completely the opposite, and found that a heat pad diminished or stopped their RLS.

Both heat and cold can be a distraction; I guess there may also be a physiological and/or circulatory action.

But I'm just guessing I'm afraid!

[Madlegs1 in reply to ChrisColumbus]

It just shows how individual a thing, RlS is.

Everyone seems to have a different experience to relate.

Stress does seem to be a common trigger. Does heat or cold constitute stress?

🥵🥶

[ChrisColumbus in reply to Madlegs1]

Possibly I guess. Stress affects dopamine levels and dopaminergic neuronal activity in the mesolimbic dopamine system.

But personally, I've always felt that circulation issues contribute to my RLS.

I could imagine that as applied heat will increase the circulation of oxygenated blood to an area this could possibly ease RLS.

But heat works adversely for the OP and for me - so what's that about?

Cold can cause the heart to work harder and blood vessels to narrow, so that the heart can focus on pumping blood to the brain and other major organs. Iadecola's 'Neurogenic control of the cerebral microcirculation' talks about the close association between dopaminergic terminals and cerebral blood vessels...

But it's too long since I studied any kind of science so I'm probably postulating nonsense!

[Strike26]

Hi - this is yet another RLS “yes and no” answer (for me, at least). In Winter cold affects both my restless legs and sciatic problem. I get temporary relief by standing against a wall heater. In Summer, even on the hottest days, the slightest draft will trigger the jerking. There are no definitive answers that apply to all - you can only try to adapt and hopefully find your fix.

[Truthsword]

Well, we are all different! It makes me better. Hot epsom salts soak, electric blanket....much better! Air conditioning on my legs. Bad idea. But coffee helps me sleep too!

[Edengirl58]

When I started with rls in my 40s I used alternating hot and cold water bowl in night to put my feet into for about a minute each. However now 20 years later I just use the cold water ( and Gabapentin 300 mg) and then prop my feet on a cold water bottle raised pillows. I recently tried the hot/ cold alternating method one night and the symptoms set off raging immediately - so it’s obviously cold for me these days.

[SueJohnson in reply to Edengirl58]

Since you still need to use cold water why not increase the gabapentin? 300 mg is just a starting dose.

[Edengirl58 in reply to SueJohnson]

Thankyou Sue, and for all really useful advice and support you give to this forum.

I had my first iron infusion 5 weeks ago, (no effect as yet) and am due for a neurology review on 1st March, so I’m just keeping things as they are for now.

I rarely have a night without rls but interestingly have a bad cold at present and have had two consecutive nights rls free! I think there is a name for one condition taking precedence over the other? I’ve experienced it before with other things. Conversely I have long covid, since March, which has made my rls worse- the long covid medics told me they’ve seen people who’ve started with rls since they developed long covid.

[SueJohnson in reply to Edengirl58]

Your ferritin increases when you have a cold which is probably why your RLS is better.

[Edengirl58 in reply to SueJohnson]

Ah yes of course - I guess it bodes well for iron infusions as seemingly related to ferritin in my case.

[Hidden]

Heat , especially from a hot calms the RLS within a few mi utes. I take A hot bath before sleep which does not seems to delay the onset of RLS, but when it starts up a hot bath or shower will settle it down, but doesn’t seem to stop it from returning. I start with RLS with 45-60 mi utes of falling asleep and it last until 3:30 -4 am. I’m not sure if I have serial RLS episodes or I simply am able to sleep for a short time during a continuous episode. Sleep for me is a series of short naps. I usually can fall get a cumulative 4-6 hours depending on how early I get to bed. The sleep is severely fragmented and the architecture abnormal.