Does Yoga help relieve symptoms?

[Martyrtothecause]

My new GP thinks that it does and recommends that I try it. Initially, I was quite impressed by how much she know about RLS. However, she then went onto say that she believes that it's all in the mind and that's why I can't find medication that gives long term relief.

[peterk]

That's complete rubbish. Get a new GP. Restless Legs Syndrome or Eakboms disease is a recognised neurological illness with licensed medications especially for it. They are requip, mirapexin, rotigotine. There are other treatments known to help but they are not licensed in the UK. There is gapabentin and pegabalin, there are pain medications if it's painfal. Do some research and take this to your GP. I had this in the early days and my neurologist told me this that they suddenly found out that this illness does exist. If you have periodic limb movements like I do they can confirm it at a sleep centre. In the UK there are only two. Papworth and St Tahomases. They wire you up. Doesn't hurt. Hope this helps

[Hidden in reply to peterk]

ekboms disease !! isnt that where you think you have bugs, not rls !!!

[nightdancer in reply to Hidden]

no, it is Ekbom SYNDROME.

[Hidden in reply to nightdancer]

ok i checked and i was wrong, easy mistake to make, but i know now, and thanks

[peterk]

Sorry I meant St Thomas's in London

[Martyrtothecause in reply to peterk]

Thanks, but I'm pretty well up with all this. Like you I attended St Thomas's when the One Show had RLS as a feature. The first time I met with this GP she really seemedd to know what she was talking about. In fact I pointed her to this site because she showed such interest. So when I went for a second visit I was quite open to the Yoga suggestion. It was as I was leaving she voiced her opinion that it's all in the mind.

Like you say; I should change my GP and I will.

Thanks again for your speedy responce.

[Hidden in reply to Martyrtothecause]

she got that so so wrong..... if it was in our minds then there's thousands of us with it im sure if it was on our minds we'd have been offered some kind of therapy to cure it lol wish it was that simple ....

the fact that she thought no doubt you was out of ear shot when she voiced her own opinion make her wrong ,

Hope you get the help from someone that believes in you

[Hidden]

willis ekbom disease as it is also called not Ekbom Disease as thats's a completly different thingy ,,,,, i used to do yoga and didn't find it help at all in fact quite the oppisite over stretching the muscles i think actually made RLS worst .. same goes to over exercise more you do the worst it can be for you ... even worst if you do it at night .....; think you should see another dr or take some info in for him to read ..... hope you find the right thing to help you

[nightdancer in reply to Hidden]

I do yaog and streatch out my back when I am not crippled up. I bend over backwards on one of those exercise balls and just arch my back as far as I can go. I alwyas feel that where you feel the RLS, any stretching is good, or organized yoga. It is certainly not BAD for you, but it will only hlep you cope, it will not fix or cure anything.

[Martyrtothecause in reply to Hidden]

Thanks for your reply. I actually exercise regularly and hill walk and can't say whether or not the condition is better or worse for the effort. However I appreciate your comment regarding Yoga.. I'll keep everyone posted if, (and it's a big if), I take up the challenge.

[nightdancer]

ok, a few poihnts before everyone goes nuts here.

1. Yes, Yoga and stretching CAN help RLS.

2. Your doctor is an idiot for syaing that RLs is all in your mind. It is officially classified as a nurological disease. I would have walked out of that office, after a little doctor education. I despise DUD's, "deliberately uninformed doctors", and have "fired many."

3. Ekbom SYNDROME is the mental disease where people think actual bugs are crawling under their skin,. That is a psychosis.

4. Willis Ekbom disease is only being used in the US` and Canada for a name change for RLS which is another whole can of worms that will come up in FEb of this year.

5. The key is the word SYNDROME. disease relates to RLS specifically. The psychosis is the EKBOM SYNDROME. See why I hate this whole name change thing and am ready for battle on this side of the pond???? I would love it to stay RLS, and they could call it Restless Limb disease, so RLD would do fine. anything with Ekbom in it brings on this kind of discussion, and the ensuing confusion. that is why Syndrome is being changed to Disease, just to distance us from the psychosis. Remember, syndrome is a collection of symptoms, and disease means a real sickeness, so :"they" say we can get more drugs approved. More drugs will NOT help until they find the CAUSE and the esxoerts quit arguiing about it! all "new" drugs coming out now, are only different versions of the old drugs that do not work for a lot of us, so they have to change their outlook and approach which means getting away from the dopamine theory. One of the long standing RLS experts that I would trust with my life just said that last month. He also said in his book that "some people want to change the name, but until the etiology of RLS is understood a name change is kind of useless". In other words find the cause before we change the name. I wholeheartedly agree with every fiber of my being. And, my own poll of thosands of RLS sufferers agree with this. some RLS web sites claim different results, but my survey and poll was bigger than theirs and not biased one way or another.

[Martyrtothecause in reply to nightdancer]

I've actually put the GP in touch with this site.. I'll check with her at some point to see if she has read the comments. In fact I think I'll print off your reply and actually hand it into her surgery.

Regards

[nightdancer in reply to Martyrtothecause]

coool, just tell her I am sleep deprived with all the typos. Also, you can tell her I have been moderating and researchig RLS since 1997, and I have over 4,00 members in MY groups from 30 countries, plus the other groups like this one where I am just a member. But, I can justify and prove everything I say with science. I have true medical RLS experts in all my groups, so no false info gets out there at all in my area of the internet.

[thedragon in reply to nightdancer]

When you say " get away from the dopamine theory" can you please elaborate...I haven't seen anything about this ....cheers

[thedragon in reply to thedragon]

And can you please tell me more about your other groups....I'd like to have a look for more I.formation ...thanks

[nightdancer]

you forgot about me! I always talk about stretching, and when we have bad RLS we get into really strabge positions, and that is a "kind" of yoga. A moving body, gently is better than an immobile body.

[Martyrtothecause in reply to nightdancer]

As if I forget you! No you're right I feelk stretching does help, but wanted to get more of an overview re Yoga. Cheers!

[Hidden]

Apologies on the error of putting Disease when it's in fact should have been Ekbom syndrome wasn't quite with it should have known better :s

[nightdancer in reply to Hidden]

that is cool!

[Hidden]

Wow what a crap ignorant doctor . Get rid of bad of bad rubbish and that doctor is just that we have enough crap in living with restless legs . I would of done the same as night dancer and walked out and reported the doctor as it clearly states on the NHS website what it is and treatments available . Thank god my doctor is great . There are good doctors out there , look for one and don't get disheartened . Yoga is great for restless legs so is if I can spell it Ti-chi.

There are so many things that help for some but not for others we are all unique . Anything that helps to still the mind is good too as ths can help you cope with RLS better . Really until they find a cause I don't think they can find a cure . We as sufferers have to find our own way out there . I personally find a lot of things help but only for the short term . I'm soon on to the next best thing to help as the old does not work anymore . I'm new at the meds as Iv not started yet . But I can tell you anything that calms the mind can help you tremendously . It might not help your legs . But good luck anyways .

[nightdancer in reply to Hidden]

Tai Chi really helps with my fibro pain,as it is "gentle" exercise.

[maddymac]

Has anyone tried Acupuncture to relieve RLS IF so does it help?

Maddymac

[nightdancer in reply to maddymac]

YES, and no it does not help 99% of people who try it. I tried it years ago, and you have to keep going and going and there is no end to the appointments and money that will have to come out of your wallet. I SO wish innsurance would cover massage treatmnent though. I could take a lot less meds for my back,neck and legs if that were so. ( again I am in the US)

[Hidden in reply to nightdancer]

Just out of interest. How do u no know 99 per cent if people

That tried it ??? even with all your groups and stuff. I know many who don't know you or go to your groups blogs . So a statement saying

99 per cent of people who try it is a but wacky don't you think .

[nightdancer in reply to Hidden]

That is NOT 99% of ALL people, it is 99% of all my members that I know. Big difference. I am not speaking for the entire world here. I juyts feel like I do n ot have to say EVERY time that this is my personal experience, with my groups with peope I have known for 15 yrs. that is what I we referring to. Of course I cannot speak for all RLSer's, only the ones I know and that is a lot. That's all. a little misunderstanding there! I would not even presumne to speak about people I do not know and or something I have not experienced myself. You seem to forget that I have very severe RLS, and while I am managing all these groups I am having all the same problems you are, except I love my team of doctors because they LISTEN. anyone on this site can tell you that I sopeak from experience, asdo all of us, and we answer to the best of our knowledge, and research piled up since 19976. In no way di I say that I speak for 99% of the people in the whole world which seems t be your issue. I should have siad 99% fo the people "in my groups" ok? And, what I have read for literature, studies and what experts have told me, etc etc. I consult with RLS doctors almost every day, so once agian, I van speak to what I now to be true, what should be true, and I will say if something is questionable, like a treatment.

[thedragon]

Yoga , walking, running working,....anything physical helps me...it's only when I am active that the symptoms go quiet...the activity over rides it. But as soon as I stop....it's back. Personally I don't believe it makes it worse or better ....any movement gives me relief.

[nightdancer in reply to thedragon]

That is the right idea, Dragon! no matter what kind of movemnet and what we call it, movement helps.

[jfward2012]

Movement help, temporarily though. As soon as your brain starts to shut down due to fatigue or lack of stimulation, RLS appears. I can't even sit down to read a book without it starting to annoy me.

[Opie__]

Can't say Yoga helps RL but I love doing it, just because it makes me feel better. I will stretch during the middle of the night if RL is bad. It will help for a while but no cure for sure. Like someone else said, there is a fine line in enough exercise and too much. If I get over 14000/15000 steps a day, that is too much. I do best with 10,000/12,000 steps a day but never at night, always do more intense exercise in morning, only stretching at night.