Restless Leg Syndrome Massage Techniques

How To Use A Massager For Restless Legs

The MMF07 foot massager is a flat, vibrating device that offers many benefits, depending on how you use it. It can help with daily relaxation, circulation, and even aches and pains.

So, how can you use this massager for restless legs?

One option is to place your feet directly on it for a therapeutic foot massage. But you can also choose to flip the massager around like this:

With the device set at this angle, you can massage your calf muscles instead of just the bottom of your feet. You can use the massager like this for up to 15 minutes per session, several times per day.

What Is Restless Legs Syndrome

Restless legs syndrome is, likely, something you might have heard of in passing and may even have a rough idea of what it is. However, there are certain factors and details about the condition of which you might be unaware.

Restless legs syndrome is a long-term condition that induces an unpleasant sensation in the legs that causes a nearly irresistible urge to move them. The sensations people feel have been described as tingling, aching, or even crawling in some cases, with the symptoms most often striking when in a resting position. In some cases, even after moving to alleviate the sensation, it would return soon after to plague you further.

RLS can be divided into two categories:

• Primary Restless Legs Syndrome: Primary RLS is an idiopathic condition, meaning that it has no discernible source or mechanism that triggers it. On average, primary RLS usually manifests shortly before you hit the age of 40 and gradually worsens as you age.
• Secondary Restless Legs Syndrome: Secondary RLS is a sudden onset condition after the age of 40, and symptoms present themselves daily. Secondary RLS is most associated as a symptom of other medical conditions or drug use.

RLS can be a nearly unbearable condition to deal with due to the sheer discomfort it can cause. It can even make you feel as though your own body is rebelling against you, but it begs the question of what can cause RLS in the first place.

Clinical Efficacy And Safety Of Massage For The Treatment Of Restless Leg Syndrome In Hemodialysis Patients: A Meta

• 1Department of Nephrology, Beilun Peoples Hospital, Ningbo, China
• 2Kidney Disease Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
• 3Kidney Disease Immunology Laboratory, The Third Grade Laboratory, State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine of China, Hangzhou, China

Aim: We conducted this meta-analysis to evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of massage for the treatment of hemodialysis patients with restless leg syndrome .

Methods: A comprehensive literature search was performed using the PubMed database, EMBASE database , and the Cochrane Library in order to identify eligible randomized controlled trials published before August 31, 2021. After extracted essential data and assessed risk of bias of each eligible study, we calculated the pooled estimate of RLS score and safety after treatment. Statistical analysis was performed by using Review Manager 5.3.

Massage may be a preferred treatment modality for hemodialysis patients with RLS because it effectively reduces RLS symptoms, relieves RLS severity, and does not increase the risk of adverse events. However, future study with a larger sample size is warranted due to the fact that only limited number of eligible studies with small sample size are enrolled.

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Tips For When You Wake Up With Restless Legs

If you wake up with restless legs, you might like to try the following to alleviate the symptoms, and hopefully, get back to sleep:

• Massage your legs with magnesium spray or cream
• Use warm or cold compresses on your leg muscles
• Have a warm bath
• Drink some water or herbal teas. Check out our article about helpful varieties of tea during pregnancy.
• Stretch your legs, and walk around
• Try distracting yourself with a book or activity

For most women who develop Restless Leg Syndrome during pregnancy, its only temporary.

Unfortunately, it might be one of those things you have to live with, but usually, it peaks in the last month of pregnancy and disappears not long after the birth of your baby.

If RLS is causing you to struggle due to lack of sleep, speak to your care provider.

The TRUTH About Natural Birth

• Patient Information

Restless leg syndrome affects about one in five women during pregnancy. RSL is the feeling of needing to move the legs while at rest, and the feeling is relieved by the movement. It is often worse in the last trimester of pregnancy and improves after delivery. For some women it is only a minor discomfort but for other women it can be very disruptive.

Most women will experience RLS for the first time in pregnancy, although women who have had it prior to pregnancy are more likely to have it during pregnancy. The cause of RLS is not clear. Low iron levels is also said to predispose to RLS. It may also be more common in some families.

Tips For Coping With Restless Legs Syndrome

Learning to recognize and avoid your personal triggers can help you manage RLS over time.

Effective techniques for minimizing RLS symptoms vary from person to person. Many people find relief from keeping active throughout the day and using acupuncture, massage, stretching, or relaxation techniques at night. During the day, you may be able to ward off RLS symptoms by keeping your mind busy even when you are sitting still with activities like reading or chatting to a friend.

Though RLS is not life-threatening, the frustration of not being able to sleep well can take a toll on mental health. Cognitive behavioral therapy, support groups, or reaching out to family and friends may provide additional emotional resources for coping with RLS.

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The 11 Best Treatments For Restless Legs Syndrome

• Takeaway

What is restless legs syndrome?

Restless legs syndrome , also known as Willis-Ekbom disease, is a condition that causes uncomfortable sensations, most often in the legs. These sensations have been described as tingly, crawling, creeping feelings, and cause the overwhelming urge to move the affected limb.

RLS symptoms typically occur when the person is sitting, resting, or sleeping, and often happen at night. The movements caused by RLS are called periodic limb movements of sleep . Because of these movements, RLS can cause serious sleep problems.

Some people have primary RLS, which has no known cause. Others have secondary RLS, which is typically associated with nerve problems, pregnancy, iron deficiency, or chronic kidney failure.

For most people with RLS, symptoms are mild. But if your symptoms are moderate to severe, RLS can have a big impact on your life. It can prevent you from sleeping enough, and thus cause problems with daytime focus and thinking, your job, and your social activities.

As a result of these problems, RLS can lead to anxiety and depression. And the longer you have the condition, the worse it can get. It can even spread to other parts of your body, such as your arms .

Here we list the best treatments for RLS. Some of these you can try on your own. Others you can discuss with your doctor, who can help you create a treatment plan to help relieve your RLS symptoms.

Cause Of Restless Legs

So, what are the causes of restless legs?

RLS is a strange phenomenon, and it seems to have countless triggers. Heres what we know so far about what causes restless legs:

• It may have a genetic component.The Cleveland Clinic notes that up to 92% of people with RLS have a close family member with the disorder.
• RLS is also associated with many other underlying conditions. These include iron deficiency, pregnancy, diabetes, kidney disease, and more. (For a more complete list of underlying conditions, be sure to check this page.
• Certain environmental triggers can bring on restless legs. Medications, including antidepressants and antihistamines, can trigger symptoms. Other triggers include obesity, smoking, caffeine, stress, and too little exercise.

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What Causes Restless Legs

The exact cause of Restless Leg Syndrome is unknown, but it has been linked to:

• Iron deficiency and poor iron transport around the body
• Family genetics 50% of RLS is linked to genetic chromosome 12 or 14, depending on the family
• chronic diseases such as kidney failure, diabetes, Parkinsons disease, and peripheral neuropathies
• pregnant women in their last trimester
• people taking certain medications such as anti-nausea, anti-seizure, and antipsychotic drugs.Restless Leg Syndrome

Ruling Out Potential Causes

Before beginning any treatment, it is important to rule out potential causes of restless legs syndrome. This can be done with a medical history and physical examination. Your doctor may also order blood tests to rule out other conditions that may be causing your symptoms.

Some potential causes of restless leg syndrome include iron deficiency anemia, Parkinsonâs disease, diabetes, pregnancy, and certain medications, such as antidepressants and anti-seizure medications.

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What Does Restless Legs Syndrome Mean For My Pregnancy And Baby

There is no need to worry about RLS harming your baby or causing problems for your pregnancy. Your doctor or midwife will likely want to check your iron and folate levels. If either of those are found to be low, they may suggest that you take a supplement. If your restless legs arent caused by a deficiency, theyre simply an irritation to you and not a danger to your baby.

Thats not to say that there are no effects from having to deal with restless legs syndrome. Your general mood and emotional state may be affected during the times that your body feels uncomfortable and agitated. RLS may make it hard to sleep, which can leave you even more exhausted than pregnancy typically does. A lack of sleep at night may make your daytime self less efficient, feel like youre in a fog, or can lead to general irritability.

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Study Showed Medmassager Group Had Most Positive Results

Researchers predicted that all groups would find some relief. Here are the key takeaways from the results:

• Surprisingly, participants using the foot massager alone showed the greatest improvements in their restless leg syndrome severity compared to the no-intervention group. They also got better sleep and felt their quality of life improved.
• Participants using a combination of heat therapy and the massager showed improvements, too. However, these improvements were milder than the massage-only group’s results.
• The heat therapy group reported better sleep quality but didnt experience as many benefits as the massage-only group.
• Participants in every group reported better quality of life, with the biggest improvements reported in the massage group.

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Data Collection And Analysis

2.4.1. Literature selection

Firstly, all literature will be iuputted into EndNote X9 software to remove all duplicate literature. Secondly, to remove the irrelevant literature, the title and abstract will be reviewed by Researcher SQ and YX. Thirdly, the whole text will be read by them to determine whether the researches will be involved in this project. Finally, 2 researchers will conduct cross-check. In case of any disagreements, a third researcher will be present to conduct discussion to resolve them. Figure Figure11 shows the flowchart of literature screening.

Flow diagram of study selection process.

2.4.2. Data extraction and management

The 2 authors will extract qualified data separately, and a third author will intervene to resolve any potential discrepancies. The extracted data covers journal, author information, title, publication time, participant characteristics, sample size, interventions, research methods, primary, and secondary outcome measures, and any adverse events.

Surgery For Varicose Veins

12 ).

Varicose veins are enlarged blood vessels, often in the legs, that overfill with blood. This increased amount of blood can lead to superficial venous insufficiency , which means your body cant properly circulate blood. As a result, the blood pools in your legs.

In a 2008 study, 35 people with SVI and RLS had a procedure called endovenous laser ablation to treat their varicose veins. Of the 35 people, 84 percent of them had their RLS symptoms significantly improved or completely eliminated by the surgery .

Again, more research is needed on this surgery as a treatment for RLS.

BOTTOM LINE

If youre interested in any of these less-researched treatments, ask your doctor about them. Of course, you can try hot and cold treatments on your own, but your doctor can tell you more about the other treatments and whether they might be able to help you.

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Do You Have Leg Pain Cramps Tingling Itching And Aching

A breakthrough treatment is now being trialled at The Haven Healing Centre – come and try for yourself!What is Restless Leg Syndrome ?Who is most likely to suffer?What can I do about my restless leg syndrome?What will coming to you for treatment do for my restless leg syndrome?What can a combination of Lymph Drainage Massage and normal Massage do to help me?Manual Lymph DrainagehereOne last thoughtNote: Experience the wonder of complementary therapy by booking your appointment today. It’s a small investment in yourself, but could be a life-changing experience you will cherish forever.

When Does Restless Legs Syndrome Start During Pregnancy

Although you might notice RLS more at night, it can strike any time when youâre lying or sitting down. Most of the time you wont experience it until later in your pregnancy, during the third trimester.

Unfortunately, the usual treatments for leg cramps flexing and stretching may not work, and prescription medications that might relieve the restlessness may be off-limits during pregnancy.

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What Is Physiotherapy Treatment

Physiotherapists help people affected by illness, injury or disability through exercise, manual joint therapy, soft tissue techniques, education and advice. Physiotherapists maintain physical health, allow patients to manage pain and prevent disease for people of all ages. Physiotherapists help encourage pain relief, injury recovery, enabling people to stay playing a sport, working or performing daily living activities while assisting them to remain functionally independent.

There is a multitude of different physiotherapy treatment approaches.

Is It Safe To Treat Restless Legs Syndrome During Pregnancy

When treating RLS in pregnant patients, however, the treating physician has a responsibility to take into account how the medicine may affect the developing fetus, particularly the risk of congenital abnormalities.There have only been a few of controlled research on RLS in pregnant women.As a direct consequence of this, the majority of the data supporting the efficacy of therapies comes from individual case studies or limited case series.

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Give Your Legs Some Much

Have you ever had it happen where you lay down for bed and then your legs do something weird. They feel like no matter what, you need to kick and move and adjust them. And often this prevents you from getting your rest. Well, thats Restless Legs Syndrome.

Restless Legs Syndrome is an ailment that result in an uncontrollable desire or need to move your legs, typically because of a strange, uncomfortable sensation. Usually, it happens in the evening or nighttime hours when you’ve just sat down or gone to bed. Moving seems to make the strange, unpleasant feeling go away temporarily.

Also known as Willis-Ekbom disease, RLS can start at any age and typically gets worse as you get older. It can interrupt your sleep or keep you from falling asleep, which interferes with daily life.

While medications and lifestyle changes can help with the feeling, there is another fantastic way to help manage the symptoms many people love- massage.

Is There A Pressure Point For Restless Leg Syndrome

There is no one specific pressure point for restless leg syndrome. However, there are a few general areas that you can focus on when massaging the muscles. These include the calves, thighs, and lower back.

There are a few pressure points in the calves that you can massage to help relieve symptoms of restless leg syndrome. These include the medial gastrocnemius muscle, the lateral gastrocnemius muscle, and the soleus muscle.

Additionally, pressure points in the thighs include the adductor muscle, the rectus femoris muscle, and the vastus intermedius muscle. In the lower back, you can massage the lumbar muscles, the gluteus maximus muscle, and the piriformis muscle. You can use your fingers, a tennis ball, a foam roller, or a massage stick to massage these muscles.

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Researchers Tested The Foot Medmassager For Rls Over Four Weeks

Over four weeks, researchers randomly divided participants into four different groups. The idea was to see which natural therapy could help most with RLS, sleep quality, and quality of life.

The groups were as follows:

• No intervention: This group didn’t change anything about their nighttime routine.
• Foot massager alone: This group used the MedMassager for 30 minutes before going to sleep.
• Heat therapy alone: This group used a heating pad for 30 minutes before bedtime.
• Foot massager and heat therapy together: This group used the foot massager and heat therapy at the same time for 30 minutes before bed.

Performing Regular Calf Stretches

Stretching the calf muscle may help to prevent or alleviate cramping sensations associated with RLS.

Below are some steps for performing a calf stretch:

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