Restless Legs Syndrome: Causes and Solutions
By: Anna Staehli Wiser, DPT, FAAOMPT
Restless legs syndrome can be a debilitating condition and affects approximately 5-15% of the population1. It is characterized by the overwhelming urge to move the legs, and happens mainly at night time. This can lead to major sleep disruptions and poor quality of life2.
Although this condition is not completely understood, and can have several contributing factors, the primary cause is thought to be due to dysregulation in parts of the brain that are involved in dopamine production3.
Current clinical practice guidelines recommend the use of medications to control the symptoms (dopamine agonists, central nervous system depressants). However, these medications can have unwanted side effects, and many times do not satisfactorily resolve the symptoms1.
Non-pharmacological treatments, as recommended by the International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group (IRLSSG), include sleep hygiene, exercise, hot or cold bath, limb massage, viratory or electrical stimulation of the feet, and the elimination of caffeine before bedtime4.
Another lesser-known treatment approach for restless legs syndrome is dry needling and acupuncture5–7.
Needle stimulation of key acupoints in the lower limbs has been shown through functional MRI to stimulate the substantia nigra (part of the brain critical to motor movement, containing dopaminergic neurons)8. Furthermore, stimulation of specific acupoints in the legs is thought to have a neuroprotective effect at a molecular and cellular level5. By stimulating the central nervous system through distal acupoints, the result is a down-regulation in the peripheral nerves which allows the body to resume a relaxed and homeostatic state.
Currently I am seeing a patient who had been suffering for years with restless legs. She now sees me once per month, which has been an effective maintenance dosage in keeping her symptoms at bay. She no longer has to take medications and is feeling better than ever.
Most people think of dry needling as something that is done only for injuries to muscles. Dry needling and acupuncture are so much more than that because the needles have a therapeutic effect on the central nervous system.
If you or someone you know is suffering with restless legs syndrome or other types of neurodegenerative conditions, consider an evaluation with Dr. Wiser for dry needling at Discover Osteopractic Physical Therapy, right here in Skowhegan, Maine.
