Massage Oil and Restless Leg Syndrome


 

Could Massage with Oil Help Treat Restless Leg Syndrome?

Restless legs syndrome, or RLS, is a condition that affects many Americans – in fact, it’s estimated that RLS affects approximately 10 percent of US adults. Despite being common, researchers think it’s often misdiagnosed, usually as insomnia or other neurological, muscular, or orthopedic conditions. It’s thought that around 2 percent of children get it, according to a study of more than 10,000 families in the US and UK.

Also known as Willis-Ekbom disease, RLS is an unpleasant sleep-related movement disorder that causes an overwhelming and often unpleasant urge to move your legs while resting or trying to sleep. The syndrome has no known cure, although some medications may relieve symptoms.

A study has shown that there could be relief at hand – literally - for the one in ten Americans who suffer from RLS. Massaging legs with oil has been proven to provide benefits for the condition, according to the survey’s findings, which have been reported in Complementary Therapies in Medicine.

During the study, scientists looked at ways to assess the short-term effects of massaging legs with olive oil and whether doing this helped reduce the severity of symptoms of RLS. They set up a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving 60 people with RLS. Some were massaged with olive oil twice a week, and the placebo group was given a liquid paraffin-based massage twice a week. The severity of people’s symptoms was recorded at the start of the study, using the International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group rating scale, and a week after the final treatment.

The decline in total RLS severity was found to be more significant in the group who received massage with olive oil than the placebo group given liquid paraffin massage. The researchers concluded that short-term application of massage with olive oil could effectively reduce the severity of symptoms of RLS – although there are calls for more research to back up the findings.

If you suffer from RLS, why not book a massage and see whether the oil-based massage treatment works for you? It’s relaxing (we know that massage therapy helps sleep, too), and there are no nasty side effects …

What about you? Do you know someone that is dealing with this condition? 

You should suggest they get a massage. They’ll thank you later. 

That’s all for today. I’ll see you next week with another post. Have a lovely day. =)

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