What is restless legs syndrome?Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a neurological disorder characterized by throbbing, pulling, creeping, or other unpleasant sensations in the legs and an uncontrollable, and sometimes overwhelming, urge to move them. Symptoms occur primarily at night when a person is relaxing or at rest and can increase in severity during the night. Moving the legs relieves the discomfort. Often called paresthesias (abnormal sensations) or dysesthesias (unpleasant abnormal sensations), the sensations range in severity from uncomfortable to irritating to painful.RLS is a relatively common movement disorder that affects ~2.7% of the population (Earley & Silber, 2010). RLS might be related to dysfunction in basal ganglia circuits that use dopamine, which is needed to produce smooth, purposeful muscle activity and movement. Disruption of these BG circuits can produce involuntary movements. Thus, dopaminergic drugs such as pramipexole and ropinirole are often used for treatment, but these medications can produce unwanted side effects.
A case study in the journal Sleep Medicine (Marin et al., 2011) reported on a patient who found his own method for the relief of his persistent RLS:
Sexual intercourse and masturbation: Potential relief factors for restless legs syndrome?References
Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a distressing neurologic condition characterized by urgency to move the legs usually associated with unpleasant sensations in the lower limbs. The symptoms are worst at night and at rest, and patients must move their legs or walk to get relief from their symptoms. Herein, we report a 41-year-old man with a history of severe RLS for 10 years causing him difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep. He fulfilled the four essential criteria established by the International RLS Study Group and he scored 32 in the International RLS Rating Scale. The patient reported that he would get complete relief from RLS symptoms, granting him a normal sleep following sexual intercourse or masturbation. Pramipexole was introduced 2 h before bedtime with significant improvement of RLS symptoms, but whenever he was without medication, he returned to sexual behavior to get relief from RLS symptoms.There are anecdotal reports that sexual activity and orgasm may relieve RLS symptoms, although in some cases sexual activity may worsen RLS. One may speculate that the release of orgasm-related dopamine and opioid may play a role in the relief of RLS symptoms. Additionally, there is a previous report of a RLS patient showing repetitive, rhythmic pelvic body movements resembling coital behavior at the wake–sleep transition.
Earley CJ, Silber MH. (2010). Restless legs syndrome: understanding its consequences and the need for better treatment. Sleep Med. 11:807-15.
Marin, L., Felicio, A., & Prado, G. (2011). Sexual intercourse and masturbation: Potential relief factors for restless legs syndrome? Sleep Medicine, 12 (4) DOI: 10.1016/j.sleep.2011.01.001
Definitely makes you go "hmmm."
ReplyDeleteOne wonders how many other conditions sexual intercourse and orgasm might be a perfectly good therapy for but has simply gone unexplored due to prudishness. Dysthymia? Enlarged prostate? PTSD? Fibromyalgia? Avoidant Personality Disorder?
Who is going to do the research? Might be hard to get funding, but surely the results and the scientific method would make it all worth while . . .
Worth noting the publication date of these articles and the DOI of the sleep medicine article.
ReplyDeleteYou have ONE person who says this works for them and you put it forth as gospel. No wonder we (meaning those who suffer with RLS) cannot get doctors to take us seriously. Why not write about PROVEN methods of help? I appreciate your quality of information up to that point. Good grief. Glad he got some relief from his symptoms but for the rest of us, it just makes the butt of more jokes. Will this get by your moderation?
ReplyDeleteI suffer RLS and this works well for me, it provides temporary relief allowing me to fall asleep. It would embarrass me to admit this to a health professional so I am glad someone has had the courage to do so. A single case study can form the basis of a larger study, so I actually think the reporting of this is invaluable to RLS sufferers. Obviously this method isn't always practical, so my hope would be this leads to a greater understanding that produces more accessible forms of relief. Don't internalise the prudishness of others.
DeleteIt works as a temporary relief for me. Only problem is that I need to do it again in 15-20 minutes. Then having an orgasm starts to hurt so I don't do it anymore. But it definitely gives temporary relief. Trust me.
DeleteWorks for me and a friend I kno
DeleteWorks surprisingly well for me. Have you tried it?
DeleteWorks wonders for me and I'm pregnant so he obviously is taking the truth !!
DeleteRLS:"Moving the legs relieves the discomfort"
ReplyDeleteWho would have thought that plain old exercise would relieve the discomforting symptoms of RLS?
Putting this into context of the general sedentary lifestyle most of us lead in North America, one could be lead to conclude that RLS is a manifestation of the need to exercise.
I'd be willing to bet money that the 'cure' for RLS turns out to be strength training or other form of regular exercise.
There is a distinct difference between the overwhelming urge to move the legs with RLS and exercise. I exercise most days and it does not affect my RLS one way or another. With RLS the only thing that will alleviate the horrible feeling is to move the legs; move, not exercise. Believe me, at 3:00am you do not have the energy to exercise anyway! No doubt we need to be a more exercising nation but that has nothing to do with RLS. Hence, RLS is NOT a manifestation of the need to exercise. I wouldn't bet money unless you just have a lot to throw away.
ReplyDeleteI know anecdotes aren't evidence, but a divorce cured my RLS. I'm not kidding. I can't control for other factors, of course, but I got it...severely...in my early thirties after I got married and when he left ten years later, so did the RLS. Perhaps there is a bigger psychological component there. Just sayin'
ReplyDeleteRLS is a sleep disorder proven to be real!!!! It is not caused by lack of exercise. It, however, is exacerbated by some physiological circumstances. Notably low iron stores. I have found great relief in keeping my storage iron levels (feritin) above 50. I had suffered for years with RLS but after an intravenous infusion of iron for the severe anemia I had, my RLS disappeared. I asked the hematologist if there could be any connection and he snickered at me. Hadn't anyone ever told me there is a correlation? He felt bad for me that none of my previous doctors who knew I has both RLS and anemia did not know or failed to mention the connection.
ReplyDeleteOh well, it's no more or less of a symptom-killer than any of the other drugs, I suppose. I find it interesting to consider prolactin's role in oligodendrocyte precursor cells and oligodendrocyte's relation to ions and myelin sheath....this condition does sound like it could be related to (as I've read) multiple sclerosis, which I understand is on the rise.
ReplyDeleteSo we return to the 19th century were doctors masturbated their patients as treatment against nervousness?
ReplyDeleteI had a quick look if it wasn't april 1st.
Err I'm in great shape and I have RLS - this stuff is no joke and it has deleterious effects on work and school performance since it can greatly interfere with sleep. Many home remedies can help but rarely do they have lasting impact. Stretching and exercise can diminish the involuntary movements but as the symptoms progress these do not begin to eliminate the problems. Heating pads help and so do less caffeine, warm baths but again - not in a profound way. The approaches mentioned in this blog do in fact work better than all of the above. Unfortunately many people think its a joke.
ReplyDeleteFor those of us who have been to a physician and been fully evaluated
and in the clear relative to calcium, iron, potassium, etc the alternatives aren't attractive - things like Requip which have unpleasant side effects (nausea, vomiting, fatigue) might stop the restless leg but it can wipe you out worse than the RLS.
I've took requip it makes me so sick that I can't even take it any more . The side affects are so hard on my body :( i always have to sleep with a heating pad just to make them calm down
DeleteTo rksfirefly, orgasm has helped more than one. I found this site because I found orgasm relieved my symptoms so I thought I would google it and see if it had been studied. I'm sure I'm not alone and if drug-free relief can be provided for even some sufferers the information should be shared.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Sleepy but I understand Firefly's anxiety about the method. I was driven mad last night by rls and knew I had an important meeting today. For some reason I thought orgasm might do the trick and to my amazement it did and the rls went away. This morning I googled the issue and found this site but I can hardly mention and the golf club that a hand job is the answer.
ReplyDeleteI Am a woman and have found orgasm to be the ONLY way so far to get any relief from these awful symptoms. I can't remember why I first thought of it. Maybe it has something to do with the blood circulation since orgasm draws the blood towards the pelvic area temporarily.
ReplyDeleteIm a male in his teens and I have had RLS my whole life and I've also had inorgasmia since my teens. (when I ejaculate I have no sensation.. it sucks). I'm seeing a doctor (again) soon.. but this makes me optimistic seeing that there is probably a connection. Anyone else have orgasm / weak orgasm problems who also has RLS?
ReplyDeleteI am 29 year old female and have RLS since I was a teenager. There is much truth to the article. My condition is not severe enough to need medications, but I've found I get automatic relief by making myself have an orgasm. I know it sounds crazy, but if you haven't tried it, I reccomend you do. I also think yoga helps in the long run. I cut out caffeine, alcohol, and drink lots of water. It helps manage my symptoms as well. Also, get a blood work done and see if you're low in iron. I've found taking iron pills helps me too and when my iron is low, my RLS surfaces.
ReplyDeleteRLS is real, it is not because of lack of exercise or a sedentary lifestyle. My mother has it, I have it, fortunately not very often... or perhaps I have just cured myself before it bothers me. For me I remember my first BAD episode when I was 10 years old. The ONLY relief was masturbation, and as a thirty-year-old married woman, now it is usually sex... frequent like every-day-for-ten-years sex. I know the low iron may also be a trigger, also tends to run in the family. Was interesting to discover that it is actually linked to a gene, and is common in French Canadians (part of my maternal ancestry). It's pretty insulting for someone that has no clue to insinuate it's because we're lazy, my mother was one of the most active people I have ever known, a very physically strong woman. I'm more squishy, but still pretty active and toned. I do think that they should research this more, at least doctors should inform patients about this possibility (which is easy enough--even fun--to test for yourself) before prescribing a pill. I used to feel guilty about how much I masturbated as a kid, now it kinda all adds up a bit, my body NEEDED it. My husband knows what time it is when I can't keep my legs still ;-)
ReplyDeleteI actually googled restless leg syndrome eradicated with orgasms because I found it to work and thought it was crazy at first! I am pregnant with my second child and I only experience restless leg when I am pregnant...and orgasms really work for me! I am not saying that it would work for everyone, but I do think that it may shed some light on what causes it. Mine is obviously hormonal, but is that the case for everyone that experiences it?
ReplyDeleteHi there!
ReplyDeleteEven before I knew I "suffered" from RLS, I found out that masturbating was the only thing (except running around for hours late in the night to make that feeling go away) that help me get away that odd feeling in my legs.
It's so far the only thing that always works for me.
If it's important - I'm a female in the mid- twenties
Oh My God! I'm so relieved to find I'm not the only one. I've suffered from RLS since a child and I know my mum and sister do too. I can't sit still for too long at the hairdressers or theatre without the need to move my legs around and hot legs are a trigger as well. I have found that it can be just as bad if I do exercise or if I don't and it has got a lot worse in the past year. I am a 47 year old woman and thankfully my husband is very understanding as I frequently need to masturbate after spending an hour or so thrashing around in bed - and it is excruciating - before admitting defeat and going for the orgasm. Miraculously once I've had the orgasm I'm asleep within minutes. We need to shout about this.
ReplyDeleteI heard on Real Time with Bill Maher that orgasm would relieve the symptoms of RLS. Amazingly, it worked for me.
ReplyDeleteAnother night without sleep; up till 3:00 this morning and then up at 0700 for work. It's now 11:00 pm and fighting RLS again. I'm a forester, work in the woods, get plenty of exercise daily; exercise is not the problem or the answer. I have high iron, give double red blood cells regularly to keep it in check. It appears that only women have associated RLS with low iron, I believe incorectly. I also take pramipexole (.375mg daily) at least 4 hours before bed, but the benefits have deminished and the doses have increased. I have found on my own that sex has definitely worked for me as well, and was relieved to hear confirmation (if you can call it that) on an advertisement for Bill Mahers' show (don't & wouldn't actually watch the show).
ReplyDeleteOMG. So crazy. I was up til three in the morning BC my rls was making me miserable. I googled home remedies and found this forum. Decided I'd give it a shot BC I was so miserable. Woke my hubby up, after finishing up I crashed in just a few minutes! Thanks guys
ReplyDeleteThis is true about orgasm. I've had RSL genetic since my 20s.
ReplyDeleteI've used orgasm to help sleep..to fly long distances to relieve anxiety and stress all my life
Its been a part of my life as a free drug and helped me thru all the above mentioned.when the internet appeared i googled the subject to death and learned its a fact for many and not just me.
Its been better than any doctor alone or when in a relationship.
I am a 24 yr old female with horrible RLS, although not only do I get the unbearable feeling in my legs, I also get it in my arms as well. Walking around or movement does NOT bring me any relief whatsoever. I take hot baths to get some relief but unfortunately right after the bath, I immediately start feeling it again. The only thing I know for a fact relieves my symptoms is benzodiazepams such as Valium, Xanax, or Opiate painkillers. I don't like taking narcotic painkillers due to how addictive they are, so I've also tried smoking marijuana and that has been the most effective in relieving the symptoms besides the benzos or opiates. I'm not trying to convince anyone who is against smoking marijuana to do that, I'm just letting you all know that is has helped my RLS symptoms tremendously.
ReplyDeleteMarijuana works! Don't let them tell you it is anything but a remedy. I live in WA and we have medical marijuana. No BS. Just go buy what you need.
ReplyDeleteI'm a 74 year old woman who has used masturbation since I was a child for restless leg syndrome (discovered the remedy by accident) and it certainly works
ReplyDeletethis makes me smile...I too have gentic RLS and I discovered orgasms to be my best friend, my none RX medicine, my 'cure' for anxiety, flying long distance which I do often, focusing on projects and the list goes on and on. I learned this about myself at age 15 and 20yrs later it gives me so much 'joy' to see it in writing from other people. Before the internet landed into our lives, I would wonder if 'Its just me'...If I 'was the lucky one'. I adore my husband but often have to go to the guest room for my 4am 'fix' to fall alseep. I tried Requip for days and threw it in the trash. It was horrible!
ReplyDeleteAs an elderly sufferer of RLS I have tried most cures from standing in a tub of cold water which does give some relief, taking Tramadol tablets again does give some relief. My iron levels are good as I take Levothyroxine as i have half my thyroid removed and my prostate gland
ReplyDeletetoo. As a younger man I was super fit as I still am. No medic I know can explain to me what's going on.
My significant other has it or I think he does. He moves his arms too though and just now got up and went to the living room. I tried telling him sex helps him sleep better but he giggled. I'm serious the past three nights he didn't move around near as much but tonight tried to sleep witbout any sex and he couldn't tgo to sleep.
ReplyDeleteFunny enough, I just figured out and told my Hubby but i was laughed off. Good job i found your article to prove.
ReplyDeleteAs old and dead as this topic may be i'd like to leave some words of advice: The male orgasm (ejaculation) is a process of expending important energy from your body that can only be gained again after a recovery period. This period of recovery is where you sleep. While sleeping you are revitalizing the necessary neurological chemicals to produce more ejaculate i.e.. Dopamine. Any sex addict knows that the only way they receive this dopamine (what helps you sleep and what helps your RLS) is through more and more ejaculation. As time goes on it is extremely less satisfying and your body/brain need more ejaculations to receive the same dopamine effect.
ReplyDeleteIn essence this article is right and wrong. Your RLS may be relieved but the reason for your RLS is lack of dopamine. Continue to suck your life force from your body in order to sleep a tick and in one year you'll have RLS if you DONT orgasm before trying to sleep.
Think about it.
I have RLS and it get worsened after sex.
ReplyDeleteI googled RLS and orgasms and found this. I am a 39 year old, African-American female. Orgasm works everytime. Glad to know that it helps other folks too.
ReplyDeleteI have been struggling with RLS for decades. During my pregnancy it was so bad that I could not sleep for the last four months. I have tried everything and thou lamotrigine helps to some extend, the only thing that really helps evertime is mastrubation. I am so glad to read about this, since I have been to shy to talk about my selfhelp-remedy to anyone. I will read more about this dopamine shortage. wonder how I can fix it..
ReplyDeleteI've used orgasms to get relief from RLS for 20 years or so and it works every time. Can't believe it's not out there for people to know!!
ReplyDeleteI know especially for women it's such a taboo to discuss but the reality is as someone who suffers severe rls not only in my legs but I also get the rare affliction of it in my arms to. It's a terrible feeling and admittedly the ONLY relief I've found is an orgasm. My rls acts up, I give myself an orgasm and I'm finally comfortable for te night. Perhaps there is something serious to look at here. The medical and scientific community should look at this, since so little is known about rls to begin with, perhaps this could provide clues into how rls works, what causes it and how to fix/remedy it. Really hope the right person reads this forum.
ReplyDeleteI'm in my early 20s and suffer from really bad rls. I googled masturbation and rls to see if I was just a compulsive masturbator and rls being a symptom of that. Well thank God that I'm not the only one. But my rls started when I was very young, perhaps right around the time I was put on medication for adhd, adderall. I'm pretty sure amphetamines screw with dopamine and I believe the other one is serotonin. Anyways, as of a couple years ago I really messed up and had discover opiate antagonist (that's not right) and tramadol and subutex to be the fastest most reliable way to stop rls. But now I'm addicted to those things and the worst side affect of opiates and tramadol withdrawals is fucking rls. See where I'm going with this. Today would be 3 days with out sleep. I'm starting to wonder if I should just go gobble up that damn bottle of equip and be done with this. I'm tired I want to go to bed but I can't. I'm making my wife's life hell because of it. I don't know what to do. Please if anybody has any suggestions I'd be grateful. My doctor thinks that I'm just adrug seceer when I walk in there and try to tell him about my rls. So he ain't no helpn
ReplyDeleteI just jerked off to see if it will help !! Ugh
ReplyDeleteI just jerked off hope it helps !!
ReplyDeletePMSL ROFL - (Clears throat) Hi, My name is Daniel, I'm 34 this month and suffer really bad with Willis Elburn Disease(RLS). Had 3 hours sleep last night that is good for me. Tried Gabapentin, Dopamine, Iron, Magnesium, Anti Anxiety Tablets, Beta Blockers......Anyway you all know the script with this debilitating disease that no professional can actually bluddy fix. To the point, when I found this forum I knew I wasn't going crazy. I told my wife this morning that the best thing to for me to make the pain go away is make me a joint and give me a blowjob every evening for the rest of your life. I'm not sure she is convinced but I can confirm that the best thing to have is weed and lots of sex. Errmmm maybe I shouldn't of got married last year!
ReplyDeleteSex/orgasm has been my relief for the discomfot and restlessness in my legs. I suffered with RLS since a teen, finally finding this method for relief in my 60's. I also discovered many years ago that my legs bothered me at night, after I'd eaten foods containg paprika or chili powder. Capsicum being the culprit. Some of my children have the same reaction. Please see if this may be a common cause in your situation. I'd like to know if there are others like me.
ReplyDeleteI have known about this temp relief for many years but I didn't know that the symptoms I had since I was a teen were identified as RLS.
ReplyDeleteHowever I want to share with y'all something. I don't recall having RLS until I was a teen and was masturbating very frequently. I read a book lately that connect RLS to addiction (porn and masturbation) so instead of masturbating to relief my symptoms, I decided to take the book's advice and fight my addition. Now it is been more than 3 months and I have not masturbated once. I think I might have found my RLS source and cured it. I just wanted to share this hoping someone can benefit from it.
It helps for me
ReplyDeleteAnonymous 2 - so you know this isn't the same person posting all the time.
ReplyDeleteI discovered this to be true and then looked up any "evidence" to support my findings. Delighted to find this page but maybe we should get together - anonymously? - to pressure neurologists to suggest this treatment before drugs!
So very glad to know I'm not the only person to find this temporary releif!!! I am 65 and have had rls without knowing what it was since my first pregnancy. Went to a doctor who had me in tears telling meitwas all in my head. In 1986 or so Readers Digest came out with an article about it and I WEPT FOR JOY, thinking now someone will find a cure. Still waiting.There must be some doctors out there, somewhere that have it too? T hough I'd not wish it on my worst enemy.
ReplyDeleteMale, 38, I have been on antidepressants for 2 years, after tapering off, I started to get RLS symptoms at night during the falling asleep stage. Basically shocks me awake. I also found that a good romp or a quick tug relieved the RLS immediately and I am able to sleep the night through...
ReplyDeleteAnd makes you smile...
RLS creeps UP the leg, whereas orgasm flows DOWN to the toes, and out to the fingers. Orgasm is a discharge of excess energy. It helps stop RLS.
ReplyDelete