Restless legs Syndrome
When the legs have a life of their own
Restless legs describes a neurological disorder (syndrome) in which the affected person must constantly move their legs. The restlessness in the legs occurs regularly at night and is accompanied by sensations such as tingling, heat or pain. About 10% of people over the age of 65 suffer from restless legs syndrome. The causes of the disorder often remain in the dark. Half of those affected have other cases in the family, indicating a genetic background. The Restless Legs Syndrome also occurs in people who suffer from chronic diseases such as diabetes mellitus, iron deficiency or kidney damage.
To diagnose restless legs, typical symptoms must be present:
- Urge to move the legs with discomfort
- At rest, the discomfort increases - with exercise, they are better
- In the evening and at night, the urge to move is strongest
Western medicine treats "restless legs" predominantly with the drug L-Dopa, which is also used in Parkinson's disease. General recommendations for patients are physical training, caffeine abstinence and fixed sleep times. For most sufferers, the treatments are good. However, the syndrome often persists despite therapy.
Calm the fire of the heart
The Restless Legs Syndrome is a heart and kidney disharmony from the perspective of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). The weak kidney yin can no longer feed the heart Yin. The heart-fire therefore blazes up and causes the typical restlessness of the "restless legs" syndrome.
The principle of TCM therapy is to nourish the kidney and heart yin, clarify the heat, and calm the mind-shen. To achieve these goals, TCM specialists use acupuncture and Chinese medicines. In addition, methods of relaxation are recommended, such as Taijiquan and Qigong. The TCM treatments are an ideal complement to Western medicine therapy. Many sufferers can reduce the dose of their medication or even discontinue it.