The health problem known as restless leg syndrome or Willis-Ekbom (RLS/WED) disease are the names give an urge to move the legs generally at night when rest is essential. This uncontrollable urge to move is only eased by movement, so sufferers move their legs. There are no prescription drugs that completely suppress the symptoms of RLS/WED only medication that reduce the symptoms.
New Treatment for RLS/WED
Not being able to identify the cause of RLS is one of the reasons there has been no effective treatment discovered. However, today a particularly useful treatment has been employed and used by many persons plagued by RLS. That is a simple treatment employing the use of a weighted blanket for restless legs.
What is Restless Leg Syndrome?
It is a physical feeling that your legs are being subjected to a creepy crawly sensation. Some people liken it to a crawly sensation in the veins in the legs. It is also associated with itching, and pins and needles, crawling, aching and throbbing. In some cases the feeling migrates to other areas of the body like the arms, and other places. The person suffering from RLS feels compelled to move in order to relieve the feelings he or she is undergoing in the moment. These feelings can be felt in the calves, feet,
Who Can Use the Weighted Blanket?
Weighted blankets can be used for children and adults. Many people suffer from similar conditions that cause uncontrollable movements of the legs, especially at night: autism, sensory processing disorder (SPD), attention deficit disorder (ADHD), anxiety, sleeping disorders and rest leg syndrome.
How Does the Weighted Blanket Help?
The latest estimate of the numbers of who’s affected by restless leg syndrome is that 1 in 10 suffer from similar symptoms in the USA. Because the weighted blanket encourages the legs to be still, it does successfully manage much of the symptoms of the condition. In the adult blanket the actual weight of the blanket ranging from 2 to 5 pounds. Experts recommend adults start with the lighter weight first if they have never used a weighted blanket. Child blankets range in weight from 5, 7 or 10 pounds.These blankets are constructed with soft plush fabrics and filled with tiny glass beads or plastic poly pellets. This results in the weighted blanket feeling like a gentle hug or a massage when covering the body of an individual. This sensation induces the body to release serotonin and dopamine, the neurotransmitters that sooth the body, thus reducing the symptoms of RLS.
