Due to advancements in alternative medicine, CBD products have become a fundamental component in numerous natural remedies. As one of the most beneficial cannabis-derived elements, CBD can help with everything involving imbalance in the body.
Since most workspaces require many hours sitting on desks, an increasing number of patients report stiffness, twitching, and sharp pain in the legs. The last few years saw an increase of 21% of the US population suffering from restless leg syndrome.
Pharmaceutical drugs don’t offer the proper treatment for this syndrome, but some studies indicate that CBD’s calming effects can do wonders for patients with RLS.
If you’re curious about how CBD oil can help those suffering from RSL and how they can regain a good night’s sleep, continue below.
What is restless leg syndrome?
Commonly associated with leg twitching, soreness, or pain that causes an uncontrollable urge to move the legs, restless leg syndrome is a disorder that can happen to anyone.
Known as Willis-Ekbom disease, this neurological disorder affects both genders, regardless of age.
Restless leg syndrome most frequently occurs at night and can be detrimental to the patient’s sleep schedule. From lack of exercise to a chemical imbalance in the brain, RLS can happen at any point in one’s life.
RLS induces involuntary movements, tingling, and twitching in a vicious routine, not allowing the individual to get proper rest. You can partly soothe the effects of RLS by taking a walk, shaking your leg, or stretching after sitting for an extended period.
However, since these issues occur most often at night, the individual faces difficulty sleeping or staying asleep. A disrupted sleep cycle can seriously impact a patient’s life. RLS symptoms keep the person awake and cause drowsiness, intense fatigue, and irritability.
Besides impairing one’s sleep schedule, RLS causes an array of other unpleasant side effects, such as:
- Sharp pain
- Soreness in the legs
- Discomfort, no matter the position
- Disrupted sleep, insomnia, and nightmares
- Psychological issues and arguments resulting from irritability
RLS not only causes discomfort in the lower area of the body, but it can influence the psyche and well-being of the concerned individual.
The inability to function properly during the day can affect how the patient behaves socially and individually. Normal daily activities like going to classes, remaining calm at work, or having dinner can be impacted by RLS.
And when pharmaceuticals don’t relieve RLS symptoms, patients turn to alternative medicine, like supplements and oils.
What causes restless leg syndrome?
Often, RLS patients can’t pinpoint the exact cause of the syndrome. The main cause reported by researchers is a chemical imbalance of dopamine, which is responsible for proper muscle movement.
Sometimes, RLS can be hereditary, and it is usually experienced by families who have a history of it. Studies have shown that specific gene variants can be associated with RLS, and these patients show symptoms before 40 years of age.
Another huge indicator of activating RLS is iron deficiency in the brain. Other factors that can lead to RLS are dysfunction in the brain section aimed at movement control.
This section also relies on dopamine to produce smooth muscle movement. Disruption in this brain section results in involuntary movements, twitches, and uncontrollable shakes. People living with progressive nervous system issues may have an increased chance of developing RLS disorder.
RLS symptoms can also appear as a result of psychological disorders. Sometimes, disrupted sleep, sleep apnea, and insomnia may trigger RLS onset.
Other factors that may aggravate RLS symptoms include:
- Hemodialysis
- Low levels of iron
- Antinausea drugs
- Antipsychotic drugs
- Pregnancy
- Alcohol misuse
- Neuropathy
- Nicotine consumption
- Caffeine overconsumption
Relieving RLS symptoms can be accomplished by decreasing coffee and alcohol consumption, quitting smoking, following a healthy sleep schedule, and increasing iron intake.
If you’re pregnant and suspect RLS symptoms, worry not, as they could result from hormonal changes. If that’s the case, the RLS symptoms should disappear within four weeks after giving birth.
Another surprising and less common fact about RLS is that even children can develop it. The condition is more common in women than men, and it can appear with aging.
Since RLS is more considered an inconvenience than a serious medical issue, it can accompany other severe medical problems like spinal cord damage or lesions, kidney failure, anemia, diabetes, alcoholism, or nerve damage.
Best treatment for restless leg syndrome
Besides dietary changes, better sleep cycles, and iron consumption, RLS can be treated in other ways. If the patient disregards the necessity of treating RLS, it can drastically influence the overall quality of life.
Fatigue and sleepiness will make the individual feel exhausted most of the time, affecting daily activities.
Psychological factors of RLS include irritability, trouble focusing, short-term memory loss, limited attention span, and sleep deprivation. All these elements could lead to dire psychological conditions like depression and anxiety.
The difficult part of treating RLS is defining the underlying cause for it. The RLS symptoms will improve once the root cause is determined and treated.
If no doctor can locate the key reason, then the patient should consider the following:
- Taking warm baths
- Walks after long sitting periods
- Everyday exercise plans
- No more alcohol or smoking consumption
- Diet changes
- Iron incorporation
- Better sleep habits
- Avoiding coffee
If the abovementioned natural remedies for RLS don’t work, the medical specialist might prescribe medication like:
- Sleep aids and sleeping pills
- Anticonvulsant drugs like gabapentin
- Muscle relaxants for spasms and cramps
- Painkillers
- Dopamine agonists
Pharmaceuticals might cause some side effects initially, but prolonged use may lead to drug tolerance. That might require the patient to take a higher dose of the medication or switch drugs altogether. Prolonged use of opioids and muscle relaxants can even worsen RLS effects.
Varicose Vein Treatment
Another possible cause of restless leg syndrome can be varicose veins. Although very similar, varicose veins and RLS are widely different. These two disorders are accompanied by pulsating pain, stiffness, and cramping, but varicose veins precede RLS symptoms.
Recent studies show that varicose veins and RLS are connected in the treatment factor. Patients who receive treatment for varicose veins experience partial or complete elimination of RLS symptoms.
In comparison, those treated exclusively with RLS medication did not quickly or sufficiently relieve the symptoms.
Varicose veins develop due to the obstruction of the normal blood flow in the body. Medicine that thins the blood or increases the speed of blood flow in circulation can decrease swelling and diminish the physical appearance of the veins.
Treating painful varicose veins and RLS can be done through sclerotherapy or essential pain-soothing oils.
Oils rich in omega-3 fatty acids are also helpful in decreasing swelling, thinning the blood flow, and cooling the skin. Other treatments for varicose veins are more permanent solutions that require surgical assistance. These involve non-invasive treatment to remove or collapse the damaged vein.
CBD oil is another alternative that may help soothe symptoms associated with varicose veins. CBD has been linked to helping relieve severe pain and promoting relaxation. It may also decrease the pain and ease RLS symptoms, allowing the patient to get a good night’s sleep.
CBD oil is well-known for promoting reduced inflammation and pain due to enlarged veins. If you’ve never used medicinal CBD, you can always give hemp oil a try first, as it has no traces of THC or CBD.
Natural treatments for restless leg syndrome
Natural remedies for restless leg syndrome include more alternative medicine approaches. Incorporating CBD oil into your everyday life can help soothe tension and feelings of discomfort.
According to recent studies, CBD may help lessen RLS symptoms, and some patients even claim their symptoms have disappeared altogether.
While CBD does not present a forever cure for RLS for the time being, it can help patients who struggle daily with the condition. Since RLS leaves individuals feeling worn out, exhausted, irritated, and uptight, a massage with CBD oil can help soothe the painful areas.
Since RLS causes stiffness in the legs, the individual can apply CBD oil to the target areas, which will allow them to loosen up and relax. Using CBD oil to treat painful areas will also cause the mind to enter a deep state of rest, one which the patient is not getting from the lack of sleep.
CBD oil will not only help the body get rid of the unyielding pain but give the mind a break. It may also increase dopamine release, which will alarm the patient to become sleepy and relaxed.
Sufferers may want to include CBD oil in their self-care routines alongside other healthy habits like exercising, practicing yoga, taking long baths, cycling or jogging.
CBD may also help curb negative thoughts and emotions accompanied by RLS like anxiety and depression. It may also help facilitate a positive relationship with one’s body.
Last but not least, CBD oil may help patients struggling with sleep. A good night’s rest is the best way to relieve RLS symptoms, and you can incorporate a schedule along with meditation, light stretching, and CBD. CBD oil will only give a boost to the other factors.
Other natural ingredients that might help with RLS symptoms include Ashwagandha, chamomile tea, mint, valerian root, etc.
Best CBD oil drops
If you’re looking to soothe your pain, calm your racing thoughts and relax your body, look no further than our FOCL Premium CBD Drops! Made from pure CBD, our premium CBD droplets grant an ultimate unwinding experience.
Made from completely organic, non-GMO, plant-based ingredients, the CBD drops are suitable for every vegetarian and vegan practicing a herbivore lifestyle. Not to mention that our drops are entirely cruelty-free, doctor-created, and tested by third-party laboratories.
Place 10 to 20mg of these drops under the tongue in the morning and at night to start. You can up the dosage 5 to 10mg after a week of usage for optimal results (no need to do this if you are satisfied with the initial serving size).
CBD cream for restless legs
If you’re looking for a cream that will soothe your body, lull you to sleep, and help you instantly get rid of muscle soreness, look into the FOCL Relief Cream. Our ache-relief, aromatic cream is the perfect solution to keep you moving and help you forget about muscle stiffness, RLS symptoms, and much more.
With a 4.9 out of 5-star rating, the soothing cream quickly eliminates pain and discomfort thanks to 500mg of CBD and menthol! Not only does the cream smell good, but it feels fantastic on the skin, too.
Besides green, health-giving herbs, our relief cream has multiple soothing botanicals to relieve your pain!
Our top FOCL Relief Cream will recover sore muscles with Camphor oil and premium CBD, reduce inflammation, and provide a cooling effect on the applied area.
The cream will not only repair sore tissue but nourish the skin and flesh with Aloe, Shea Butter, Arnica, Eucalyptus, and Wintergreen Oil. All our products are vegan, cruelty-free, non-GMO, GMP-certified, and doctor-formulated.
Applying our creams is easy; parting ways with them is the hard part! Just clean the afflicted area to maximize the absorption and apply the relief cream. Do this three to four times a day, or as many as you need, and prepare to witness results.
If you’re more of a gummies or lotions person and wish to alleviate symptoms swiftly and thoroughly, you can always check out our full assortment of CBD products. Perfect for any time of the day, the premium CBD products will provide you with an energy boost and a relaxed demeanor.
