Is CBD Best for Restless Leg Syndrome?
If you suffer from restless leg syndrome and are looking for relief from the symptoms, we have something in store for you! An important thing to note is that completely removing the syndrome may not be possible, but the symptoms can be controlled significantly medicinally. One of the few things that may help restless leg syndrome includes CBD, which is a cannabis plant extract.
If you are a skeptic and are wondering “does CBD work for restless leg syndrome?” Let us put your mind at ease. Here are some of the facts that will help you understand more.
Understanding the Restless Leg Syndrome
Before we come to the main question of does CBD work for restless leg syndrome, it is important that you understand this syndrome. Even though you might have experienced it, understanding the scientific reasonings behind this condition will help you further comprehend why CBD may help.
Restless leg syndrome, RLS for short, is also called Willis-Ekbom Disease or Wittmaack-Ekbom Syndrome. In this particular condition, people suffer from tingling sensations along with itching in their legs. Many have the urge to continuously move their legs, hence the name. The condition was first identified and named by the Swedish scientist Dr. Karl-Axel Ekbom in 1943.
Symptoms of RLS
This syndrome affects different people in different ways. You might experience one set of symptoms while your friend who suffers from the same syndrome can have completely different symptoms. RLS can worsen as a person ages; however, people in every age bracket can have this syndrome. Another significant observation, scientists have made is that the condition gets worse if people are sitting or lying down. The only thing that provides restless leg syndrome relief is moving one’s legs. If you think you might have this syndrome, here are some things to look for:
- Restlessness
- Sleeping problems (turning and tossing in bed)
- Sensations of tingling and itching. Some might feel like ants are crawling on their legs.
- Involuntary jolting and twitching of the legs
- Constant urge to move the legs
- Sleepiness and fatigue
To date, scientists have not figured out why a person suffers from restless leg syndrome. Some are of the opinion that this syndrome may be the result of side effects from certain medications. Because the reason for this problem is not known, the scientific community has yet to discover a treatment. The only option is to relieve some of the symptoms.
Why Restless Leg Syndrome Must be Taken Care Of
This condition can have a huge impact on an individual’s quality of life. The symptoms of restless leg syndrome can become more severe in the evening, which may mean disturbed or poor quality of sleep. We all know that if you do not sleep well even for one night, it can wreak havoc on your workday.
The condition also may cause a huge amount of pain and discomfort on any given day. This can mean you may start to avoid social gatherings and become somewhat homebound. As you withdraw from social life, you might also suffer from anxiety, loneliness, and depression. This means that this syndrome is bad for not only the physical but mental health of an individual. Please read more about how CBD oil helps with anxiety and depression.
Statistics show that right now 1 in 10 Americans suffer from this condition. If you are convinced that you might have this condition and you have received a positive diagnosis for such, this may be the time to consider CBD for restless legs.
How CBD Oil can Help with Restless Legs
Previously, this condition was treated with warm baths, hot and cold compresses, specific exercises, foot wraps, massages, or some kind of medication use. With the progression of science and technology, experts have found that medical-grade marijuana and many of its derivatives can be used to help multiple human health conditions. One of the discoveries includes the use of CBD for restless legs.
CBD is extracted from the cannabis plant but does not cause the typical high in humans which is associated with marijuana use. It is one of the hundreds of chemicals that are found in the cannabis plant.
In a small study conducted in the Clinical Neurosciences Center at Bordeaux University Hospital, it was shown that CBD helped relieve the symptoms of RLS in afflicted patients. In the study, the subjects were given medical-grade marijuana which had CBD. All but one person reported that the symptoms of restless leg syndrome vanished completely. All of the subjects also reported improved sleeping patterns as well.
In another study, published in the Journal of Sleep Disorders and Therapy, scientists found that cannabis helped relieve joint pain, muscle pain and other types of pain and improved the sleep quality of people suffering from sleep apnea and RLS.
Choosing CBD products for Restless Leg Syndrome
If you are looking for the best CBD oil for restless leg syndrome, try those which have high THC content. The high THC (increases drowsiness) and CBD (reduces anxiety) concentration, can lead to a good night’s sleep. According to anecdotal evidence, these have also in many cases shown to improve RLS symptoms.
Instead of looking for the best CBD oil for restless leg syndrome, you can also try cannabis edibles and restless leg cream, which contain CBD. Restless leg cream with CBD is often used as topical ointments.
Dosage of CBD for Restless Leg Syndrome
Like any medicine, it is important that you take the right quantities of CBD to help your RLS. How much CBD will work for you depends upon the desired effect, your tolerance to CBD, and your body weight. If you have a heavier build, you may need more CBD to find relief of your restless leg syndrome.
Most of the CBD oils on the market come in 15 or 30ml bottles. Their concentrations can range from 100 to 5000 mg. One serving can be 1ml depending upon the concentration, and the serving can contain 3 to 166mg of CBD.
It may be a good idea to start with a lower concentration and move to a higher one if it is needed. The dosage of CBD for restless leg syndrome is a tricky thing and it can take some time to arrive at the optimum dosage.
Take Away
If you are not convinced of the effectiveness of CBD to help deal with your restless leg syndrome, it may be worth trying CBD for the symptoms. It doesn’t hurt to experiment with a safe substance that also has many great health benefits, until the time a conclusive study confirms the use and viability of CBD for restless leg syndrome.
Ksenia owns her own dermatology clinic in London and is a nutritionist consultant. Ksenia is also a regular contributor to popular media outlets. In her spare time, she enjoys horse riding, clay pigeon shooting, rummaging in vintage stores and countryside walks.
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