15 Tips for Restless Legs Syndrome 减缓不宁腿综合症的十五个小贴士

15 Tips for Restless Legs Syndrome（How to Reduce RLS Symptoms Naturally）不宁腿综合症的15个小贴士（如何减缓RLS症状）By Sally Schultheiss, Special to LifescriptReviewed by Edward C. Geehr, M.D., Lifescript Chief Medical OfficerPublished November 20, 2012You finally sit down to relax at night after a long day at work, and bam! No soon er do you settle into that easy chair that a tightening sensation crawls up your legs, ma king you get up again. How can you rest when your legs are urging you to move? Her e are tips to ease the symptoms of restless legs syndrome, so you can get the relaxation you need...It feels like your legs constantly want to do the cha-cha, but the cause of restless legs syndrome (RLS) may not be in the lower limbs at all. It actually may be in the brain.Scientists have found that low levels in the brain of a crucial chemical, dopamine, an d a mineral, iron, may trigger the torturous twitching, tingling sensation that's a hallmark of the disease affecting 10% of Americans.“Anything that affects the body’s metabolism of dopamine will affect RLS symptoms,” says William Anderson, M.D., an internist who practices sleep medicine at the University of South Florida in Tampa.That's one reason scientists recommend therapies that target the brain to ease RLS sy mptoms, from raising levels of dopamine and iron to distracting the mind.Here are some tricks you can try ease your symptoms, settle down and relax.1. Raise levels of dopamine 提高多巴胺的水平“The problem is usually the dopamine level in the nerves,” says Lorne Label, M.D., ch ief of staff at Los Robles Hospital and Medical Center in Thousand Oaks, Calif., and clinic al professor of neurology at University of California, Los Angeles.Increasing dopamine will help ease symptoms, he says.Drugs containing “dopaminergic agents,” such as pramipexole and ropinirole, largely u sed to treat Parkinson’s disease, increase dopamine and have been shown to reduce sympt oms of RLS, according to the National Institutes of Health.“Folic acid also helps improve production of the neurotransmitter dopamine," says Suz y Cohen, Lifescript pharmacist, R.Ph., and author of The 24-hour Pharmacist(William Morro w).She recommends 800 micrograms (mcg) twice daily.2. Check your iron 检查你的铁Low iron can be the main cause of RLS symptoms, Dr. Label says.“If your ferritin [the protein that stores the body’s iron] level isn’t above 50 nanogra ms per milliliter, it’s not high enough,” Dr. Anderson says.But the problem may not lie just with low iron levels but rather with how your brain processes it.Iron may be poorly absorbed in the brains of restless legs syndrome patients, accordi ng to 2003 Penn State University College of Medicine research that showed poor iron upt ake in the brains of autopsied restless legs syndrome patients.The “iron isn’t being delivered to certain brain cells in an effective way,” explains Ja mes R. Connor, Ph.D., who led the study.To check whether you need iron supplements, see your doctor for a simple blood test.3. Boost your B vitamin intake 提高你的维生素B摄入量“Folate [a B vitamin] increases bl ood flow (circulation) and, therefore, could improve RLS,” Cohen says.Folic acid can be taken as supplements or through foods, such as peanuts, garbanzo b eans, lentils and spinach in its naturally occurring form, folate.Another B vitamin, B12, has also been directly linked to RLS, according to Dr. Anders on.The recommended dietary allowance of vitamin B12 is 2.4 mcg. Ask your doctor if yo u might benefit from more.4. Use a sequential compression device (SCD) 使用顺序压缩装置(SCD)A sequential compression device is a mechanical sleeve that fits over the leg and mas sages it by inflating and deflating with air (much like the armband used to measure blood pressure). It's usually used to prevent blood clotting in hospital patients, and one small s tudy has shown it may help RLS patients too.All nine patients who wore a sequential compression device (SCD) for one hour befor e bedtime every night for three months reported improved social and daily task function a nd quality of life, according to a 2007 study by the Department of Medicine at the Walte r Reed Army Medical Center in Baltimore.It might work because “the body is capable of only appreciating a limited number of stimuli simultaneously,” the Restless Legs Syndrome Fou ndation states, implying the senso ry impact of the SCD won out over RLS.5. Exercise 运动Working out may alleviate symptoms of restless legs syndrome, according to the Natio nal Institutes of Health. But don’t overdo it, cautions the RLS Foundation.Mild e xercise, such as walking, light jogging, or yoga, “may help RLS while vigorous e xercise can trigger RLS symptoms in some individuals,” explains the RLS Foundation’s bro chure, Triggers for Restless Legs Syndrome.6. Adjust your medication 调整你的药物“Antipsychotics and antidepressants can worsen RLS,” says Winona Tse, assistant prof essor of neurology at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York.“They interfere with the body’s metabolism of dopamine.”Any medication that blocks dopamine receptors, including anti-nausea drugs used to r educe vomiting, motion sickness and inner ear dizziness, can worsen symptoms of restlesslegs syndrome, according to the RLS Foundation. So can antihistamines, frequently used to treat colds and allergies.If you experience an increase in RLS symptoms while taking other medications, see y our doctor about alternatives, decreasing the dosage or possibly discontinuing the medicati on.7. Don't try melatonin 不要使用褪黑激素（又名黑素细胞凝集素，俗称为脑白金）Though restless legs syndrome can disrupt sleep, this common over-the-counter sleep supplement won't help, according to a 2004 Canadian study.The naturally occurring hormone melatonin regulates your body's internal clock, or cir cadian rhythms. Its levels typically increase at night and taper off toward daybreak.Melatonin also inhibits the secretion of dopamine, which makes it bad news for restle ss legs syndrome patients. It might increase RLS symptoms in the evening and night, acc ording to researchers at Sacre-Coeur Hospital in Montreal.8. Take calcium and magnesium 服用钙和镁Calcium and magnesium are minerals that aid in the functioning of muscles and nerv es, so they may help RLS patients, Cohen says.“If it’s low, then you definitely need to have your calcium and magnesium within the normal range,” Dr. Label says.Cohen recommends a daily combination dose of 600 milligrams (mg) of calcium and 200 mg of magnesium.“But if after 2-3 months there's been no improvement, it’s not going to help,” Dr. La bel warns.9. Get a massage 按摩Massaging legs before the onset of restless legs syndrome symptoms has been shown to be effective in a 2007 study published in the Journal of Bodywork and Movement The rapies.It found that therapies such as deep tissue and sports massage for 45 minutes twice a week on the lower extremities reduced symptoms of RLS.Symptoms were reported to decrease after two treatments and continued to improve o ver the following three weeks.10. Run a warm bath (or cold shower) 洗个热水澡(或冷淋浴)“Taking a hot bath may relieve discomfort for a [short] time,” Dr. Label says.However, once you get out of the bath, the symptoms will probably return, he says.“Others say a cold shower is soothing,” says the RLS Foundation. “Ice packs and heat ing pads have also been used for relief.”Whether hot or cold temperatures work depends on the individual, it says.Other Coping Techniques 其他的应对技巧The foundation suggests other methods for coping with symptoms of restless legs syn drome in various situations. They include:∙Working the nightshift.夜班工作。