Acupuncture and Restless Leg Syndrome
In 2002 Bob Flaws reported the results of a study treating restless leg syndrome with acupuncture. “Twelve of the 18 cases in this study were judged cured. This meant that bilateral pain and strange, uncomfortable sensations disappeared. Another six cases were judged to have gotten a marked effect, meaning that their lower limb pain or uncomfortable sensations, were decreased. Therefore, the total amelioration rate was 100% using this protocol.”
In 2001 Wang Jian-bo published an article titled, “The Treatment of 18 Cases of Restless Leg Syndrome with Acupuncture,” in the Zhe Jiang Zhong Yi Za Zhi (Zhejiang Journal of Chinese Medicine), #10, 2001, p. 457.
An abstract of that article appears below.
Cohort description:
Among the 18 patients in this study, there were six males and 12 females aged 54-72 years, with an average age of 63 years. All suffered from RLS. The disease course had lasted from as short as three days to as long as 16 months. In 10 cases, this was the initial diagnosis. The other eight cases had been previously diagnosed and treated with Western medicine but without effect.
Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) & Acupuncture Vol II
All these needles were retained for 20 minutes and one treatment was given per day, with 14 days equaling one course of treatment. Patients were reassessed after 1-3 such courses of treatment and, during the time of this treatment, Western medications for this disorder were suspended.
Treatment outcomes:
Twelve of the 18 cases in this study were judged cured. This meant that bilateral pain and strange, uncomfortable sensations disappeared. Another six cases were judged to have gotten a marked effect, meaning that their lower limb pain or uncomfortable sensations, were decreased. Therefore, the total amelioration rate was 100% using this protocol.
