Restless leg syndrome (RLS) is a condition in which the person feels a compulsion to move the feet or legs. Some people describe a “creepy” or “crawly” sensation relieved only by movement. Others report that the sensations are painful. Doctors classify this problem as a neurological condition and call it Willis-Ekbom Disease. Sufferers are most likely to notice it when they are at rest, whether sitting quietly during the day or trying to go to sleep at night. Physicians sometimes prescribe strong medications, such as ropinirole (Requip). Many readers have written about relief with tonic water or soap in socks. Is pickle juice perfect as a home remedy for restless legs?
Is Pickle Juice Perfect for Easing Restless Legs?
Q. I usually apply body lotion to my legs before going to sleep. If my legs are restless, I will do that again during the night. One night recently, that didn’t help.
I remembered that pickle juice would help leg cramps, so thought perhaps it might help my restless legs as well. Why not have a couple of swallows? Nothing ventured, nothing gained!
The upshot: I drank some and went to sleep. It has helped two or three times since then. Maybe other people who suffer with restless leg syndrome (RLS) would also benefit.
A. Thanks so much for sharing a fascinating remedy. We think that pickle juice may stimulate TRP (transient receptor potential) channels to overcome muscle cramps. We could not find any research relating TRP channels to RLS. Nevertheless, this is an intriguing and inexpensive approach to a challenging problem.
Remedy for Restless Foot:
Q. I don’t have restless leg syndrome (RLS) or nighttime leg cramps. Rather I have “restless foot,” sometimes in the right foot, sometimes in the left. I can actually feel the energy building up in my foot when it comes on. After about a minute the energy is so great I MUST move the affected foot.
I started to drink tonic water, and it helped me to be able to get to sleep. I’ve never told my doctor about all this because he’d probably prescribe a high-cost med! I’m on a host of other drugs for high blood pressure (metoprolol and Exforge), diabetes (glimepiride), a blood thinner (Aggrenox), a cholesterol med (Tricor) and amitriptyline for diabetic nerve pain. I hope that none of these interacts with the quinine in the tonic water.
A. There is a possibility that the quinine in the tonic water could interact with your blood pressure pills, so you should talk this over with both your doctor and your pharmacist.
Also ask him about pickle juice, as another reader suggests this:
“Drinking three tablespoons of dill pickle juice is a remedy I follow, both for night cramps in my thighs and for twitchy feet. The dill pickle juice works astonishingly fast, within seconds. I keep a jar next to my bed for use only as needed because I find pickle juice perfect for this problem. It has never failed me. Football coaches use it to get a cramping quarterback back in the game right away.”
We suspect that some of the things that work for RLS might work for your twitchy foot as well. Be sure to check with your doctor about whether you are anemic; correcting the anemia frequently reverses restless legs syndrome.
RLS is occasionally caused by a blood pressure pill, nifedipine, that is related to the amlodipine in the Exforge you take. We have been unable to find a link between amlodipine and RLS, however. Nonetheless, this too might be worth discussing with your physician.
