Objective
Conventional pharmacologic treatment of restless legs syndrome (RLS) may be limited in some people. Up to 65% of patients with RLS regularly use alternative practices for symptom relief. We reviewed the current clinical evidence, and we proposed physiologic basis for various alternative practices for RLS including mind-body interventions (conventional exercise, yoga, and acupuncture), non-pharmacologic lifestyle interventions (pneumatic compression devices [PCDs], light therapy, and cognitive-behavioral therapy [CBT]), and neutraceuticals (vitamins, valerian, and Chinese herbs)
Conclusions
Insufficient evidence exists for yoga, acupuncture, PCDs, near-infrared light therapy, CBT, valerian, or Chinese herbs, but preliminary studies on each of these suggest that high-quality randomized controlled trials may be warranted to support and verify the data presented.
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