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Soap Is Strange Remedy for Restless Legs

Q. I finally fell asleep last night but woke back up an hour and a half later. I had started getting cramps and a creepy-crawly feeling in my legs.

I know some people who have RLS (restless leg syndrome) so I decided to look it up and see if there were any remedies. I’m sitting at the computer right now with a bar of soap under each leg and it seems to be working! (I thought this idea was crazy but I figured I had nothing to lose.) Thank you.

A. Placing a bar of soap under the bottom sheet, near where the legs will rest, is one of the wackiest remedies we’ve come across. We have heard from so many people that it helps, however, that it is clear some folks do benefit. Besides, soap is inexpensive and doesn’t have side effects. That cannot be said about the medications prescribed for RLS.

We have gathered up a wide range of remedies for leg cramps in our Guide to Leg Pain, so if soap doesn’t help, you can try something else.

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About the Author
Terry Graedon, PhD, is a medical anthropologist and co-host of The People’s Pharmacy radio show, co-author of The People’s Pharmacy syndicated newspaper columns and numerous books, and co-founder of The People’s Pharmacy website. Terry taught in the Duke University School of Nursing and was an adjunct assistant professor in the Department of Anthropology. She is a Fellow of the Society of Applied Anthropology. Terry is one of the country's leading authorities on the science behind folk remedies..
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