Restless legs syndrome and near-infrared light: An alternative treatment option.
There are few treatment options in managing restless legs syndrome (RLS); the most frequently used are dopaminergic drugs and movement. New treatment options are highly sought after. This study evaluated the effectiveness of monochromatic near-infrared light treatment in decreasing symptoms associated with RLS. The design used was 2×6 repeated-measures design with two groups (treatment and control) and six repeated measures (baseline, weeks 1-4, and posttreatment). Data collection took place in the university modalities laboratory. Thirty-four volunteers with symptoms of RLS were randomly assigned to a treatment or control group. Over a 4-week period subjects underwent twelve 30-min treatments to their lower legs with near-infrared light. The International RLS rating scale (IRLS) was used to assess and track patient symptoms. There was a steady decrease in symptoms associated with RLS over the 4 weeks in the treatment group. After 4 weeks of treatment the treatment group had a significantly greater improvement in restless legs syndrome symptoms than the control group (p<0.001); improvement was still significant after 4 weeks posttreatment compared to baseline (p<0.001). Treatment with near-infrared light does decrease symptoms associated with RLS as demonstrated in lower IRLS scores. This new noninvasive method of treating RLS might become a valuable new management option. More research is needed to determine the mechanism(s) behind infrared light treatment and RLS.
Department of Exercise Sciences, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA. rike_mitchell@byu.edu
Ulrike H
UH
Mitchell
J William
JW
Myrer
A Wayne
AW
Johnson
Sterling C
SC
Hilton
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007259:Infrared Rays / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010789:Phototherapy / Q000379:methods*; D012148:Restless Legs Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014589:Utah