Is Heat in the Legs a Symptom of RLS?

I know from fellow sufferers that, in addition to RLS, they often have to deal with extreme heat in their legs and feet.

This heat mainly occurs later in the day, although some suffer from it day and night. They can hardly tolerate clothes and socks at times when these are most likely to arise.

Not everyone with restless legs also experiences heat in the legs. There are fellow sufferers who actually benefit from keeping their legs extra warm. They experience cold as a trigger and then have worse symptoms.

I’ve always found this strange. How is it possible that it differs so much from person to person?

In this blog I will elaborate on the subject. I tell about my own experience and about what I have heard from others. I will mention the tips & tricks I know.

Also I will tell you more about the burning feet syndrome, which involves extremely warm feet.

Heat in your feet

For many fellow sufferers, heat in the legs also means heat in the feet.

This phenomenon arose for me from the period when I started to really suffer from restless legs. I was in my early forties. My guess is that I was also at the beginning of the menopause at the time.

Until then I always had cold feet at night. I slept with socks on and in the colder months used an electric blanket to preheat my bed.

Within a few years, my body thermostat completely changed. I’ve never been cold in bed since. In fact, I almost burn out of bed.

I no longer have to think about using bed socks or putting on the electric blanket. Not even in winter.

Fellow sufferers

On a fellow sufferer’s forum I once asked the question who finds it difficult to tolerate socks on his or her feet. I always take off my socks in the afternoon in the winter.

A number of people replied that they do not wear socks indoors all year round. Others could not imagine this at all and always kept their feet extra warm.

Maybe I should also ask if there are fellow sufferers who keep their legs bare later in the day. I often do this to ensure that my legs are cooled down a bit when I go to sleep.

They warm up again at night. The heat in my legs is often so bad during the night that it is hardly bearable.

Cooling mat

Personally, I swear by a cooling mat. You can put it under your legs at night for a while.

When the mat has been warmed up by your body, place it on the floor for a while. There it ‘loads’ as it were again. I usually fall asleep after use.

Later in the night I sometimes grab the mat again to cool down again.

For me, a cooling mat works best if my legs fit on it completely. I also have a smaller version, but I have a less good effect with it. I think I can lose more heat on the larger ones.

From fellow sufferers I know that they often stand on the cold bathroom tiles for a while at night. Or they stand against the tiled wall with their warm legs.

You probably also know one of the following home remedies. Everyone puts their feet out of the duvet from time to time. Taking a cold shower at night also helps some fellow sufferers.

There are also special mattresses that stay cool when you lie on them. You pay a little more for that.

Sometimes I go out a little longer. I keep my upper body as warm as possible. My legs remain bare. When my bed and I have cooled down well, I try again to fall asleep.

Burning feet syndrome

Not long ago I came across the term burning feet syndrome somewhere on the internet. Of course I was immediately curious.

Could this be the official name for the heat that I and many fellow sufferers experience?

When I dive a little deeper into the subject, I find out that burning feet syndrome is a form of neuropathy.

It represents a burning pain in the feet, and sometimes in the hands as well. Symptoms often begin with tingling, prickling, and numbness. The symptoms generally worsen at night and become less severe by morning.

Diabetes is a common cause, but there are many more possible causes. For example, I also see a vitamin deficiency in the list. This is mainly due to a deficiency of B vitamins.

The syndrome also occurs in Thin Fiber Neuropathy.

It makes sense to go to the doctor if you suffer from burning, painful feet for a long time. The doctor can investigate the underlying problem of your complaint.

There is a skin ointment to treat burning feet syndrome. Medications are also an option.

Restless legs

I don’t know if heat really is a characteristic of restless legs. It seems that on average quite a lot of people with RLS have to deal with this.

In my blog about inflammation I already wrote that with my restless legs I regularly have the feeling that a kind of inflammatory reaction is taking place in my legs. My feet are discolored. They get redder from later in the afternoon.

This reminds me of the osteoarthritis that I suffer from in the winter months. Osteoarthritis is a form of rheumatism. Red spots appear on my hands, and joints become inflamed.

This process is accompanied by heat, swelling and pain. With osteoarthritis, the heat is not there at the same intensity all the time.

Many illnesses involve some form of inflammation.

Personally, I try to take the best possible care of my body by paying attention to my diet. I also take a number of supplements and herbs, including turmeric.

I repeat once again that the body is a complex whole.

Taking good care of your body is one thing, but the spiritual and emotional is just as important.

Stress is perhaps just as harmful as unhealthy food or too little exercise.