A DOCTOR’S VIEW

Len’s method doesn’t seem scientific, says Dr Peet Vermaak, a clinical neurophysiologist and sleep specialist from Mbombela, Mpumalanga.

“We’ve had someone here with a patent that sends a light electrical current through your feet to help with restless legs syndrome (RLS),” he says. “We investigated and found it worked for some people but not for others.”

RLS is a common condition of the nervous system that causes an irresistible urge to move the legs, he explains. It leads to an uncomfortable crawling or creeping sensation in the feet, calves and thighs. Symptoms are often worse at night.

But Vermaak doesn’t dismiss Len’s invention out of hand. “If it works for him, that’s great,” he says.

He says doctors diagnose RLS through a clinical process. The patient has to lie still for about 30 minutes until they can feel the symptoms, at which point they’re examined. “We find that people tend to experience a crawling sensation under their skin, particularly around the thigh area.”

It’s not exactly clear what causes the condition. People with low iron levels are often troubled by RLS, Vermaak adds, and are prescribed iron supplements for the problem.

“In extreme cases doctors can prescribe dopamide, which is also used to treat Parkinson’s disease.”