Loading...Six years ago we heard from a reader that putting a bar of soap between sheet and the mattress pad (in the general) vicinity of the legs) might prevent or ease nighttime leg cramps. Over the intervening years we have received hundreds of testimonials that indeed soap is magical at easing cramps and even restless leg syndrome. Some people have even written to tell us that soap helps against arthritis and peripheral neuropathy (nerve pain).
Arthritis:
“I recently read your article concerning soap for relief of arthritis pain. I decided to give it a try. I have a bar of soap under the fitted sheet of our bed and have been astounded at how well it works. I have found that small pieces of soap in my socks work better for me than soap in a pocket. My husband thought I’d lost my mind but I encouraged him to try the soap in a pocket or sock. It works for him also. I’ve been pain-free for the first time in several years. After trying many arthritis medications and finding none that my stomach could tolerate, I had decided I would just have to live with the pain as best I could. I, too, am curious as to how the soap works but will simply be satisfied in knowing that it works for me. Thank you for the great service you provide through your newspaper column and website.” From a newspaper reader in Lawton, OK; 2/15/07
Nerve Pain:
“I too tried the soap under the sheet and found it effective. But I am most grateful for another suggestion that has been a wonderful pain reliever for me…. holding a bar of soap in one’s hands for peripheral neuropathy. Over two years ago I suddenly began to experience severe tingling and numbness in my hands and lower arms–usually in the early morning hours–that would waken me with miserable discomfort sometimes lasting as long as 3 hours. No amount of rubbing or shaking would stop the pain. Incidentally, I was also having occasional sciatica and hip aches. My doctor prescribed Gabapentin (Neurontin) that worked wonders for the leg and hip pain but really didn’t affect the tingling and numbness in my hands and arms. Someone wrote to you about holding a bar of soap in one’s hands to relieve tingling. I am delighted and relieved that this works like magic for me. When I feel an “attack” coming on, I immediately grab that lovely little bar of soap, and the pain disappears in 20-30 seconds! The pain is now restricted just to my hands and doesn’t creep up to my elbows. If the pain has been going on awhile, it takes as long as 1-2 minutes…but it always works. Who knows how? Maybe it’s an accupressure kind of thing. But my sincere thanks to you and your column for this wonderful pain reliever.
Karen, June 29, 2010
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We are the first to admit that we cannot come up with a rational reason why soap in bed would help against cramps or RLS, arthritis or nerve pain. On the other hand, soap is cheap and as far as we can tell is far less likely to have side effects than heavy duty medicine. Of course, there will always be doubters and we honor their skepticism. Here is just the latest example of someone who doesn’t believe the soap couple work. We welcome your responses.
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This absolutely has to be psychological. How could soap have any affect on leg cramps? What is the ingredient that makes cramps magically disappear? People claim this works even if the soap remains in the wrapper. Doesn’t that tell you something? Until someone does a double blind experiment that shows positive results, I’m just not buying it.
Sue, Aug. 7, 2010
Bobbi C.
Kansas City, MO
Ok, I have neuropathy from taking Cipro and diabetes. I have read all of these comments and put a bar of Dial Lavender Soap under my sheet. Lol… my husband is laughing at me saying I’m trying to be a witch ha ha ha. For real though, if this works I will be so happy!
This pain is debilitating. I take gabapentin and tramadol. It helps but when i don’t have my mess i want to die. Thank you all. Wish me luck!
DH
A reader suggested that it is the magnesium sulfate in Ivory soap that does the trick. So here’s a thought: Place a sachet of epsom salts (mag sulfate) at the foot of the bed and compare results with that of using soap. I challenge those with leg cramps to try this. It may get us started in narrowing down what’s really going on.
DH
So here’s a thought: A sachet with epsom salts at the foot of the bed instead of soap. That would be a start in testing the Magnesium Sulfate theory vs fragrance theory.
SG
Not just ant soap….use pure lye soap. Do not cover with plastic. Put between sheets at foot of bed.
Donna S.
I have used an unwrapped bar of soap under the bottom sheet at the end of my bed for years. I don’t know, or care, why it alleviates my leg cramps, but it does. When my toes begin to cramp, I know it is time for a fresh bar. I have told many people about this remedy, and I would say that it works for 80% of them. After being in the medical field for over 40 years, I have learned that when something works, don’t question it. What do you have to lose? Give it a couple of weeks. If it doesn’t work, use the soap in the bath. No Dove or Dial—don’t ask why to that either.
Tam
Ivory soap, the most commonly recommended brand of soap for this trick, has magnesium sulfate in it. Magnesium sulfate is the ingredient in epsom salts that makes them therapeutic. It has been shown that the magnesium sulfate in epsom slats can be absorbed through the skin, which is how it provides relief. Perhaps the magnesium sulfate in Ivory soap, or other soaps, is absorbed by the skin a little bit when you place it near your legs when you sleep. Some people have said it works better when they rub their skin with the bar of soap. Perhaps that is because it puts a layer of the soap/magensium sulfate directly on the skin, which allows for better absorption.
Willie
I believe it works because I have not had leg cramps for over one year and I massage my legs with a bar of soap every night before bedtime. I recommend it for anyone that has had legs cramps to try it for a week and I am sure you’ll never have another episode of leg cramps for a long time unless you forget to massage your legs for a few days. I put on a sock and leave the bar of soap inside for good measure.
j.s.
Out of respect for those who wish to be scientific, I would have to guess you are not sufferers of this pain, or have to sleep next to someone whose legs are jumping off the bed. It is a sad and heart-wrenching experience. Both mates are willing to try anything. This condition can lead to further injuries and disability from sleep deprivation. Skepticism is healthy, but in this case there is little cost, so individuals should be encouraged to try it out first before trying something much more expensive as well as threatening.
My research in this area took five minutes. My husband’s legs started jumping as soon as he rests in a chair. I read the information out loud to him, grabbed a bar of soap, wrapped it to his foot with a crew sock, and he is now able to rest without too much pain for the first time in two weeks. We agreed that it likely has to do with pressure and grounding, since a RLS sufferer usually feels some relief walking around. This may be similar.
Will we try cherry capsules? sure. Will we try to identify the culprit of this onset of RLS? Is he exercising to reverse the impact of stress-induced diabetes? You bet. But I can say for the first time in two weeks he is able to sit and clearly think of something besides pain. And I look forward to hugging my husband tonight without fear and dread for him, and losing my own sleep.
I am so grateful for the internet to be able to read what others have posted. Thanks to all, including skeptics for initiating this post.
gracar
I tried 2 bars of Unscented Dove Soap under my top sheet at the bottom by my feet. It is safe and has no soap smell. So far it works perfect. I get real bad leg cramps sometimes and have used leg cramp pills. So far this works as good and no pills. Hope it keeps working. I didn’t put the bars under the bottom sheet. Because I thought the top sheet would work better. I am allergic to scents, perfumes etc. but can use Dove unscented Soap. One reason this idea may work. The soap bars keeps the sheets off your legs and feet, so the bottom of the bed isn’t tight. and If you sleep with out socks or anything tight on your feet this also may help.
mc
Yes, this works for me. I recently tried it during a trip to Hawaii and found no foot/leg cramps since then. I currently use it. If cramps return just replace the soap. Regular size bar or hotel size bar both work. I am a happy sleeper. Getting up 2 or 3 times a night to walk off cramps made me grumpy.
mnw
Soap works for leg cramps….neuropathy, arthritis, not so dependably reported.
condoline
Pain relief from the power of suggestion (psychological) is every bit as real as pain relief from a pill. If it occurs, be thankful. On the other hand, the fact that it works for one person doesn’t mean it will work for somebody else. But in a desperate situation, anything is worth a try!
Lana L.
I too have bad Neuropathy which is a result of the Statin Drug Lipitor & diabetes, in legs and arms. I’ve tried the soap (Irish Spring) for several weeks, even moving location from by the feet, to up by my knees, and it hasn’t helped. This chronic pain is very depressing. I’ve been off all scripts for over 6 years (no insurance), doctor never said there might be a problem from the Lipitor. Feel the big Pharma is chuckling in the corner and offering new drugs for the pain.
ds
My mom has arthritis and wanted to know if you ate the mustard or rubbed in on the area that is hurting. Also, did you use any kind of special mustard?
Thanks!
People’s Pharmacy response: People eat a teaspoon of yellow mustard.
d
I tried the soap about a week ago. Bad leg cramps at night. Got up and put a Yardley Lavender Soap under the bottom sheet. Leg cramps were gone in 5 minutes. Told this to my doctor yesterday. He said he had “heard about it.”
Don’t know why it works but in a lot of people it does. Like he said “whatever works.” I also tried 1 tsp. of mustard for my osteo arthritis and believe it or not within 10 minutes the pain was gone! Amazing!
HMF
My neighbor has been suffering with lower back pain for a year since taking a fall down the steps on a visit to Europe. In the hospital there, they did not immediately operate on her, but had her get bed rest and then sent her home, still in great pain. Back in the states, after seeing many orthopedic physicians and surgeons,she was told that she had broken her back and that the bones had healed, but not in a good way.
The bone was pressing on a nerve and had healed that way. She is in almost constant pain, but surgeons will not operate on this healed vertebral fracture. My question is: has anyone had relief from something like that by using just soap slivers or soap pieces?
ds
I have to put several bars on each leg held on with some stretchy knee bands that I found to make soap work because my RLS is so severe. Also, I find that the more aromatic the soap is like Irish Spring, the better it works. Also, when the soap loses it’s scent, it usually stops working. I have sliced bars in half, and put the newly opened side on my legs and that works for a little while longer.
MARCEL
My mother has had rls for over 40 years and still living with this horrible thing. She tried ivory soap with no result. I wonder if the scent may cause the problem. Every so often I come on your website and I read how well the soap works for them. Maybe someone can suggest a type that could be more effective. She been using mirapex and requip and nether really work.
I pity any one of you that has this rls.
sincerely;
marcel
condoline
Leg cramps? If the sufferer is on a statin drug, that may be the cause – and a heads-up warning that the statin is causing muscle damage that may be irreversible. Please don’t try soap as a cure until you’ve checked out this possible cause! Far better to get at the cause of a symptom that to try to do something about just the symptom!
ds
I had thought that it is the cool sensation does away with the RLS too because when the soap is cold it works well. When the soap warms up on my legs (I strap bars to my legs in leg wraps), it doesn’t work as well and sometimes not at all anymore.
Ice packs work for my RLS, but they are too cold and melt.
This doesn’t explain how the soap works best when it is new and how it stops working over a short amount of time though.
baf
I’ve had nighttime RLS in the soles of my feet for a few years now and read a People’s Pharmacy column recommending soap. I never tried it under the sheets, but I put it on the soles of my feet with socks over my feet. I found a smooth stone works, too. I think it has something to do with the hard and cool sensation on my feet. It’s pretty amazing that it takes the sensation away immediately. While I only suffered from this several times a month, whenever I fly, I almost always suffer from it, so I always have soap or smooth stones with me when I travel.
Now I’ve started having horrid nighttime muscle cramps in my calves. I just read one reader’s post on this board that standing on ice cubes helped her/him. I’m definitely going to try that with my stone next time I have those wretched muscle cramps.
I’m wondering if, at least for me, it’s actually the cold sensation that breaks the cycle of the RLS and , if so, if it will alleviate the muscle cramps too. If the ice cubes worked for that poster, seems like it means the soles of the feet must have a direct path to the nerves and muscles of the leg. Obviously I know NOTHING about medicine, and this may already be a fact. If so, excuse my naivete.
Jim
I don’t think it is the soap that does the trick for leg cramps, I think it’s the loosening of the sheets at the foot of the bed to put the soap in that frees your toes from being pushed down which tense your leg muscles… but I bet your feet smell better.. if that is a problem..(:O)))))
Deena S.
I too thought this could not possibly work, I mean, why would a bar of soap, in the wrapper, between my sheet and mattress, make any difference at all to my leg cramps? After many promises from family members that it does indeed work, I decided I would try it. For weeks I had NO LEG CRAMPS at all. Then suddenly they were back with a vengeance. I started wondering why it had quit working and realized that my husband had changed the sheets last and I didn’t know if he had put my soap back or not, so I investigated and found that he had not put it back!
So anyone who thinks this is all in peoples heads, you’re wrong! I had no idea the soap wasn’t there anymore, yet I suddenly started having the leg cramps again. I returned the soap to it’s place under my sheet and have had no more leg cramps since, I’m happy to say. I have no idea why this works, I just know that it does work, so if you are a skeptic, TRY IT!
mw
Soap (olay) under the sheet stopped my leg cramps completely. If I drink alcohol, a couple of glasses of wine, two or three days in a row, I will have leg cramps with the soap in place. Holding the soap against the cramp will often stop it. Eating yogurt (high in calcium and potassium) before I go to bed, after drinking alcohol, combined with soap prevents leg cramps. I take a bar of soap with me when I spend the night away from home.
LJG
I had major leg and foot cramps at night for years. I tried various supplements–mainly magnesium, calcium, and potassium, which helped a bit. I read about this odd “cure’ and have had a small bar of Ivory under my sheets now for several months. No idea why it works, but my muscle cramps have been reduced by at least 95%. It’s worth having my husband laugh at me for making sure that my soap is in place!
rc
Suffered from leg cramps for years, it seemed they would never let up. When I saw about the bar of soap I tried it and it worked. I’m 58yrs old and for me the soap worked.
C. F.
How much of the benefit of laying the affected region over the soap is a form of acupressure and aroma therapy? I have made soaps, using many different herbs and scents (essential and organic oils), or unscented and basic lye soap, for decades. I’ve tried all the varieties at different times, with no appreciable result other than the pleasant sensation of smelling favorite varieties as they warmed from body heat, or the acupressure effect on muscles/nerves. Sub-lingual quinine tablets still work best for eliminating the cramps, for me.
ds
I am one who has terrible RLS and had been putting new soap in leg wraps nightly to get relief. After acquiring a bag full of old soap bars, I decided to try something different. My mom told me about how she learned that Epsom Salt rubs or creams can halt RLS. I had previously learned that the main ingredient in bar soap is epsom salt (magnesium sulfate). I put 2 and 2 together and decided to try the direct Epsom Salt cream.
I googled epsom salt cream recipe and found that epsom salt can be dissolved in water with heat. I added a few things for emulsion and mixed in healthy oils for a cream the kills RLS!
No more bars of strong smelling soap for me. I make the strongest possible cream and it works well. I have had to add more epsom salt cream to my legs in the middle of the night as the RLS can be mighty strong and creep back up, but it always works to rid it! The cost is minimal to make this cream, and cost much less than soap.
I hope this helps those that the soap doesn’t work for with severe RLS, and that want off the strong medicines like I did. Also, I hope it helps explain to all those who don’t understand how the soap works.
mjl
I first read about the soap for restless legs in the Dr. Gott column published in some newspapers. He also didn’t have an explanation of why it worked! He recommends the small complimentary soap bars you find in hotels/motels. Any generic soap will work also. I have tried this remedy & it worked for me! Hey, its free, with 0 side-effects, so give it a trial.
I plan to also use it for some mild neuropathy instead of an RX that has a list of serious side-effects for some people, including sleepwalking or suicidal thoughts etc. etc. If the soap is only a placebo, its a pretty darn effective one, I’d say!
njordan
I really don’t care what makes it work–it just does. After walking the floor or waking my husband to rub my legs or feet for relief, I now sleep through the night without incident. Changed the linens once and forgot to put the soap back. Three nights later when I awoke with the cramps I remembered I had forgotten to put the soap back. I immediately got up and placed the soap under the sheet at the foot of the bed and haven’t had leg cramps since. I use the travel size bar of soap.
LVLady
I tried the soap for twitching feet (my doctor said it’s the same as RLS) and it didn’t work. I tried 1, then 2, and finally 3 bars of Ivory. Also tried Dove and Dial – none worked. IF anyone has another product, I’ll try anything! My meds work but keep me groggy during the day; I need the meds because even sitting will start the twitching.
Peter F.
A friend told me about this several years ago and said the soap must be Ivory.
Works for me!
Beverley
I use a bar of soap between my sheets so I can move the soap to wherever I have cramps or pain. I wouldn’t dream of going to bed without a bar of soap between the sheets. My husband agrees.
SANDRA
I decided to do the soap thing under the sheet since my legs are always painful when I go to bed at night…. It really does work. Now I look forward to when I got to bed. I will never understand why it works, seems to be a naturalpathic, therapeutic healing to my legs and I now longer take 1000mg of acetamiacin which I used to take to eliminate pain… I started this about 3 weeks ago and I am convinced….
Carolyn
I’m using Neutrogena unscented soap in the wrapper and it is working.
Holly
A friend told me about the soap and sent me your web site. Did not try it. I teach water aerobics and when participants get leg cramps, I have told them to pinch the flesh between the bottom of your nose and the top of your lip and hold it for at least 30 seconds. It works in and out of the water. Cannot remember where I read it.
Jay K.
I have used this remedy for years and it worked. My Doctor snickered at this information but told me “if it works, do it”… he had never heard of it.
I occasionally use a salt substitute that contains potassium, but you’lI need to do that sparingly.
Arlene
I suffered from RLS for years. When I heard about the bar of soap under the sheets… I thought, why not try it? It worked the very first night and every night since (3 years now). My son is a doctor and laughs at my “cure” and won’t admit to trying it for his RLS.
One night I woke up with very restless legs… thinking that was the end of my cure… found out in the morning that the soap slipped out and fell on the floor. Replaced it… no problems since. I have several friends who have had the same results as I have. Simple, inexpensive and no side effects, what could be easier?
Les
I haven’t tried soap, but my leg cramps stopped when I completely stopped eating sugar, and started taking molecularly distilled Omega 3 fish oil capsules.
MW
Yes, the soap remedy works for me – great not to having leg cramps.
Another comment re something else that works, if I may…
Essential oil of Lavender sprayed on my feet at night and in the morning helps lessen “weird feelings” of peripheral neuropathy in both of them. I do take medication to alleviate the “burning”, but the oil helps keep my mind off of those feelings.
Kellie
I was wondering if the soap under the mattress works because people might be breathing more deeply when the air is slightly scented and deep breathing helps one to relax.
Does anyone know for a fact if scents cause one to breathe more deeply?
Jim K.
I have tried it for months and it is of no help. At first I thought it helped, but not now, even with putting in fresh bars of soap, I seem even a little worse. I am a physician and open to these kind of remedies, but this one did not work for me. Perhaps the initial response was a placebo effect – which if it works for some people then more power to them.
Cindy B.
I have an egg-crate type mattress pad under my bottom sheet and I get the small motel-size soaps and break them up into tiny pieces (or shave small pieces off a bigger bar) and just spread the pieces in the egg-crate depressions. Works great! I notice I get intermittent leg cramps while sitting in my recliner watching TV, etc., but never in my bed where the soap is. Another satisfied soap user!
HJW
What difference does it make whether it’s psychological or not? If it works, for whatever the reason, and it does no harm, do it! FYI, my wife has been using it under her bedsheets (IN THE WRAPPER) for years. It is replaced whenever either of us needs a new bar of soap for our showers. I still don’t know if it’s in her mind or not, but again, as long as it works, who cares?
Ed
Re the need for a double-blind study on soap vs. leg cramps:
Double-blind studies have been run in marriage for several centuries and have produced interesting, but not necessarily reliable, results.
Lisme
It doesn’t matter if it’s psychological. Pain is subjective, and if something helps with chronic discomfort, so be it. The brain can create its own drugs through the mind. Medicine doesn’t have to come from a bottle. One might think that soap therapy is hogwash, but chronic pain sufferers are willing to risk ridicule in order to get relief. Pain can be a desperate situation. If psychology works, I would call that legitimate. Perhaps the brain is creating the same chemicals that one could get from a store. I would not judge it unless I had walked a mile in pain.
Jacky
I had read of this “miracle” cure many years ago in a newspaper column – My husband, who had suffered severely from leg cramps laughed when I told him about it – well, guess what, he finally gave in – this is about 8 years ago, and he is incredibly pain-free after putting the bar of soap under the bed sheet – granted the cramps come and go, but the point is, that if he lies down on the bed, within seconds the cramp disappears – so what’s the harm in trying it – it sure beats going out and buying some expensive prescription medicine and then finding out it doesn’t work!
R.E.S.
Don’t know EXACTLY how the soap works, but all I can say is that in many Medical Science studies using the “real” medication and a “placebo”———–many times the “Placebo” works.
So what does that tell you? That we don’t know why it works—-probably the “placebo effect”——–BUT IF IT WORKS—–WHO CARES???
Karen
>Until someone does a double blind experiment that shows positive results, I’m just not buying it.
OK. Don’t try it.
Everyone who is now “claiming” to sleep without restless legs is telling me something. What would the double blind be–soap, and a bar of something the same size as soap? Could be that it’s the bar shape, and a small bit of 2×4 would work just as well. Doesn’t really change the cost of the solution much, does it?
Ginnie B
Regarding the comments by Sue, about the soap in the sheet issue. Yep, I too, have often wondered how such a silly thing could possibly work. But, what the heck, I put the soap under my bed sheet, I was sick and tired of getting up in the middle of the night with leg cramps.
And, it worked! SO, why should I care whether it’s all in my head or in some chemical reaction? The cramps are gone. I don’t get up at night anymore. What purpose would a double blind study serve? Those who try it and find it effective are a lot happier than those who reject it out of hand, and still have get up to walk out a leg cramp. In my head? Great! Something else? Also great.
Ruth
It works !!!!! Been using it for years plus 6 ounces of tonic water every night. Changing the soap every few weeks. Don’t have any night leg cramps.
crandreww
Whats the harm in trying it. I have terrible Neuropathy which is a result of the Statin Drug Lipitor, and for 79 cents, I will try this versus a systemic acting pharmacological agent with who knows what side effects.
Mary T.
This may be a silly question, but isn’t it uncomfortable to have a hard bar of soap where your feet are resting? OR,do you use a small sliver of soap?
Jennifer B.
I’ve always wondered how, also, but I wonder if there is something in the scent. What we breathe definitely affects brains and bodies. I’m lucky enough to not need to try this at this time in my life, but maybe someone out there using this option in their life can experiment by changing from their regular soap bar (haven’t people said any normal over the counter soap will do?) to an all natural unscented product and let us know what it’s made of and whether it still worked. I’m sure a lot of people would be interested in knowing.
CAB
I tried it and still got leg horrible cramps. BUT – my trial may well have been flawed. I have a severe aversion to soap – not just the added fragrances, but to soap itself – and was unwilling to put a naked bar of the dreaded stuff under my sheet. A friend thoughtfully placed a bar of soap in a plastic bag, which I placed under my sheet.
Perhaps my trial showed one thing – it must be the soap, not just the presence of some object, that helps with the leg cramps.