Hirudotherapy: benefits and harms, indications, contraindications, reviews

The benefits and harms of leech therapy are an extremely important issue, since some people respect hirudotherapy very much, while others are skeptical about it. To determine what effect such treatment brings, you need to study all its properties.

The history of the emergence of hirudotherapy

The unusual medical practice of leech therapy appeared at the dawn of civilization - the method was used in Ancient Egypt, Greece and India. From the southern countries, hirudotherapy gradually spread to Europe and became extremely popular there. Until the 19th century, in most of Eurasia, including Russia, leeches were considered one of the main methods of treatment and were used for literally all diseases. Even high-ranking persons were treated with the properties of hirudotherapy.

In the 20th century, the treatment with medical worms was briefly forgotten, more modern methods of dealing with various diseases appeared. But at present, hirudotherapy is gaining popularity again, although it bears little resemblance to the procedure used 100 or more years ago.

When looking for a good doctor, you should not pay attention to healers without education - their actions can be harmful.

What types of leeches can heal

For treatment in hirudotherapy, only 3 specific useful types of leeches are used:

• eastern;
• pharmacy;
• medical.

In total, there are several hundred worms from this subclass, but other species cannot be used for treatment. In addition, only worms grown in special biofactories are suitable for use for medical purposes - they are completely sterile. Worms caught in their natural habitat are often carriers of infections and can cause severe harm.

Why leeches are useful

To understand why the properties of the ancient treatment are still used in medicine, it is necessary to consider the effect of healing worms on the body.

1. Sucking to the human body, the medicinal leech injects the enzyme hirudin into the bloodstream, a natural blood thinner. This reduces the load on the circulatory system, which is of great benefit in a number of diseases.
2. In hirudotherapy, beneficial worms are applied to the patient's body not in random places, but at special points - the same ones that are used during acupuncture. This triggers biologically active processes in the body that have a beneficial effect on the state of the body.
3. In response to the bite, the human body shows a response - the immune system begins to work actively. Substances are produced that help eliminate inflammation, infections and viruses, and metabolism is accelerated - these properties also bring undoubted benefits.

The benefits and harms of medicinal leeches complement modern methods of treating diseases and allow you to achieve improved results.

Indications and points of setting leeches

Basically, the beneficial properties of hirudotherapy are used for diseases that are accompanied by impaired blood circulation. Leeches have a good effect on joint ailments and diseases of the veins, with a poor metabolism, the benefits of hirudotherapy in gynecology are widely known.

The number of worms required for the procedure and the points for their installation are determined by the specifics of the disease.

With osteochondrosis and arthrosis

Hirudotherapy demonstrates useful properties in the treatment of osteochondrosis and arthrosis. These diseases are often caused by insufficient blood circulation, uneven physical activity, injuries and metabolic disorders. The benefit of leeches for osteochondrosis is that the properties of the treatment significantly reduce the discomfort. Thanks to the procedures, the blood flow in the affected area becomes better, pain and swelling go away, and healthy joint mobility returns.

As a rule, useful worms are placed around the diseased joint in 4-5 pieces, depending on the severity of the disease. To achieve the effect, several sessions are required, and the exact number is determined by the hirudotherapist during the initial diagnosis.

With hernia of the spine

Vertebral hernias are accompanied by excessive tension of the muscles surrounding the deformed vertebra, and its additional compression. The benefits of hirudotherapy for a hernia of the spine are manifested in the fact that leeches help to relax tissues and improve blood circulation in the problematic part of the body. Thanks to this, it is possible to achieve improvement and slow down the development of the disease.

When treating worms, they are placed slightly below and above the deformed vertebra - in the intervals between adjacent discs. It is desirable to combine the beneficial properties of hirudotherapy with other methods of treatment - gentle physical education, massage, manual therapy.

With varicose veins

The use of leeches for varicose veins is very high - they improve the physical condition and appearance of the legs. Hirudotherapy brings a special effect in the early stages of the disease, in such cases, 2-3 courses of treatment for several sessions are enough to delay the development of varicose veins for a long time. After treatment with leeches, protruding veins become less noticeable, purple and red stars under the skin disappear, edema and a feeling of heaviness in the legs disappear.

To achieve a beneficial effect, the worms are placed in the immediate vicinity of the protruding veins - usually in a checkerboard pattern. The number of worms depends on the neglect of the disease - the more pronounced the varicose veins, the more leeches can be applied during the procedure.

With kidney disease

The benefits of leech saliva are manifested in renal ailments, even severe enough. Hirudotherapy is used for chronic renal failure, as well as for the treatment of the consequences of mechanical injuries.

A specialist can install leeches in different fields. For example, with glomerulonephritis, worms are placed in 2-3 pieces on the lower back, in the chest area or above the thyroid gland. And in chronic renal failure and after injuries - mainly in the lumbar region and above the liver, but 7-8 pieces.

For nerve disorders

Neurological diseases are often triggered by an impaired blood supply to certain areas of the body. Striking examples are sciatica and neuralgia, stroke and myopathy, vegetative-vascular dystonia. Treatment with leeches can completely eliminate the listed diseases or contribute to a strong relief of their symptoms.

The points of installation of worms depend on the characteristics of the disease. Usually, the worms are placed along the line of the spine or an individual affected nerve to ensure high-quality blood flow in the right part of the body.

With prostatitis

The health benefits of leeches for men is primarily that worms are used to treat prostatitis. In this case, the effect of hirudotherapy is explained by the fact that leeches suck blood from a certain part of the body and reduce its volume, thereby improving circulation. In addition, the benefits of leeches for men are manifested in the healing properties of the saliva of these worms, it relieves inflammation and reduces pain.

Leeches are installed not only in the coccyx and pubis, but also in other places - above the liver or solar plexus. The optimal place is determined by the hirudotherapist, who understands the relationships between biologically active points of the body.

With thrombophlebitis

Thrombophlebitis at any stage is one of the direct indications for the use of hirudotherapy. To thin the blood and reduce its number, the worms are placed at a distance of about 1 cm from the affected vein, and the procedure brings a quick result. Treatment can be used in chronic and acute course of the disease - with proper hirudotherapy, its properties will not harm.

With diabetes mellitus

Against the background of diabetes mellitus, especially with type 2 of the disease, tissue immunity to insulin gradually develops. The harm lies not only in the fact that changes in blood glucose levels become more frequent, but also in the fact that metabolism is significantly impaired, and serious complications arise.

The properties of leech therapy in this case bring a positive effect, since they normalize metabolism and return insulin sensitivity to tissues. As a rule, leeches are placed on the tailbone and in the solar plexus area, where biologically active zones are located.

With hemorrhoids

The benefits of leeches for women and men are in demand for hemorrhoids - if there are external hemorrhoids. The properties of the treatment help relieve inflammation and reduce the size of the nodes, prevent blood clots.

Useful worms are installed on the tailbone or around the anus. Leeches are rarely placed directly on the nodes - this can be harmful. Since the affected area is very small, usually no more than 3-4 worms are used per session.

For liver diseases

With hepatitis, inflammation of the gallbladder and cirrhosis, leeches benefit the liver, they improve the blood supply to diseased organs, help cleanse tissues and relieve the inflammatory process. Useful worms are usually placed directly above the liver and on the stomach, on the sacrum and in the sternum area, the benefit will be from leeches on the navel.

In case of liver damage, no more than 4 leeches are used in the first sessions of hirudotherapy, subsequently, to improve the effect, their number is increased. In total, sessions are carried out at least twice a week, and the treatment course consists of 10-12 sessions. If necessary, the treatment is repeated after a month's break.

With hypertension

Benefit leeches for pressure - due to the fact that beneficial worms suck blood, bouts of hypertension are removed almost instantly. And with prolonged treatment, high blood pressure can be evened out stably, since the properties of hirudotherapy promote vasodilation.

Useful worms are most often placed behind the ears, in the recess under the 6th vertebra on the neck or in the coccyx region. During treatment for hypertension, short bleeding may open, it quickly passes and does not cause harm.

In dentistry

The benefits of leeches for humans are used for dental ailments - inflammatory periodontitis, alveolitis, periostitis. Also, the properties of medical worms are beneficial for inflammation of the trigeminal nerve or salivary glands.The installation of leeches is performed directly on the gums and mucous membranes of the oral cavity; in time, the session usually takes no more than 10 minutes.

Since the beneficial leeches relieve excess blood pressure in inflamed tissues, swelling and pain are quickly relieved. The use of hirudotherapy is justified in cases where it is not possible to use more radical methods of treatment or their effectiveness is questionable.

In gynecology

The benefits and harms of leeches are widely used in gynecology, most often they are installed externally on the sacrum, lower abdomen and in the solar plexus region, but sometimes they are even injected into the body. A huge number of vessels and small capillaries are located near the reproductive organs of women, respectively, treatment with leeches brings a quick and noticeable effect. The benefit of hirudotherapy for women is that leeches improve the condition in inflammatory diseases of the uterus and appendages, with congestion in the pelvic organs, and with hormonal disorders.

Since leech treatment improves the blood supply to the pelvis, leeches are beneficial for women from infertility. When applied alongside procedural and pharmacological treatments, reproductive performance will improve significantly.

In cosmetology

The benefits of leeches for women's health are also manifested in the care of external beauty. Hirudotherapy allows you to eliminate serious skin defects - acne, acne and boils, leech treatment makes scars and scars less noticeable. The benefit of hirudotherapy for the face lies in the fact that leeches improve the blood supply to the hair follicles under the scalp, and, therefore, restore splendor and strength to the curls.

An important advantage of cosmetic hirudotherapy is that its properties are suitable for women of all ages. The benefits of leeches on the face will be with oily and dry skin, with wrinkles and insufficient elasticity. Useful worms are usually placed directly on problem areas - near the nose, on the forehead, under the eyes, on the temples and behind the ears.

For obesity and cellulite

The benefits of leeches for women's health are manifested in the fact that hirudotherapy promotes weight loss. The effect is direct and very fast - leeches start the process of destruction of adipose tissue and normalize subcutaneous blood flow. Toxins and toxins are rapidly eliminated from the body, thereby reducing weight, and the skin becomes healthier and more attractive in appearance.

They put medical worms directly in the places of accumulation of adipose tissue.

Preparation for the procedure

In order for the treatment with leeches to do no harm, you must carefully prepare for it:

1. First of all, you should choose a good medical center offering the services of licensed hirudotherapists, and make sure of its technical equipment, in particular, sterility during the procedure is of utmost importance.
2. Immediately before the first treatment session, it is necessary to pass clinical tests and make sure that there are no strict contraindications to treatment.
3. It is necessary to give up alcohol 2 days before the procedure, and smoking is prohibited on the day of the session.

The body must be clean before hirudotherapy, it cannot be treated with creams, lotions and oils, it is not recommended to use deodorants and perfumes. At the same time, you do not need to take a shower before the session, it is best to wash the day before and then no longer use cosmetics and hygiene products.

Features and treatment regimen with leeches

The number of hirudotherapy sessions is determined individually in each case, but usually the treatment consists of 10-12 procedures. The sessions look like this:

• the sterile leech is removed from the container placed in the refrigerator and inserted into a special syringe;
• using a syringe, the leech is directed to the skin at the injection site and covered with gauze as soon as the worm sucks;
• if the worm does not want to stick, the skin is slightly pierced and a leech is applied to the protruding drop of blood.

Throughout the entire useful procedure, the patient must remain motionless. The session takes about 45 minutes, at the end of the session, the well-fed leech falls off by itself or a specialist removes it with the help of salt or alcohol.

A fresh wound at the site of suction will bleed for several hours, there is no harm or danger in this. The wound must be regularly washed, you can disinfect the bite with hydrogen peroxide.

Is re-use of leeches acceptable?

Since sterility is very important in hirudotherapy, leeches are usually applied only once. In rare cases, they can be reused, but only for the same patient, and not earlier than after 3 months.

Is it possible to put leeches at home yourself

Since hirudotherapy is a complex medical procedure, and its properties can easily cause harm, it is recommended to undergo leech therapy only under the supervision of a doctor. Even a careful study of the rules of hirudotherapy does not guarantee that self-treatment will not cause harm.

Hirudotherapy during pregnancy

During the period of childbearing, the beneficial properties of leech treatment are very rarely used, since blood thinning in a pregnant woman can lead to a miscarriage. The attending physician can prescribe the procedure only in an exceptional case with severe thrombosis or varicose veins, if drug treatment cannot be applied. It is forbidden to independently apply to hirudotherapy during pregnancy, blood-sucking worms can cause irreparable harm.

Is it possible to put leeches on children

Since hirudotherapy has many contraindications, treatment with useful worms is not used for young children. However, from the age of 14, in the presence of serious diseases, leeches can be used for adolescents.

The harm of leech treatment

In some cases, the effect of hirudotherapy can be negative - although the procedure causes harm mainly if the rules for its implementation are violated. In particular, the side effects of leech treatment include:

• allergic reactions, especially when worms are installed in the liver area;
• severe bleeding;
• the formation of bruises and extensive bruising at the site of the bite;
• infection - this happens when sterility is violated or when the rules for caring for the wound are neglected.

Also, after the procedure, some patients experience an increase in lymph nodes. This is unpleasant, but most often it is not dangerous and quickly goes away by itself.

Contraindications to leech treatment

Like any procedure, hirudotherapy is strictly contraindicated in certain conditions of the body. The benefits of medicinal worms will turn into harm when:

• hemophilia;
• oncological diseases;
• pregnancy and lactation;
• hypotension;
• low hemoglobin levels.

Use useful worms with caution during menstruation, during this period the body already loses a lot of blood.

Conclusion

The benefits and harms of leech treatment are determined by how well the procedure is performed. If the patient has no contraindications, and hirudotherapy is carried out by a qualified doctor, leeches will not cause harm.

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