Treatment with leeches: benefits and contraindications. Hirudotherapy: an unconventional method of treatment with leeches, indications and contraindications. Hirudotherapy: indications and contraindications. Reviews

What is hirudotherapy: this treatment with leeches has indications and contraindications that must be taken into account before starting the course. What are the benefits of leeches whose bite can cause harm if you do not follow the rules?

First, let's figure out what a medicinal leech is, and whether it is possible to simply catch them in a pond or river.

And medicinal leeches are blood-sucking worms up to 12 centimeters long! Interestingly, they have as many as 5 pairs of eyes and a front sucker with a mouth and 3 jaws with sharp teeth, with which the leech gnaws through the skin of a warm-blooded animal in order to drink its blood.

She also has a more powerful rear sucker without teeth. Above it is the anus.

Her organs of hearing and smell are also sufficiently developed to find food in a body of water. In addition, it is believed that it is absorbed precisely in the one that is associated with the diseased organ or system. Of course, this does not mean that the leech can be allowed to freely climb the body so that it chooses a place on its own. The hirudotherapist places her in the desired area, and she chooses the point where to sink her teeth herself.

There are more than 400 species of them in nature. But only medicinal leeches that are specially grown in biofactories and are absolutely pure in the bacterial sense are used.

It is strictly forbidden to take them from open bodies of water, as the consequences of this are unpredictable!

Medicinal leeches used once, which eliminates the possibility of a person becoming infected with unpleasant blood-borne diseases. After a hirudotherapy session, the leech is disposed of.

Treatment with leeches is the oldest method of alternative medicine, which is one of the few that has become widespread throughout the planet and has reached our time almost unchanged.

This technique allows in some cases even to avoid surgery, which is sometimes very important. For example, intervention can be avoided even with very advanced forms of hemorrhoids.

Treatment with leeches, hirudotherapy, can be used both in combination with methods of official medicine and as an independent technique.

Medical leeches effect on humans

The mechanism of action of leeches on the body can be divided into 3 types:

1. Suctioning blood, which lowers blood pressure. About 200 years ago and earlier, bloodletting by opening a vein by a doctor was used by healers for almost all diseases. But this was a rather barbaric method in which a person lost not only blood, but also strength. Placing leeches on biologically active points is a much more effective technique.

One leech can suck 4-12 milliliters of blood, depending on its size. Therefore, the doctor (I emphasize - a specialist) quite accurately determines how many leeches need to be given to the patient at a time.

1. The effect is similar to reflexology, since by piercing the skin at a biologically active point, a leech thereby has an effect on the system of the human body or its organ associated with this point.
2. Of no small importance is the biochemical effect of the special secretion secreted by the salivary glands of the leech, containing.

This is, first of all, hirudin, which thins the blood and stimulates the functioning of the circulatory system.

Thanks to hirudin, blood clots dissolve, blood clotting is reduced, which prevents the formation of new blood clots. In addition, swelling is relieved (including internal postoperative swelling) and has a positive effect on the cardiovascular system as a whole.

The enzymes contained in leech saliva are also of great importance: trypsin, which normalizes the functioning of the digestive organs; cathepsin, which prevents the development of malignant neoplasms, and hyaluronidase, which has a positive effect on the male reproductive system.

In addition, a leech bite introduces some beneficial bacteria into our blood, which help fight viruses and infections.

Benefits of leeches on the face: improving microcirculation in the skin, increasing its elasticity, activating blood circulation and metabolism, improving lymphatic drainage, thereby relieving swelling.

Your skin will improve color, become healthy, and wrinkles will decrease.

But at the same time, hirudotherapy in cosmetology is not a panacea; it must be combined with other cosmetic techniques.

Hirudotherapy contraindications

Like any other method, treatment with leeches has its limitations, which must be taken into account.

There are not many of them:

As you can see, leeches have contraindications, but there are not many of them compared to how great the benefits of leeches are for humans.

How to place leeches correctly

First of all, before using this method of alternative medicine, you need to consult a doctor, undergo an examination to identify contraindicated diseases and do a biochemical blood test.

If during the treatment you experience itching and redness of the skin in the places where the leech was placed, the doctor will prescribe antiallergic therapy, after which the sessions can be continued.

It is normal if after the end of the session the wounds bleed for about a day.

They are not needed lubricate with nothing, but be sure to protect against infection with a bandage or breathable sticker.

A leech bite may take several days to heal, but it is not at all dangerous.

As I already said, the doctor will determine how many leeches to put at a time and where to put the leeches for your health problems. Usually up to 6 pieces are enough. If the doctor decides to place five or six leeches, then the patient must spend at least two days in bed after the session. So this is not a completely harmless procedure!

The duration of the procedure is 20-40 minutes. There are 2 treatment methods:

1. The leech sucks blood as much as it wants
2. The hirudologist himself determines the time and removes it until completely saturated. To remove a leech, drop alcohol on it, apply a cotton swab with iodine solution, wine, table vinegar, lemon juice or sprinkle with salt. You can even fumigate it with cigarette smoke.
3. Under no circumstances should you pull off a leech!

Before the session, you should not take a bath, experience heavy physical activity, drink alcohol, smoke or use any aromatic products. If the patient is sweating, you need to wipe the problem areas with alcohol and then rinse with hot water without detergents.

It turns out that a medicinal leech will refuse to suck blood if the “client” has any foreign odors.

If the areas where the leeches are placed are covered with hair, they need to be shaved, and the place where the leeches are placed should be wiped with medical alcohol, then with hot boiled water and wiped dry.

After the procedure, you should not take a bath for a week so as not to introduce infection into the wounds. Physiotherapeutic procedures can be taken only 4-5 days after each treatment session.

A medicinal leech must be healthy and active. To do this, you need to carefully examine it - it should be elastic and shiny. In addition, the selected leeches are placed in a glass container with clean water and their activity is checked: after 20 minutes they should begin to move upward along the walls of the vessel.

How to place leeches

They are taken with your hand, slightly moving away from the suction cup, and applied to the skin in the desired area. She will determine the specific point herself.

When the leech has completely suctioned (this can be seen from the contractions of its skin near the “head”), you can place the next one.

After all the provided leeches have sucked, sterile cotton pads should be placed under the free part of their body to protect the skin from contact with the powerful rear suction cup.

How often can leeches be applied?

The number of sessions and their frequency are determined by the hirudotherapist in each specific case, depending on the disease and the patient’s well-being.

Most often, 7-10 procedures from one to three times a week are enough.

If you follow all the rules, then no complications or side effects are observed.

Complications and side effects during hirudotherapy

The main reason for these unpleasant situations is errors in their use: improper treatment of the placement sites, the use of substandard leeches, infection in the wounds when combing them, and violations of the regime after the procedure.

In addition, hirudotherapy may be incompatible with the medications the patient is taking. That’s why it’s so important to have this treatment done by a doctor!

Side effects include allergic reactions and suppuration of bite sites when infection is introduced into them from the outside or when using sick leeches.

As you can see, everything depends on ourselves and the qualifications of the hirudologist.

Hirudotherapy at home

If you decide to use leech treatment yourself, first visit your doctor and carry out the necessary tests, which I mentioned above.

Then consult a hirudotherapist, who will determine where to place the leeches, how many pieces and in what way: until the bloodsucker is completely satisfied or for a specific period, as well as with what interval to do the procedures.

After this, decide where you can buy high-quality leeches and how to maintain them, since running to a pharmacy or a bio-leech factory every time is hardly advisable.

Where you should not place leeches at home: this is the tongue, gums, vagina, large blood vessels and penis, eye, as well as the area of ​​​​all natural openings in the human body, since an inexperienced healer can get a leech inside, and this is very dangerous.

So safe and effective treatment with leeches at home is very problematic.

It’s better to trust your health to a trusted specialist so as not to harm yourself!

We looked at the topic of Hirudotherapy, indications and contraindications, complications and side effects, as well as problems that may arise if you go for treatment with leeches at home.

If you are interested in what hirudotherapy is, share this post on your social networks with your friends!

What do you think: are the benefits and harms of leech treatment equivalent? I would like to know your opinion about leech bites in cosmetology and medicine, write it in the comments

This is treatment with leeches or prepared and processed components obtained from medicinal leeches for medicinal, preventive and health purposes.

How does the therapeutic effect occur?

The therapeutic effect is based on three factors: biological, mechanical and reflex. Let's talk about each one in order. When bitten, a leech injects over 150 biologically active substances into the blood, which thin the blood, relieve swelling and inflammation, and improve the delivery of nutrients and oxygen to cells.

Blood and lymph flow out of the wound, which leads to renewal of the lymphatic system and strengthening of the immune system. Leeches stick to the skin at acupuncture points, or nerve reflex points, thereby enhancing the effect of enzymes.

Are all leeches medicinal?

In hirudotherapy, 3 subspecies of worms are used, 1 type - medical (in total there are 400 types of leeches).

For therapeutic, preventive and health purposes, hirudotherapy uses only them. Only these 3 species have unique properties beneficial to the human body. They are grown in biofactories.

How is leech treatment performed?

The hirudotherapist places the leech on dry, warm, clean skin without foreign odors. Before the session, you should not use scented shower products or perfumes.

When the leech becomes saturated, it disappears. Sometimes we can allow early weaning of the worm (with partial exposure).

After the bite, blood oozes from the wound. The hirudotherapist treats this area and applies a sterile bandage with an absorbent pad. The wound should not be wetted for several days.

Hirudotherapy: contraindications for medicinal leeches

1. Diseases accompanied by blood clotting disorders.

2. Anemia.

3. Leukemia.

4. Erosive and ulcerative lesions of the gastrointestinal tract.

5. Acute febrile illnesses with an unclear diagnosis.

6. Subacute bacterial endocarditis.

7. Active forms of tuberculosis.

8. State of acute mental arousal.

9. State of alcoholic intoxication.

10. Severe exhaustion (cachexia).

11. Hypotension.

12. Pregnancy.

13. Condition after surgery on the brain and spine.

14. Oncological diseases.

15. Individual intolerance to leeches, allergic reactions, which occur in 0.01% of the population.

Hirudotherapy: indications

List of diseases for which leech can be used

1. Diseases of the cardiovascular system (coronary heart disease, heart failure stage I-II, atherosclerotic and post-infarction cardiosclerosis, cardialgia, dyscirculatory atherosclerotic encephalopathy, hypertension stage I-III).

2. Diseases of the respiratory system (chronic bronchitis, bronchial asthma, chronic pneumonia, chronic sinusitis).

3. Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, accompanied by spastic or atonic disorders, gastritis, pancreatitis.

4. Inflammatory diseases of the liver and biliary tract.

5. Neurological diseases (diseases of the peripheral nervous system, vascular diseases of the brain, traumatic lesions of the central nervous system and peripheral nerves, neuroses, multiple sclerosis).

6. Vascular diseases (obliterating endarteritis of the extremities, thrombophlebitis, hemorrhoids).

7. Inflammatory diseases of the female genital organs.

8. Diseases of the genitourinary system (prostatitis, cystitis).

9. Eye diseases (glaucoma, inflammatory eye diseases).

10. Skin diseases (psoriasis, neurodermatitis, eczema).

11. Surgical diseases (prevention of postoperative infiltrates, thrombosis, lymphostasis).

12. Diseases of the endocrine system (menopausal syndrome, hyperthyroidism, thyroiditis, obesity).

13. Dental diseases (caries, stomatitis, cheilitis, glossitis, periodontal disease, periodontitis, alveolar pyorrhea).

14. Traumatological and orthopedic diseases (inflammatory processes, consequences of gunshot wounds, phantom pain syndrome, etc.).

15. Systemic lupus erythematosus, scleroderma.

16. Diseases of the joints (arthrosis, arthritis).

Hirudotherapy: indications and contraindications. Reviews

With proper placement of leeches under the supervision of an experienced hirudotherapist, patients observe improvements already in 1-3 procedures (depending on the disease).

Based on my review, I can say the following: it is often possible to establish certain indications and contraindications only at an appointment or after an examination, since each patient is a single whole, interconnected by various components of direct and feedback.

Hirudotherapy: indications and contraindications. Prices

The cost of treatment depends on the number of leeches used.

Consultation with a hirudotherapist 1000 rubles

Procedure for placing 1 leech 500 rubles

Hirudotherapy of 3 leeches 1500 rubles

Hirudotherapy for placing 5 leeches 2500 rubles

Today, almost every clinic has a hirudotherapist’s office. Some snort: “Here we go!” Last century!”, recalling the famous Duremar catching leeches from a swamp. But I also often sing: “My dear leeches!” I have more than 10 years of experience as a hirudotherapist, and I am convinced that this method of treatment is underestimated by my colleagues and patients. Medical leeches will help cope with hypertension, varicose veins, hemorrhoids, infertility, prostatitis and even hangovers! You definitely need to find out what other diseases are treated with medicinal leeches, and in what cases they can cause harm. In this article you will find up-to-date information from an experienced hirudotherapist about indications and contraindications for treatment with leeches.

List of diseases that can be treated with leeches

Hirudotherapy, bdellotherapy, or treatment with leeches, is used in naturopathy for many diseases. What is the secret of the effectiveness of leeches? In many ways, this is the ability of leeches to inject hirudin, which prevents blood clots, and a kind of small bloodletting, which helps relieve excess pressure.

Leeches for the heart and blood vessels

In the presence of of cardiovascular diseases, leeches can significantly alleviate the patient’s condition, especially if he has coronary heart disease, post-infarction condition, rheumatism in combination with arterial hypertension or symptomatic hypertension. Using leech treatment in such patients, I saw how pain and high blood pressure were relieved, and the general condition improved.

For ischemic heart disease, I apply leeches to the heart area, for portal hypertension , heart failure or with an enlarged liver with signs of stagnation - on the right hypochondrium, with severe hypertension - on the area of ​​the mastoid processes (behind the ears).

I prescribe from 4 to 8 leeches, repeat the procedure after 2 to 3 days, the number of approaches is from 2 to 4. Usually this is enough to obtain a noticeable effect.

Hirudotherapy for varicose veins

I always see a good effect when treating varicose veins of the lower extremities with leeches. It is possible to improve blood microcirculation, reduce swelling, pain and a feeling of heaviness. The saliva of these useful creatures not only prevents the formation of blood clots, but also promotes the resorption of existing ones. This significantly reduces the risk of rupture and migration of a blood clot, which can cause embolism, heart attack or stroke.

The treatment also has a cosmetic effect, as it helps to dissolve unsightly vascular mesh and reduce the visibility of large enlarged veins. I also use leeches for thrombophlebitis and hemorrhoids to resolve painful nodes and lumps that form.

I noticed that the application of leeches has an excellent effect wherever there is blood flow (hypertension, varicose veins, hemorrhoids)!

In gynecology

I'm not a gynecologist. I do not use leeches intravaginally. I use them as an aid. I use it in the following cases:

1. Inflammation of the pelvic organs.
2. Adhesive processes.
3. Infections (chlamydia, herpes, etc.).
4. Cervical erosion.
5. Benign neoplasms.
6. Endometriosis.
7. Disruptions in the menstrual cycle.
8. Mastopathy.

I put leeches on different parts of the body. I choose the purpose, duration and intensity of treatment depending on the severity of the disease and the patient’s tolerance of the procedure.

For infertility

I use leeches for male and female infertility. It is extremely difficult to treat this condition; it is not always possible to cope with it. But experienced doctors recommend starting treatment with hirudotherapy, since in uncomplicated cases only the use of leeches is sufficient.

I have experience when, in the absence of organic pathology, infertility was managed, and the couple had healthy, full-fledged offspring. I remember the happy eyes of my nurse, who, after a course of hirudotherapy, showed me two treasured lines on the test! Now she already has two children. But they diagnosed me with infertility, I was treated for a long time until I decided to use leeches!

For joints and spine (arthrosis, arthritis, osteochondrosis, disc herniation)

During treatment For diseases of the musculoskeletal system, hirudotherapy gives excellent results. To achieve a stable and pronounced effect, at least 8 to 10 full sessions will be required.

I place leeches on the area of ​​painful joints and on places where severe pain and swelling occur. I usually start with partial exposure, leaving the bloodsuckers on for 15 to 20 minutes and removing them with a cotton swab containing alcohol or a saturated saline solution. Then I hold the leeches until they are saturated, until they fall off on their own.

The interval between sessions can reach 6 days. After a month's course I repeat the treatment.

After hirudotherapy, patients note a significant decrease in joint pain, swelling disappears, and the volume of active movements in them increases.

Leeches in urology (prostatitis)

When treating prostatitis, I recommend only two courses of hirudotherapy - seven and five procedures, respectively. I place 5 – 7 leeches on the stomach and legs, with full exposure. I take at least a 4 day break between sessions. Between courses I take a break of 14 days. The second stage of treatment is mandatory, even if it seems that the disease has lost ground. It will help consolidate the result and make the recovery stable.

In endocrinology (diabetes mellitus, obesity)

Metabolic disorders can take many forms. The most common are obesity, diabetes, gout, and various allergic reactions. All these disorders are extremely difficult to treat with medication, and leeches can have a pronounced positive effect.

To treat obesity, I use 4-6 courses of leeches, spread over 12 months. Each course consists of 10 procedures. I take 8-10 leeches and place them on the patient’s back, leaving them until they are completely saturated and separate on their own.

In ophthalmology (glaucoma)

Glaucoma is a very serious eye disease associated with high intraocular pressure. It is practically untreatable, and the use of leeches gives very good results.

With this disease, the removal of fluid from the eyeball is disrupted, it accumulates, which leads to an increase in pressure. The insidiousness of the problem lies in the imperceptible and slow development of the disease. If measures are not taken in time, blindness is inevitable.

In my experience, the use of leeches gives a very good result, lasting and noticeable. In addition, the use of leeches affects the entire body as a whole, allowing it to independently confront the problem. Unlike medications, hirudotherapy for glaucoma does not produce side effects and is well tolerated even by very old patients with a wide range of other pathologies.

I remember a patient with an attack of glaucoma, with severe headaches and vomiting. I put two leeches around each eye until it fell off. She kissed me after the procedure! The pain is gone. After that incident, she became a “fan” of leeches and treats everything with them!

Treatment with leeches in dermatology

Skin diseases have been treated with leeches for a very long time, and this remedy helps with a wide variety of dermatological problems, including such complex ones that are difficult to respond to any influence, such as neurodermatitis, psoriasis, eczema and persistent acne, furunculosis, scleroderma.

Treatment of such diseases is very long, sometimes requiring up to 10 sessions.

However, the result is worth any effort, especially since it becomes noticeable after the first 3–4 procedures.

I place 5 – 7 leeches on the affected area or on the back, at the sites of acupuncture points for a more effective effect. I keep it until completely saturated; after a month’s course, you can undergo repeated treatment.

Leeches in narcology (hangover, alcoholism, drug addiction)

My main specialty is a narcologist. Of course, treating any form and degree of addiction is extremely difficult, since it is not just a passion for a forbidden substance or liquid, but a deeper feeling. It is caused by disturbances in the production and entry into the brain of a number of neurotransmitters, for example, serotonin, enedorphins, enkephalins, which are often collectively called “pleasure hormones.”

If a person does not receive these substances naturally due to various disorders in the functioning of the body, he finds a way to obtain them from the outside - with alcohol, tobacco, narcotic and other harmful substances. Getting used to constant “feeding”, the brain begins to suffer from their absence if the patient decides to get rid of bad habits. This condition is usually called withdrawal or withdrawal syndrome.

The use of leeches helps relieve and relieve withdrawal symptoms. The saliva of these apparently unpleasant, but very useful creatures contains more than 30 different components that not only help thin the blood, but also help cleanse the body from the inside. They normalize blood flow, stimulate normal circulation, boost metabolism and immunity. As a result, the addicted person’s body literally acquires the physical strength to fight any form of addiction.

Leeches have one more “side effect”, which is extremely useful and necessary when getting rid of drug problems. Hirudotherapy relieves insomnia, depression, neuroses and other psychological disorders.

I select treatment individually depending on the severity of symptoms, the patient’s age, and his mental and physical condition.

I have repeatedly treated hangovers with leeches. It is enough to place 2-3 leeches behind the ears on the mastoid processes until they fall off, and the person is “born again”! True, leeches often don’t want to stick (they don’t like the smell of alcohol!), so you have to suffer to “persuad” it to start working!

Gastrointestinal diseases and hirudotherapy

Leeches have a positive effect on many disorders of the gastrointestinal tract. These include the following diseases and disorders:

• constipation,
• cholecystitis,
• pancreatitis,
• cholecystitis,
• colitis,
• hepatitis,
• cholelithiasis, biliary dyskinesia.

In severe conditions, several courses of procedures will be required, most often from 5 to 10 repetitions, 4 to 6 leeches per session.

I place them on the stomach, localizing them in the projection of the affected organ, for example, in case of hepatitis, cholecystitis, dyskinesia in the liver area, or on the back, for example, in the presence of pancreatitis or other problems with the gastrointestinal tract.

I usually start with partial exposure, leaving the leeches on for 10 - 15 minutes, and on the second or third application I allow them to become completely saturated and fall off on their own.

Remember! It is impossible to treat pancreatitis with leeches in the acute stage; you need to relieve inflammation with medication and diet, and then proceed to hirudotherapy.

Between courses of treatment there should be Long time periods, in particular, with hepatitis, rest can reach 60 days.

Leeches in pediatrics

To treat children, I use a minimum number of leeches, taking into account the emotional and physical state of the baby, as well as the absence of possible contraindications and side effects.

Children of different ages often have completely different indications for the use of hirudotherapy.

In the youngest children under the age of one year, these are neurological disorders, perinatal encephalopathy, delays in physical and mental development, problems with fine motor skills, reactivity, cerebral palsy, and birth injuries.

In older children, the reasons for turning to hirudotherapy are different. Enuresis, allergies, chronic ENT infections and respiratory tract lesions, and bronchial asthma are more common here.

Teenagers are more susceptible to autonomic disorders, dystonia, vascular and gastrointestinal diseases. Such age-related differences in disease groups force us to use an individual approach to a specific patient.

It is very important to properly prepare the child for treatment psychologically, so that the process does not cause him fear or emotional, psychophysical rejection.

How to prepare for leech treatment

When preparing for a hirudotherapy session, it is necessary to take into account the specific features of this procedure:

1. Leeches do not tolerate any odors, so when washing the body you need to use the most delicate, unscented products (I recommend regular “Baby” soap).
2. If there is hair at the placement site, it is better to shave it off.
3. It’s dangerous to come hungry and you may feel unwell, but you shouldn’t overeat right before the procedure. It is best to eat an hour and a half before.
4. Before the session, it is necessary to visit the toilet, as it can last more than an hour.
5. During therapy you should not drink alcohol.
6. Do not eat garlic the night before your procedure.
7. On the day of leeching, do not wear perfume.
8. I do not recommend having sex before the session.
9. Before deciding on treatment with leeches, you need to give your hirudotherapist a complete list of medications used.
10. Sessions cannot be scheduled during menstruation.

An important stage is psychological preparation, especially for people who are suspicious, squeamish or overly sensitive. If there is a serious emotional barrier, you should consult a psychotherapist.

What tests should be taken before starting treatment?

The use of leeches can cause bleeding, so it is necessary to take a blood test, paying special attention to the rate of blood clotting. If the patient is taking blood thinners or other medications that may cause bleeding, you should first discuss the procedure with your doctor. He will decide whether it is necessary to cancel the medications or whether it is better to abandon hirudotherapy.

If the patient has various diseases of the digestive system in a severe form, it is worth undergoing fibrogastroscopy or colonoscopy to make sure that there are no foci of ulceration of the mucous membrane that is prone to bleeding.

What time of day is best to place leeches?

The procedure can be done at any time of the day, the main thing is that the patient feels well, and that it does not happen immediately after eating. I prefer to place leeches in the evening (in my opinion, they “work” better).

When is it better to skip a hirudotherapy session?

You should not put leeches:

• when feeling unwell,
• severe fatigue,
• drowsiness,
• low blood pressure,
• during menstruation,
• on empty stomach,
• during treatment with blood thinning drugs (Warfarin, Pradaxa), and during therapy with Aspirin.

It is also necessary to reschedule the procedure if the patient experiences severe psychological stress or fear of such treatment.

What to take with you to a hirudotherapy session

After the procedure, the wounds will bleed, the bandages may get wet, so you need to buy a pack of feminine pads (“4-5 drops”), a patch (preferably fabric, hypoallergenic) and bandages. It is worth bringing drinking water and something sweet, because after hirudotherapy the level of glucose in the blood decreases. Some patients may feel slightly dizzy and weak, which will go away after eating a piece of candy, a piece of chocolate, or a simple cube of refined sugar.

What might be the reaction after a hirudotherapy session?

When using leeches, the following symptoms may appear:

1. Slight pain for several minutes, localized at the site of the bite.
2. Deterioration in general condition that will last for some time.
3. Exacerbation of inflammatory processes and chronic diseases.
4. Prefix syndrome. This is a complex of symptoms that develop after several (3 – 4) sessions of hirudotherapy. It consists of the appearance of itching, swelling, and a local increase in temperature in the bite area; enlarged lymph nodes; increased body temperature; muscle pain. It is provoked by stimulation of the patient’s immune system. Goes away on its own or after using antihistamines.

The use of hirudotherapy is prohibited in the following cases:

1. Reduced blood clotting and diseases leading to this condition.
2. An allergic reaction to substances contained in leech saliva.
3. Anemia (hemoglobin below 100 g/l).
4. Hemophilia.
5. Cachexia.
6. Tuberculosis of various organs.
7. Oncology.
8. Menstruation.
9. Postpartum period.
10. Early postoperative period.
11. Low blood pressure (hypotension).

Before using the technique, you must obtain the consent of your attending physician. This is especially important for severe and chronic patients.

When is leech treatment especially effective, and when is it not so effective? (my experience)

Of course, leech treatment is most effective if the patient has a positive attitude. You definitely need to believe in hirudotherapy!

Diseases of the cardiovascular system respond best to hirudotherapy.

Diseases that, in my opinion, are best treated with leeches:

• hypertonic disease,
• attack of glaucoma,
• haemorrhoids,
• thrombophlebitis,
• phlebeurysm,
• prostatitis, impotence,
• trophic ulcers,
• sinusitis,
• stomatitis,
• arthrosis, arthritis.

I noticed that the more complex the case, the more pronounced and noticeable the result of the treatment. In ophthalmology, gynecology, andrology, neurology, gastroenterology and aesthetic medicine, the use of leeches is at least a very useful auxiliary technique.

Do you want to know the “secret way” to make yourself more attractive in a few minutes?

Even Russian fashionistas, on the eve of a ball or date, had a tradition of placing leeches behind their ears for 10 minutes. The result is amazing: a gentle blush appears on your cheeks, your eyes sparkle, and you will be filled with energy.

I would not expect “miracles” when treating patients with osteochondrosis, VSD, and oncology with leeches.

Many ancient methods of treatment are strikingly different from modern ones. And, if the use of herbs is still relevant, then bloodletting or dosed use of arsenic would not even occur to anyone today. However, there is a method that has proven its effectiveness over many centuries and is today used in the treatment of various diseases. We are talking about treatment with leeches, which is scientifically called hirudotherapy.

The term comes from the combination of 2 Latin words “hirūdō” - leech and “θεραπεία” or cure. In the medical literature you can also find another designation for this medical technique: bdellotherapy. The word has ancient Greek roots and comes from “βδέλλα”, which means leech.

Of course, leeches are not ordinary ones, extracted from the first body of water that comes across - a headquarters or a swamp, but special ones - medical ones. This therapy is classified as an alternative medicine method, but its positive effect on the human body is recognized by absolutely all doctors.

It is believed that leeches were used to get rid of diseases as early as 1000 BC. This is how they treated bone diseases and ailments of the female genital area, relieved pain and even relieved depression. True, the treatment was not entirely correct: some patients were given too many blood-sucking drugs at the same time, which not only did not bring benefit, but also caused harm. Since the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries, hirudotherapy has been popularized and has not lost its relevance since then. Today it has been studied quite well and, when used skillfully, brings positive results.

Hirudotherapy benefits and harms

Hirudotherapy is used for various diseases of the spine and musculoskeletal system, joint diseases, depression, stress, fear and insomnia. In some cases, it allows you to avoid surgery. Leech treatment is also very effective in the treatment of hypertension, vascular dystonia, coronary heart disease, and the prevention of heart attack and stroke. Eliminates cellulite and restores normal metabolism.

It has been proven that this medical technique has a therapeutic effect for the following ailments:

• vertebral hernia
• osteochondrosis
• phlebeurysm
• hypertonic disease
• many liver diseases
• female sexual disorders and pathologies
• kidney diseases
• nervous diseases
• thrombophlebitis
• prostatitis
• thyroid disease
• some types of diabetes.

Sometimes leeches are useful as an auxiliary method in the treatment of oncology. But, in no case do they replace chemotherapy or powerful pharmacological effects, but rather act as a means of increasing the effectiveness of medical therapy.

This is an ancient art of healing, the effectiveness of which is surprising even in the 21st century; it not only treats a specific disease, but also restores and heals the body as a whole.

Leeches affect the movement of blood and lymph, cleanse the body of toxins, relieve swelling and inflammation. This method affects the disease both at the very beginning of its occurrence and during subsequent complications. Hirudotherapy is absolutely harmless to humans. It does not involve the use of any chemicals and does not introduce anything harmful into the bloodstream.

Dangers of leech treatment

There is also a “other side of the coin” to this healing method. For example, you may simply develop an allergy to leeches. Moreover, we are talking not only about the suction of living beings to the human body, but also about products that contain leech extract. This does not happen often, but still, this possibility is worth keeping in mind, since almost all cases of allergies were very severe and required urgent treatment with antihistamines.

The suction of living creatures to human skin can cause quite large hemorrhages. This happens when leeches are used ineptly, or when a person’s skin is very thin and sensitive. In itself, this is not a problem, but rather a feature of the body, but when there are a lot of hematomas, it is difficult to call such a condition aesthetic or healthy.

Wound infection is a risk associated with this treatment method. The point is not a violation of hygiene, but the fact that by sucking blood, leeches inject a specific substance Hyaluronidase under the human skin. It acts as a catalyst for infections that may have been inside, but were dormant. Particles of harmful bacteria “settle” in the lymph nodes and, if they do not neutralize them, the person becomes ill.

However, there is a certain danger in every treatment method, and the positive results of using leeches have long been proven.

Hirudotherapy in the treatment of varicose veins

Varicose veins are a common and difficult to treat disease. The attitude towards hirudotherapy as a method of treatment is quite ambiguous. There are those who are confident in its healing effect, and there are people who claim that using leeches for such a disease will only cause harm.

Proponents of hirudotherapy for varicose veins name the following positive aspects of treatment:

• improvement of local blood flow,
• subsidence of edema,
• pain reduction,
• thinning the blood, and therefore minimizing the likelihood of blood clots,
• strengthening vascular walls.

Naturally, leeches should be used in doses and under the supervision of a physician. If your health worsens, you will have to stop this treatment option and find a suitable alternative.

Treatment of osteochondrosis with leeches

The positive effect of hirudotherapy on patients with osteochondrosis has been proven. As a rule, leeches are placed in the area of ​​the vertebrae affected by the disease. Most often, these manipulations are part of a complex treatment consisting of massage, physiotherapy and various herbal preparations.

Thanks to hirudotherapy, patients feel relief from pain, the penetration of drugs and the overall effect of exercise therapy increases. It is easy to explain this effectiveness: the main problem and cause of pain in osteochondrosis is poor outflow of venous blood. Stagnating in tissues, it causes inflammation. Leeches stick to the affected areas and suck out excess blood. Additionally, pain relief occurs due to the injection of a special substance – hirudin – under the skin. It has an analgesic effect.

Leeches for the treatment of intervertebral hernias

In order to alleviate and improve the condition of a patient with an intervertebral hernia, it is necessary to place leeches in the spaces between the vertebrae; they should be located below and above the injured area. Due to the fact that they suck out the blood, excess tension and inflammation of the tissues will be relieved, pain will decrease and the load on the deformed disc will decrease. As in the case of osteochondrosis, complex treatment will be most effective here.

Hirudotherapy in gynecology

Leeches act as an auxiliary treatment for many female diseases. They help reduce pain during inflammation and normalize blood flow. Thanks to them, blood pressure is normalized, and this is difficult to achieve during menopause.

Leeches are used to get rid of inflammation of the pelvic organs, to treat adhesions and their result - infertility. Hirudotherapy helps normalize the menstrual cycle, optimizing ovarian function.

Diseases such as cervical erosion, cysts and polycystic ovaries, endometriosis and fibroids cannot be completely cured by leeches, but their use significantly improves a woman’s condition and helps a faster recovery.

Some specialists in alternative medicine are confident that with the right approach, hirudotherapy can replace some hormonal drugs.

There are a number of gynecological diseases when leeches are not only not useful, but also harmful. We are talking about the following diagnoses:

• malignant tumors;
• hemophilia;
• tuberculosis;
• implants;
• low pressure