Medical leech (Hirudo medicinalis)Engl. Medical leech

One of the healers of Ancient Greece who quite actively and successfully used leeches was Nikander from Colophon. He took on, as it seemed then, the most hopeless and incurable diseases, although these were mainly diseases associated with hypertension. But, nevertheless, they also treated osteochondrosis by placing it on the tailbone (this was done in Greece), and in France, with the help of hirudotherapy they fought against fainting, as well as fever.

In Russia, hirudotherapy became known only in the 17th century, when Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich ordered the breeding of these worms in order to treat courtiers and so that young ladies had a healthy complexion and a good mood. There are references to the fact that ladies themselves planted leeches behind their ears, supposedly this gave not only a ruddy complexion, but also a shine to their eyes. In general, healers have always singled out the leech for women's health, assigning it a special role.

Currently, hirudotherapy is also used in medicine, especially folk medicine. But, like any treatment, hirudotherapy requires an individual approach, as it has both positive and negative sides. Let's consider these points.

Biological characteristics

A class of annelids, of which there are approximately 400 species, but only 3 types are used in treatment: oriental, pharmaceutical and medicinal leeches (lat. Hirudo medicinalis). The color is varied, from black or light gray to a greenish tint. In most cases, the coloring is uniform, but there are various variations with different and bizarre patterns. The body can reach 12 cm in length.

It is not possible to fully indicate the entire list of existing diseases that can be treated with leeches, since it is very, very impressive. As mentioned above, leech saliva contains valuable substances, of which there are not dozens, but hundreds, for example, substances that normalize blood circulation. They also relieve pain and swelling; there are substances that have an anti-inflammatory effect. This is only a small fraction of what can be said about the benefits of hirudotherapy.

Currently, there is a lot of talk about the fact that leeches should be placed only on certain areas of the body where active or acupuncture points are located, influencing which can improve a person’s condition. But this is more suitable for the acupuncture procedure, since such points are located at a certain depth, but are not accessible to the worm's teeth. Therefore, placement on special, active points of the body is nothing more than a commercial move, or even just a fiction.

Leeches should be placed by a specialist; only an experienced doctor can determine the reflexogenic points on which Hirudo medicinalis can be placed, as well as the number of individuals. After the bites, small wounds remain, from which fluid continues to leak for some time. There is no need to panic about this, it should be so; we have already noted that the animal’s saliva contains hirudin, which prevents blood clotting. After the session, it will be enough to apply sterile napkins to the wound site, which will heal without leaving any marks on the body.

Can it cause harm?

The most important commandment of all doctors is to do no harm! Therefore, before you think about using leeches, you should undergo an examination, because they are recommended to be used with extreme caution. It is not worth reminding that individuals living in reservoirs are not suitable under any circumstances, since they can carry any infection with their blood, which sometimes becomes simply life-threatening for a person. It’s better to buy individuals grown in special laboratories. These leeches can be used to treat atherosclerosis, thrombosis or thrombophlebitis, hemorrhoids and related diseases.

Usually, a patient can be given 3-7 leeches in one session; after 40 minutes, after drinking blood, they disappear on their own. To this day, there is no data or evidence about the benefits of Hirudo medicinalis in treating the spine, so it is completely pointless to treat intervertebral hernia, arthritis or osteochondrosis.

As noted above, leech saliva contains many active substances; therefore, treatment for pregnant women, the elderly and children should be carried out with extreme caution. Doctors are categorically against the use of hirutherapy for fever, viral infections and common colds, low blood pressure and blood diseases. Rarely, after a session, an allergy to the substance hirudin occurs. Redness appears on the body, accompanied by itching, rash and burning, sometimes the temperature rises, there are headaches and nausea. If any changes in the skin are noticed, use of Hirudo medicinalis should be stopped and antihistamines taken.

It is undeniable that hirudotherapy has repeatedly proven the effectiveness of its treatment of a fairly large number of diseases. But experts do not advise limiting yourself to only one treatment with leeches; there are a lot of remedies, both in folk and traditional medicine. Only comprehensive treatment will help achieve positive results and only under the supervision of a doctor, do not forget about this. Good health to everyone!

Today, along with the latest drugs and technologies of modern medicine, proven methods of treatment, known to man for many centuries, do not lose their relevance. These include leeches. The benefits and harms of such treatment cause a lot of debate. Let's figure out how leeches act on the human body.

Medical leech

There are about 500 varieties of them, found in ponds in the wild. They cannot be treated. Doctors use special medicinal leeches, the benefits and harms of which are controlled when grown in laboratories. They come in only two types: medicinal and pharmaceutical.

The medicinal leech has an oral cavity on the front sucker with three jaws, each of which has a hundred chitinous teeth. This worm has five pairs of eyes, excellent hearing and sense of smell. Thanks to this, the leech itself finds a place on the human skin with biologically active points.

The principle of treatment with leeches

Despite the fact that leeches are located on human skin, they affect

deep tissues. The hyaluronidase produced by them has the property of increasing the permeability and sensitivity of tissues. By biting through the skin and sucking blood, the worm gives in return, among which hirudin is especially valued. It helps cleanse blood vessels.

No more than 7 leeches are usually used in one hirudotherapy session. Each of them sucks about 15 ml of blood. Use the leech only once. After the procedure, it is destroyed in acid. This eliminates the possibility of infection of the patient.

Wounds left by leeches may bleed within 24 hours after the session. This is considered normal, so there is no need to be alarmed. However, if bleeding does not stop after 24 hours, you should consult a doctor.

Hirudotherapy: benefit or harm

Hirudotherapy - the treatment of diseases with the help of medicinal leeches - is quite popular today. Usually, before a session, patients try to find out what the benefits and harms of a leech can be. Reviews of this treatment are often positive.

The effectiveness of hirudotherapy lies in the fact that the beneficial substances secreted by the worm go directly to the site of the disease. They have a resolving effect on scars and stagnant formations in tissues, and help reduce benign tumors and nodes. Treatment with leeches will help improve metabolism and rejuvenate the body. The benefits and harms of this technique are usually noticeable after the first session.

The secretion produced by leeches is capable of breaking down fats and removing cholesterol. Thanks to this, hirudotherapy is used for weight loss, getting rid of cellulite and atherosclerosis.

The effectiveness of hirudotherapy

Will leech treatment help me? What benefit (harm) is possible after the session? Many people ask these questions. Hirudotherapy is highly effective due to several types of effects on the human body. The reflex action consists of the worm biting the skin in the right places. This effect is similar to acupuncture.

The mechanical effect is expressed in bloodletting, leading to the release of blood vessels. More oxygen and nutrients enter the blood. Thanks to this, blood pressure normalizes and pain in the area of ​​the disease disappears.

The biological effect is the entry into the blood of leech saliva, which contains many useful substances of natural origin. They have a healing effect and improve the functioning of the body.

When is hirudotherapy prescribed?

Typically, hirudotherapy is prescribed to patients with hypertension, angina pectoris, various forms of dystonia, trophic ulcers, atherosclerosis, and varicose veins. The scope of application of medicinal leeches is quite wide. They are used to treat the following diseases:

• Diabetes mellitus, gout, obesity and other diseases that are associated with improper metabolism.
• Problems of the musculoskeletal system: osteochondrosis, hernias, myositis and arthrosis.
• Kidney diseases.
• Skin diseases such as acne, psoriasis and furunculosis.
• Neurological diseases: migraine, radiculitis, epilepsy, neurosis, and sleep disorders.
• Diseases and glaucoma.
• Gastritis, pancreatitis, cholecystitis.
• Thyroid diseases.
• Fractures, hematomas and postoperative adhesions.
• Inflammation of the genital organs, prostatitis, ovarian dysfunction and menstrual irregularities.

This is not a complete list of ailments that leeches help get rid of. The benefits and harms of such treatment depend on the individual characteristics of the patient’s body, which a qualified doctor can determine. He is the one who is able to prescribe an effective course of hirudotherapy.

Treatment of the spine with leeches

When treating diseases of the spine, hirudotherapy is often used. Impact

leeches helps restore normal physiological processes that occur in the tissues around the spinal column. Hirudotherapy is prescribed for spinal hernia as an addition to the main method of treatment. After surgery, leeches can prevent various complications. They speed up the healing of scars and reduce the possibility of a new hernia forming.

Leeches are an effective remedy in the treatment of osteochondrosis. They help improve blood circulation in tissues. Thanks to them, the muscles relax and pain is reduced. The secretion of leeches that enters the bloodstream restores damaged intervertebral discs. After several sessions, the swelling that often accompanies osteochondrosis disappears.

Contraindications

Hirudotherapy has contraindications. Not all patients can be treated with a leech. The benefits and harms of such medical procedures depend on the patient’s health status. This method should not be used by people with low blood pressure, poor blood clotting, or those who have suffered a stroke. Contraindications are allergic reactions, the presence of malignant tumors, pregnancy and lactation.

When taking anticoagulants - drugs that help reduce blood clotting - treatment with leeches is not recommended.

Is treatment with leeches dangerous?

Many patients often ask: is it possible to harm from leeches? Along with

Given the existing contraindications, hirudotherapy in some cases can cause complications in the form of an infection introduced through the wound. However, according to doctors, the likelihood of such consequences of treatment with leeches is very low.

To avoid complications, it is necessary to take the necessary precautions during and after the session. It is best to conduct a session in a specialized clinic, where a qualified doctor will conduct the necessary tests and create an individual course of treatment.

Thus, hirudotherapy can be used both in the complex treatment of diseases and as an independent remedy. It relieves many ailments and heals the body.

Today there are a huge number of different ways to get rid of diseases. These are mainly traditional and alternative medicine. However, there is a certain undefined sector that is difficult to attribute to one side or another. It is precisely this interesting segment in medicine that I want to talk about today. In what cases can medical leeches be used, how to use them correctly, what is hirudotherapy - this will be discussed further.

Terminology

Of course, you first need to decide on the terminology. What is hirudotherapy? Reviews from patients who have previously used this treatment method indicate that this is leech therapy. And this is absolutely true. So, conclusions can be drawn just based on the name itself. Translated from Latin, the first part of the term, the word “hirudo”, is translated as “leech”. Accordingly, “therapy”, that is, therapy, is the treatment process itself. Interestingly, treatment with leeches is also sometimes called bdeltherapy. To understand this term, you need to make a simple translation. However, it is no longer Latin that needs to be used, but Greek. Thus, in the language of Ovid and Virgil, “bdella” means leech. And therapy is therapy.

Of course, there will always be skeptics who will ask how leeches can heal people. This is simply impossible. However, a person can only think this way until he has tried on himself all the capabilities of these small but so amazing creatures.

A little history

It is important to note that medicinal leeches have been used to get rid of a variety of diseases since time immemorial. Thus, archaeologists have repeatedly found drawings with a similar treatment method on the walls of the tombs of Egyptian pharaohs. Treatment with these creatures was also described in the Koran and the Bible.

Historians say that in Jewish, Persian, Chinese and Indian manuscripts, which are more than one and a half thousand years old, one can find treatment methods using leech secretions (that is, hirudotherapy). It should definitely be noted that such great ancient doctors as Avicenna, Hippocrates, Gallen (who, in fact, are the founders of medicine as a science) spoke about the enormous benefits of treatment with a “live needle,” that is, leeches.

Such great doctors as Zakharov, Pirogov, Mudrov also did not forget about this wisdom. In their practice, they often used these creatures, curing people from multiple problems.

In the Middle Ages, there were always leeches in every house. After all, they were considered the best cure for many ailments. Today this method is not so common. However, recently, wanting to use chemically created medicines as little as possible, people have again begun to widely use these creatures for treatment.

A few words about the species

It is imperative to clarify that medical leeches are just one subspecies of these living organisms. In total, there are about 400 of them. However, only two of their subspecies are used as a medicinal element. This is a pharmaceutical leech and a medical leech.

The main action of leeches

The fact that medical leeches are the most useful creatures becomes clear from the above text. However, what are the main mechanisms of their effectiveness? This is what I would like to talk about now. Experts say that there are three main ones:

1. Mechanical. That is, leeches perfectly relieve blood flow, thereby promoting better blood circulation.
2. Reflex. Here we are talking about the fact that leeches themselves are so-called natural needles that are “placed” in biologically active places. Thus, it’s kind of like acupuncture, which in itself is also a very useful procedure. You could even say that leeches are acupuncture needles.
3. Biological. This is probably the most useful mechanism of action of leeches. After all, their body contains a most valuable secret, which combines more than a hundred biologically active components. Once in the human body, these particles bring great benefits to it.

About the benefits of leeches

We further consider the question of what medicinal leeches are. The benefits and harms of these creatures - this also needs to be discussed. It is very clear that they have a simply amazing healing effect on the human body. However, this is not all.

• The effect of treating leeches is complex. That is, if a person wants to be cured of one disease, in combination these creatures heal the entire body, all its organs and systems.
• Based on the principle of operation, a leech can be compared to a pump. For some time it sucks out the blood, then injects biologically active substances into the body. And so on, in a circle. It is worth noting that in one session a leech can suck out about 10 ml of blood. And this is three times her own body weight.

In what cases can leech treatment be used?

Having understood what leeches and hirudotherapy are, it is imperative to talk about when this method of treatment should be used. So, leeches will help cope with the following diseases:

1. All kinds of cardiac problems. With the help of leeches, you can successfully fight diseases such as hypertension (including hypertensive crises), coronary heart disease, vascular diseases, insufficient blood circulation and even myocardial infarction.
2. Problems with the veins and arteries of the lower extremities. In this case, leeches will help fight thrombosis, varicose veins, thrombophlebitis and trophic ulcers.
3. Neuralgic problems. Leeches treat strokes and pre-stroke seizures, cerebrovascular accidents, various headaches, migraines, etc.
4. Leeches are very useful exclusively for women. Thus, they are often used for gynecological problems such as inflammation of the ovaries, toxicosis during pregnancy, menopause, to restore the normal menstrual cycle, mastitis, fibroids, parametritis, as well as various purulent complications in the postpartum period.
5. Leeches can also help with urological diseases. So, they are used to get rid of kidney problems, impotence, prostatitis, prostate adenoma, secondary male infertility, etc.
6. Leeches treat a variety of gastroenterological problems. They fight diseases of the biliary tract, constipation, hepatitis and cirrhosis, peptic ulcers of the stomach and duodenum.
7. ENT diseases. Leeches can cope with bronchial asthma, bronchitis, otitis media, tinnitus, problems with nasal breathing, etc.
8. Surprisingly, leeches can also help cure skin problems such as eczema, carbunculosis, furunculosis, scleroderma, etc.
9. These creatures also help fight “eye”, that is, ophthalmological problems. They are used for keratitis, glaucoma, and inflammatory processes.
10. After surgery, the use of leeches helps to resolve scars, heal wounds, and get rid of suppuration.
11. Other problems that leeches also fight are hemorrhoids, rectal fissures, allergic problems, swelling, hematomas, bruises, and injuries. Many people will be surprised, but these creatures help cope with thyroid diseases and diabetes. Well, they are also widely used in cosmetology.

Contraindications to the use of leeches

So, we figured out in what cases a medical leech is used. Treatment with these creatures is not always possible. Thus, experts identify a number of contraindications to their use:

1. First of all, these are problems with blood clotting, including hemophilia.
2. Indications determined by a blood test: low hemoglobin and hematocrit.
3. Leeches should not be used for sarcoma and cancer.
4. The use of leeches by people who are allergic to this procedure is prohibited.
5. Hirudotherapy should not be used for severe heart defects and hemorrhagic diathesis.

And of course, we must not forget that not all people can be prescribed medicinal leeches. Their use is prohibited for children, the elderly and those whose bodies are already weakened, as well as patients with low blood pressure.

Temporary contraindications

So, leeches: the benefits and harms of these creatures are clear. However, it is worth noting that there are cases when they should not be used temporarily in certain patients. What kind of situations are these?

• Girls should not use hirudotherapy during menstruation, or for another 7 days after menstruation.
• Leeches are strictly prohibited during pregnancy. However, sometimes they can be used to combat toxicosis, but only as prescribed by a doctor.
• Doctors prohibit procedures with leeches for those people who have just recovered from the flu or cold. So, at least two weeks must pass before the start of the first sessions after illness.
• We also must not forget that after severe blood loss or surgery with a similar problem, the use of leeches is prohibited. So, at least three weeks must pass before the first session.

Unfounded fears regarding hirudotherapy

Many people are interested in a simple question: “Is it possible to get infected with something from leeches? Can they carry all sorts of infections?” So, if such a threat existed in the Middle Ages, today there is no need to fear infection. And all because today a biofactory of medicinal leeches is used to grow absolutely safe material. There, under strict control, these creatures are cultivated, which are subsequently used in the medical industry.

It should also be noted that if previously, after the hirudotherapy procedure, leeches were cleaned for reuse, today they are simply destroyed. So they absolutely cannot be carriers of any infection.

Complications that may occur after using leeches

Some people may also argue that hirudotherapy is a dangerous procedure. Reviews from some patients are so terrible that there is simply no desire to even try this method as a treatment. However, you should not be afraid of various complications. After all, they are not as terrible as the untreated consequences of a variety of diseases.

• After the hirudotherapy procedure, some patients experience inflammation of the lymph nodes. However, this disease goes away in a maximum of a week. If it is accompanied by a fever, then microdoses of antibiotics can be used.
• Allergic reactions of varying complexity are also possible - from mild itching to Quincke's edema. This problem goes away in about 3-4 days. In some cases, antibiotics can be used.
• Hyperpigmentation of the skin at the site of the leech bite may also occur. In such cases, honey massage is used, as well as cupping.

About self-medication

It should be noted that self-medication in this case is unacceptable. So, placing leeches is not an easy process. That is why everything must happen within the walls of a medical institution. And the procedure should only be performed by an experienced doctor. So, it is best to go to a specialized office or a medical leech center, where experienced specialists will carry out the procedure according to all the rules, without causing unnecessary harm to the body.

Important points

If a medical leech is used, treatment must follow certain rules. So, it is very important to first meet the following conditions:

1. Before the procedure, the body must be washed with clean water. So, there should be no unnecessary odors: cologne, perfume, shower gel. Leeches cannot tolerate this. In this case, the procedure may be disrupted.
2. Three days before the procedure, you must completely stop drinking alcohol. After hirudotherapy, you can drink a glass of red wine.
3. In the first couple of days after hirudotherapy, the wound should not be wetted. Showers can only be taken for 3-4 days. After taking a bath, it is recommended to treat the wound with iodine.
4. After the procedure, a bandage is applied to the wound. You can remove it after 6-7 hours, but it is best to do this after a day.
5. After the hirudotherapy procedure, you need to give yourself a rest for three days. Heavy physical activity is prohibited at this time.
6. A couple of days before the procedure and for three days after it, you should not take any medications.

Key questions people might be interested in

How much do medical leeches cost? Their price ranges from 30 to 55-60 rubles per piece. It all depends on the place where they are purchased.

Is it possible to buy medicinal leeches in Moscow pharmacies? Of course you can. Moreover, they can also be purchased from online stores.

Do leeches bite painfully? So, during the procedure, a person will feel something similar to a mosquito bite, nothing more.

How many leeches can be placed in one session? On average from 4 to 6. The maximum quantity is 10 pieces.

What is the duration of the course? It is worth noting that data may vary. On average, this is from 3 to 12 sessions. It all depends on the disease itself and the degree of its neglect. Leeches are applied one to three times a week.

Names: medical leech, common leech.

Area: Central and Southern Europe, Asia Minor.

Description: medical leech - an annelid worm of the class of leeches. Breathing is cutaneous, there are no gills. The muscles are well developed (accounting for about 65% of the body volume). The outer covering is called the skin, which consists of a single layer of signet-like cells that form the epidermis. On the outside, the epidermal layer is covered with cuticle. The cuticle is transparent, performs a protective function and continuously grows, periodically being renewed during the molting process. Shedding occurs every 2-3 days. The shed skin resembles white flakes or small white covers. The body of the leech is elongated, but not whip-shaped, and consists of 102 rings. On the dorsal side the rings are covered with many small papillae. On the ventral side there are much fewer papillae and they are less noticeable. The head end is narrowed compared to the rear end. There are special suction cups on both ends of the body. The anterior sucker surrounding the mouth opening is the sucking circle. It is triangular in shape with three strong jaws, each of which has up to 60-90 chitinous teeth arranged in the form of a semicircular saw. Near the rear sucker there is an anus (powder). On the leech’s head there are ten small eyes arranged in a semicircle: six in front and four on the back of the head. With their help, a medicinal leech cuts through the skin to a depth of one and a half millimeters. The ducts of the salivary glands open at the edges of the jaws. Saliva contains hirudin, which prevents blood clotting. There are no kidneys. Two genital openings are located on the ventral side of the body, closer to the head end.

Color: Medical leech comes in black, dark gray, dark green, green, and red-brown colors. There are stripes on the back - red, light brown, yellow or black. The sides are green with a yellow or olive tint. The abdomen is motley: yellow or dark green with black spots.

Size: length 3-13 cm, body width up to 1 cm.

Lifespan: up to 20 years.

Habitat: fresh water bodies (ponds, lakes, quiet rivers) and damp places near water (clay, damp moss). Leeches love clean, running water.

Enemies: fish, muskrat.

Food/food: the medical leech feeds on the blood of mammals (humans and animals) and amphibians (including frogs), however, in the absence of animals, it eats the mucus of aquatic plants, ciliates, mollusks, and insect larvae living in water. It gently bites the skin and sucks out a small amount blood (up to 10-15 ml). It can live for more than a year without food.

Behavior: if the reservoir dries up, the leech buries itself in the moist soil, where it waits out the drought. In winter it hibernates, hiding in the soil until spring. Does not withstand ground freezing. The characteristic pose of a hungry leech is that, having attached itself to a stone or plant with its rear sucker, it stretches its body forward and makes circular movements with its free end. Reacts quickly to many stimuli: splash, temperature and smell. When swimming, the leech greatly elongates and flattens, acquiring a ribbon-like shape and bending in a wave-like manner. The rear sucker in this case acts as a fin.

Reproduction: hermaphrodite. After fertilization, the leech crawls ashore, digs a small depression in the moist soil, in which it produces a foamy mass from the secretions of the oral glands. 10-30 eggs are laid in this depression, after which it returns to the water.

Breeding season/period: June August.

Puberty: 2-3 years.

Incubation: 2 months.

Offspring: Newborn leeches are transparent and similar to adults. They spend some time inside their cocoons, feeding on nutrient fluid. Later they crawl into the water. Before reaching sexual maturity, young leeches feed on the blood of tadpoles, small fish, earthworms or snails. If after three years a leech has never drunk the blood of mammals, then it will never reach sexual maturity.

Benefit/harm for humans: The first information about the use of leeches for medical purposes dates back to Ancient Egypt. Medical leech is used for bloodletting for medicinal purposes. In modern medicine, leeches are used to treat thrombophlebitis, hypertension, pre-stroke conditions, etc. Leech saliva that enters the human body has unique healing properties - it contains more than 60 biologically active substances.

Literature:
1. Great Soviet Encyclopedia
2. Vladislav Sosnovsky. Magazine "In the Animal World" 4/2000
3. Jan Zhabinsky. "From the Life of Animals"
4. D.G.Zharov. "Secrets of hirudotherapy"
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Hirudotherapy sessions or treatment with leeches is a method of alternative medicine that is aimed at combating many diseases: gynecological, venous, urological, etc. Only a hirudotherapist - a doctor who specializes in this topic - can conduct therapy. At the first session, it is necessary to check whether the patient is allergic to leech.

What is leech treatment?

What is hirudotherapy? This is a known method (science) of treatment using leeches, without the use of additional drugs or equipment. The procedure is painless and has no side effects if treated correctly (the patient may only feel a bite - a little more painful than a mosquito bite). In the process of sucking blood, leeches release active substances that have a beneficial effect on the functioning of the immune and vascular systems. The session lasts about an hour.

The size of the leech is small at first, then it sucks 5-10 ml of blood and grows, after which it falls away from the human body. From this moment until 24 hours later, blood continues to ooze - a sterile bandage is applied to the wound site. If you use 5 worms at the same time, the figure will increase to 200-250 ml. As a result, many hours of bloodletting occurs, the veins are loaded, tissue microcirculation and cellular metabolism are improved, and lymph stagnation is eliminated.

The benefits and harms of leeches

The use of medicinal worms is associated with the content of many enzymes in their saliva, which have medicinal properties and strengthen the immune system. The properties of their saliva are applicable for diseases that are accompanied by severe inflammatory processes, deterioration of blood flow and increased tissue permeability. Inflammation leads to a decrease in the concentration of the drug in the lesion. The problem is solved by increasing the amount of the product. The effect of leeches is to improve blood circulation in areas of the disease, increasing the concentration of drugs in the areas of the disease.

A healing worm can also harm a person. This happens when treated at home and without the supervision of a specialist. Among the features harmful to humans are the following:

• The worm's body contains bacteria that protect it from disease. Once in the human blood, the microorganism can cause gastrointestinal upset and poisoning.
• Leeches can carry diseases. The blood of a sick patient remains on the jaw of the worm, and when bitten, diseases can be transmitted to another person.
• Due to the blood thinning provided by leech saliva enzymes, the wound may bleed for longer than a day. In such cases, professional medical help is needed.

Benefits for women

Gynecological pathologies can be treated with leeches. Among the diseases that gynecologists recommend treating with hirudotherapy are the following:

Inflammatory processes, stagnation of blood in the veins of the small pelvis, menstruation disruptions.

postpartum adhesions on the mucous membranes of the female genital organs. Several courses of hirudotherapy are used with a long break between them.

Urination with painful sensations. This phenomenon often worries women due to hormonal imbalance. A course of hirudotherapy helps combat this. The first session is prescribed a few days before the start of menstruation, then every day until the symptom disappears.

Cysts on the surface of the ovaries. Hirudotherapy treatment is used to get rid of fluid cysts, and the result is noticeable from the first session. One short course eliminates the problem and slows down the growth of new formations.

Indications for hirudotherapy

What is treated with leeches? The therapy is used for various types of diseases that are treated with hormonal and antibacterial drugs. These include the following diseases and health problems:

• arthritis;
• atherosclerosis;
• hypertension;
• stroke and complications after it;
• allergic reactions;
• infertility;
• bronchial asthma;
• osteochondrosis;
• uterine fibroids;
• endometriosis;
• swelling and hematomas after injections (for recovery);
• breast mastopathy;
• haemorrhoids;
• eye diseases;
• pathology in the dermatological part;
• metabolic disease;
• varicose veins

Varicose veins

Varicose veins are a disease associated with improper functioning of the vein valves, but not with blood viscosity. In this regard, medical worms do not have any effect on the disease, because they are not able to change medical valves in any way. Hirudotherapy reduces pain, inflammation, swelling, and the external manifestation of the disease. This effect does not last long - surgical intervention is necessary for complete cure. Leeches can heal the disease in the early stages, but patients practically do not go to doctors when the disease has just begun to manifest itself.

Hernia

Treatment with hirudotherapy for spinal hernia is based on biologically active substances contained in the saliva of a medicinal leech. Enzymes promote the resorption of particles of a prolapsed intervertebral disc, improving metabolism and blood flow. This accelerates tissue healing, helps reduce swelling, inflammation and pain. Treatment with medical worms is effective in combination with other types of therapy and if the hernia is no more than 10 cm.

Infertility

Infertility treatment is a long, labor-intensive process. Medicinal worms are placed on certain places: the sacrum, perineum, anus, vagina. Session duration is from 20 to 60 minutes. During this time, medicinal leeches adhere, injecting substances useful for humans with saliva, become saturated, and disappear. After the procedure, the patient must rest, so it is performed in the afternoon.

Prostatitis

The main task in the treatment of prostatitis is to get rid of stagnation of blood flow, swelling and inflammation. Getting rid of a large amount of blood in the diseased area, pain relief with hirudin, relieving inflammation, improving blood flow - all this is the merit of a hirudotherapy session. The leech is useful not only by sucking blood containing toxins, but also by containing special substances in its saliva.

Contraindications

Leech treatment has a number of contraindications. As practice shows, some of the prohibitions are relative and, if therapy is carried out under the supervision of a hirudotherapist, then they can be ignored. Contraindications:

• Hemophilia. This is a bleeding disorder that is inherited. If a patient with such a disease is given a leech, the wound will not heal and without the intervention of doctors, everything can lead to death.
• Hemorrhagic diathesis is spontaneous frequent bleeding that can be caused by injury.
• Anemia is an insufficient number of red blood cells (erythrocytes) in the blood. With such a disease, it is undesirable to lose blood in any quantity, so hirudotherapy can worsen the patient’s general condition.
• Low pressure. A session with leeches lowers it by 20 units, which dramatically makes the patient feel worse. Hirudotherapy is indicated only on the 3rd day after normalization of blood pressure. Hypertension is an indication for the use of leeches.
• Pregnancy. Treatment in this condition is permitted, but before each session a new examination of the patient is required.
• Intolerance, which is a very controversial contraindication. Rarely does this prohibition lead to serious consequences if treatment is carried out under the guidance of a professional.

Leech treatment regimen

The area where the worms are planted depends on the disease. The most common treatment regimens for diseases:

Disease	Place for leeches	Number of healing worms
Congestion of the brain	Coccyx area
Infectious diseases	Coccyx area
Suspected stroke	Coccyx area
Overflow of blood vessels of the spinal cord and its membranes	Coccyx area
Hemoptysis: without organ pathologies; pulmonary tuberculosis; heart diseases.	Coccyx area	1 – 2.3 never more than 5 2.3 – 3-5 rarely up to 7
Urological diseases	Coccyx, liver, anus, groin area
Women's diseases (gynecology)	Area of ​​the liver, anus, coccyx
Hepatitis, cirrhosis	Liver and anal area

Number of hirudotherapy sessions

How many sessions are needed? The course of hirudotherapy is calculated based on a person’s weight. If the patient weighs 60 kg, then he will need 60 leeches per course - that’s 10-15 sessions. Practice shows that improvement in the patient’s condition often occurs with a minimum number of medical worms - 15-20 and 7-10 procedures. There should be about a week or 10 days between sessions.

Method of placing leeches

Leech therapy has several principles that every hirudotherapist must adhere to:

Stop points for hirudotherapy: areas of large venous vessels (especially the femoral artery), in places with thin skin, on the face, abdomen, inside the body.

1. The skin of the procedure area must be sterile.
2. There are points of general influence - the tailbone, perineum, areas of the pancreas, liver, points along the chakras. If the treatment is aimed at local effects, then placing medical worms on the above points will only enhance the effect.
3. Acupuncture points are the places where it hurts the most, the source of the disease. These areas are used more often than others.

Creams, tablets and ointments based on hirudin

Hirudocosmetics or oral preparations are effective remedies against varicose veins and other health problems with the presence of hirudin in the leech extract. Medicines can be found and purchased at clinics or pharmacies.

Name	Indications	Contraindications	Instructions
Cream "Sofia"	Inflammation of the veins; phlebeurysm, lower extremities, hemorrhoidal veins.	Individual intolerance to components.	Apply through the vein from bottom to top for 2-3 minutes 2-3 times a day. The course of treatment is 3-5 weeks.
Cream “Leech extract”	Spider veins, venous insufficiency, varicose veins, thrombophlebitis, hematomas.	Individual intolerance to the components; do not apply to open wounds or purulent processes.	Similar.
Capsules and solution "Piyavit"	Varicose veins, hematoma and edema, thrombophlebitis, phlebitis.	Stomach ulcer, increased bleeding, decreased blood clotting.	1 capsule or 300 mg 3 times a day. Course – up to 20 days.

Video: health benefits of leeches