Can there be harm from treatment with leeches and existing contraindications. Leech treatment – ​​is it really a useful therapy?

Probably every person has known about leeches since childhood. They inhabit many ponds and lakes, hunt frogs, domestic animals, and can even attach themselves to a person who decides to swim in their habitat.

But is it really true that doctors use these terrible bloodsuckers, living in complete unsanitary conditions, to treat patients? Of course not. For these purposes, only medicinal leeches are used in medicine.

Let's figure out what medicinal leeches are. In total, there are almost four hundred types of leeches, but in medicine they are used only for medicinal purposes.

Species Hirudo medicinalis - medical leech, ringed water worm, ten to fifteen centimeters in length.

Medicinal leeches are greenish-brown in color. On the front and back parts Medicinal leeches have suckers on their bodies. An interesting fact is that the sucker located at the back is unchanged, in contrast to the front sucker, which appears only when necessary: ​​to attach to the body of the victim or to move along surfaces. But leeches not only crawl, they are excellent swimmers, so they can overtake the victim in open water, when it does not touch the bottom at all.

It is worth noting

Leeches, overtaking the victim, stick to the skin using the head suction cup, in the middle of which there is a mouth opening, and bite the skin, as if cutting with a knife. To do this, they serve three small plates in the mouth, on which there are hundreds of small teeth.

After medicinal leeches cut the epidermis, a special salivary secretion is released into the body. It contains such active substances like: hirudin and histamine.

• Hirudin(from the Latin "Hirudo", meaning leech) - an anticoagulant. It prevents blood clotting.
• Histamine- causes local dilation of blood vessels.

note

Medicinal leeches used in modern hirudotherapy are absolutely “sterile”. They are grown in special biofactories.

There are four such leech farms in Russia: two of them are in the Moscow region, one in St. Petersburg and another in the Saratov region. Russia is the world's largest producer of medicinal leeches, producing almost six million per year.

But how long have people been using medicinal leeches?

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The first mentions of the use of medicinal leeches appeared three thousand years ago during the time of the pharaohs. Medicinal leeches are also often mentioned in the works of Hippocrates, Galen and Avicenna.

But the finest hour of leeches came in medieval Europe. From the end of the seventeenth to the beginning of the nineteenth century, medicinal leeches were considered a panacea by Europeans. Leeches replaced bloodletting. And this is quite understandable.

In order to open the vein and release the “bad blood”, a doctor was required, and many could not afford the financial luxury of systematic visits to the doctor. It was then that they came up with a natural biological method that replaced the bloodletting procedure. The leeches happily feasted on fresh blood, and they could easily be caught in any quantity in the nearest pond absolutely free.

Having set the goal to achieve the best results in treatment, the patient at that time was given more than a hundred leeches at a time. But, alas, often the disease did not subside, or the healing effect was not strong enough. Thus, by the beginning of the twentieth century, medicine had lost faith in hirudotherapy as a panacea, and interest in it had practically disappeared.

Medicinal leeches and their properties were remembered again only in the mid-twentieth century. It was at this time that scientists identified their main assistance in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases.

Now let’s figure out how treatment can be carried out, where and at what price to purchase medicinal leeches.

It is worth noting

Treatment with leeches can be carried out both at home and on an outpatient basis in specialized clinics; they will have the same effect on the body. However, prices may vary significantly. The cost of treatment depends on the number of places where the procedure is performed, the number of medicinal leeches used, placement sites and the number of sessions required for treatment.

In medical centers, a course of hirudotherapy is selected for each patient strictly individually, depending on the diagnosis and complexity of the disease.

A consultation with a doctor will cost an average of 500-1000 rubles. And one session of hirudotherapy costs on average 750-1800, depending on the number of medicinal leeches supplied and their location. It must be remembered that a course of hirudotherapy includes from four to twelve sessions.

Treatment with leeches can also be done at home. To do this, you need to undergo an examination with your attending physician and identify a diagnosis. possible illness. It is important to check with your doctor whether you have any contraindications for the use of medicinal leeches.

You can buy leeches at the pharmacy as much as you need. But you should take into account that in some pharmacies you should do pre order on medicinal leeches. One medicinal leech, depending on the region, costs from forty to two hundred rubles.

If you are going to place leeches on other than your arms and legs, then it is best to invite a hirudotherapist to your home. The fact is that medicinal leeches are quite frisky creatures and, if you place them, for example, on the face or in the tailbone area, then they can easily get inside the body and, sticking there, become a serious problem, and in some cases can be deadly . Therefore, it is better to play it safe and invite a specialist, under whose supervision the session will take place.

Placement of one leech by a hirudotherapist on the skin will cost from one hundred fifty to five hundred rubles. Placing a medicinal leech on the mucous membrane, in the anal area or on the female genital organs costs on average from five hundred to a thousand rubles.

The benefits of leeches during a hirudotherapy session: how it is carried out and how to prepare correctly

Preparation for a hirudotherapy session begins with the fact that the day before the leech is applied, the patient is advised to give up tobacco, alcohol, spicy food and spirits.

Before the procedure, the site of the intended bloodletting should simply be thoroughly wiped with cotton wool soaked in hot water. If there is such a need, you can shave the area being prepared.

Carrying out a hirudotherapy session involves placing leeches on the skin at the site of projection of the organ whose treatment is necessary.

For example, for liver diseases, the benefits of leeches will be greater if they are placed on right hypochondrium, and in case of osteochondrosis, the greatest positive effect will be when placing annelids mainly on those areas near the spine or tailbone where the most painful sensations are concentrated.

Traditionally, from two to fifteen leeches that have long been deprived of food can be used in one session.

They are carefully taken near the head end with tweezers or by hand and lowered to the supposed site of suction.

To help this blood-sucking creature determine the location of the bite, there is such a method: you just need to carefully, with force, rub the selected point, this simple action causes increased blood circulation in a small area of ​​​​the skin, which becomes the most attractive for leeches.

At the end of the hirudotherapy session, having received all the benefits from leeches, the little healer must be disconnected. You cannot forcibly tear off a leech, otherwise, due to the many enzymes contained in its saliva, the wound will bleed and hurt a lot, which will cause harm and probably worsen the disease. To do this, you just need to touch the leech with a cotton swab containing alcohol, and it will fall off on its own. The wound is not lubricated with any preparations.

The effect of a medicinal leech on the body includes several reasons:

• Reflexogenic component- leeches adhere biologically active points.
• Mechanical component- physical extraction of blood, which takes quite a long time.
• Biological component- the leech injects its saliva, which contains many enzymes and biologically active substances.

As a result of all this, the benefits of leeches have been scientifically proven and are practically limitless for both women and men. men's health. Thanks to hirudin, contained in the saliva of leeches and thinning the blood, the resorption of blood clots and adhesions is noted, which has found a great response in the treatment of varicose veins, postoperative conditions and gynecological diseases among women. Antimicrobial and analgesic effects are noted.

Protease inhibitors, which relieve tissue inflammation, are considered as a significant aid in the treatment of prostatitis, arthritis, emphysema and others.

But, although the benefits of leeches are great, it is necessary to remember the contraindications. These include hemophilia, pregnancy, malignant tumors, congenital incoagulability, anemia, hemorrhagic diathesis, low arterial pressure, allergy to leeches.

What diseases are treated with leeches and reviews of treatment with leeches

It is not without reason that they say that as many people as there are so many opinions. Reviews of treatment with leeches were no exception. But, after analyzing more than one hundred statements, we can derive the average idea of ​​hirudotherapy among our population:

• For most people, leeches still cause a feeling of disgust, so they often turn to this method of treatment only after all other methods have been tried and often have not produced significant results.
• Price per full course hirudotherapy, carried out in the clinic, bites no worse than that same leech.
• From time to time there are reviews that the disease, which they tried to get rid of during hirudotherapy sessions, did not go away, but performance, immunity and general health it got much better. Most likely this is due to blood renewal in the body.
• Along with positive reviews about self-medication, stories often emerge in which people who decided that they could do everything themselves had to seek qualified medical help. These include escaped leeches crawling into various orifices of the body, and profuse bleeding, which does not last more than a day, for example, when leeches are placed incorrectly on a vein, and the bite site becomes blistered due to allergic reactions, And so on. People who have experienced all these horrors strongly advise using hirudotherapy exclusively under the supervision of a doctor!
• The overwhelming number of reviews about leech treatment are written in a positive way. People who felt effective assistance And healing power hirudotherapy, become its ardent adherents, write numerous laudatory reviews, and recommend it to family and friends.

If hirudotherapy is so widely used and discussed, then let’s figure out what diseases are treated with leeches:

• Cardiovascular and vascular diseases : hypertension, “jumping” pressure, vegetative-vascular dystonia, cerebral atherosclerosis, angina pectoris, post-infarction cardiosclerosis, coronary heart disease, myocarditis, varicose veins, hemorrhoids, hypertensive crisis, thrombophlebitis, circulatory failure, trophic ulcers of any origin, thrombosis of arteries and veins, blood congestion, bruises, hematomas, swelling.
• Gynecological diseases: female infertility, mastitis, mastopathy, fibromastopathy, chronic inflammation of the uterus and appendages, salpingo-oophoritis, endometriosis, adenomyosis of the uterine body, menstrual irregularities, menopausal conditions, ovarian dysfunction, ovarian cysts, colpitis, adhesions in the pelvis, cervical erosion, ovarian cysts, fibroids , postpartum purulent-septic complications, uterine fibroids, bartholinitis, chlamydia.
• Androgenic diseases: male infertility, prostatitis, prostate adenoma, cyst seminal canal, testicular hypotrophy, cavernitis, elephantiasis of the scrotum and penis.
• Urological diseases: ordinary, acute purulent and cystic changes in the kidneys, urolithiasis disease, pyelonephritis, paranephritis, urinary and ligature fistulas, hepatorenal syndrome, hydronephrosis, chronic renal failure, urethritis, paraurethritis, ureteral stones, cystitis, paracystitis.
• Endocrine diseases: diseases thyroid gland, diabetes mellitus, gout, obesity, diathesis.
• Dental diseases: alveolitis, periostitis, chronic periodontitis, stomalgia syndrome, ganglioneuritis of the pterygopalatine ganglion, fibrous form HRAS, keratinization of the oral mucosa, periodontitis, gingivitis.
• Application in cosmetology: cellulite, wrinkles, bad color face, dull skin, bags under the eyes.
• Ophthalmic diseases: iridocyclitis, macular degeneration, inflammation optic nerve in the stage of edema, glaucoma, pseudotumor, pathological processes of the vascular tract of the eye, keratitis, epithelial-endothelial dystrophy of the cornea, iridocyclitis, hidden retinal pigment abnormality, edematous exophthalmos, corneal erosion.
• Dermatovenereology and skin diseases : red lichen planus, dermatosis, dermatitis, genital herpes, papillomatosis, eczema, acne, neurodermatitis, psoriasis, furunculosis, carbunculosis, scleroderma, baldness, pyoderma, lupus erythematosus, elephantiasis, toxicoderma.
• Surgical diseases: panaritium, umbilical, inguinal and postoperative ventral hernias, post-injection infiltrates.
• ENT diseases: sensorineural hearing loss, diseases of the paranasal sinuses, sinusitis, pansinusitis, sinusitis, chronic sensorineural hearing loss, adhesive otitis media of the middle ear, acute non-perforative otitis media, tinnitus.
• Diseases nervous system : insomnia, headaches, neuroses, dizziness, epilepsy, migraine, neuralgia, neuritis auditory nerves, paresis, neuralgia glossopharyngeal nerve, neuralgia trigeminal nerve, neuritis sciatic nerve and neuralgia of the sciatic nerve, paralysis of various nerves, cerebral arteriosclerosis, hemorrhagic stroke, concussion, consequences of brain injuries.
• Diseases of the musculoskeletal system: radiculitis, myositis, rheumatism, rheumatoid arthritis, arthrosis, osteochondrosis, damage to bones and joints after injuries, intervertebral hernias, fractures, scleroderma.
• Digestive diseases: constipation, cholecystitis, cholelithiasis, gastritis, pancreatitis, colitis, duodenitis, cirrhosis, biliary dyskinesia, diverticulosis.
• Colds: runny nose, acute respiratory infections, ARVI, flu.

Where and how to place leeches correctly?

The question of how to place leeches is not difficult to answer. They are applied to biologically active points on the patient’s body in the area of ​​painful sensations.

But only a qualified hirudotherapist knows how to place leeches correctly.

Regardless of whether the procedure is carried out in a clinical setting or at home, he will be able to construct the correct scheme for placing leeches to treat the ailment that has affected you.

After all, it is not always obvious where to place the leeches. For varicose veins and atherosclerosis on the legs, leeches are placed on both sides near the vein, but not on it itself.

For back pain (intervertebral hernia, radiculitis or osteochondrosis), small bloodsuckers are placed to the left and right of the spine along its entire length.

It is much more difficult to understand where to place the leech for headaches or cerebral atherosclerosis. In this case, you need to feel on the head a couple of centimeters behind ears a tubercle on each side. This mastoid processes bones of the skull, and one leech should be placed on them.

At high and intracranial pressure It is recommended to place two or three leeches on the sacrum. This procedure will also help women feel better in critical days, will relieve inflammation of the uterus and bladder.

At low pressure, one leech placed on the back of the head will suffice.

Leeches placed on the stomach in the area of ​​the liver, pancreas, stomach and intestines will help eliminate blood stagnation in abdominal cavity and will help get rid of obesity, normalize appetite and relieve colic.

Correct placement of leeches on the face, on the side of the nose and above the eyebrows, with great care, will help cope with sinusitis, rhinitis and obstruction maxillary sinuses. Placing leeches in the corners lower jaw, you can significantly improve the blood supply to the spine.

Pulmonary and nosebleeds will soon disappear if two or three leeches are placed around the anus.

Being healthy is easy. The main thing is not to be afraid of anything, find a qualified hirudotherapist and carry out the necessary course of treatment under his supervision.

What are the benefits of leech treatment for humans?

Experts believe that hirudotherapy can successfully replace many hormonal, antibacterial, and other drugs. Leeches can enhance their therapeutic effects if used for the following diseases:

• bronchial asthma;
• atherosclerosis;
• varicose veins;
• endometriosis;
• breast mastopathy;
• hypertension;
• symptoms of thrombophlebitis;
• stroke;
• uterine fibroids and infertility;
• hemorrhoids;
• osteochondrosis.

Leeches are extremely useful in the treatment of pneumonia, arthritis, and liver diseases. Hirudotherapy is sometimes used in cases of eye diseases, to improve sleep and awaken appetite, relieve stress and strengthen vitality, human rejuvenation.

Leeches for men

• Prostatitis;
• Sperm weakness;
• Urethritis;
• Decreased libido;
• BPH.

The general strengthening property of hirudotherapy is due to the fact that leeches inject almost 100 biologically useful substances into the blood, including hirudin. This element perfectly thins the blood, which promotes better fluid flow, improved sexual function and the vascular system.

Important. Improving blood flow directly affects the activity of the testicles, which are responsible for spermatogenesis and the active production of androgens.

The main points where you need to place leeches on male body - anal area, scrotum, sacrum, and coccyx. In addition to urological problems, leeches help reduce the risk of heart disease in middle-aged men.

The gynecologist advises women to use leeches when acute pathologies are diagnosed:

• Inflammatory process . Includes diseases in which blood stagnates in the veins passing through the pelvis, as well as disruptions in the menstrual cycle.
• Adhesions after abortion on mucous surfaces female organs . Hirudotherapy helps eliminate such adhesions - a few courses are enough medical procedures performed with long time intervals.
• Painful urination . Similar symptom periodically worries many women because hormonal imbalance or inflammatory process. The first session of leech therapy is prescribed on the eve of the expected start of menstruation, and then carried out daily until the pathology is completely eliminated.
• Benign neoplasms on the genitals - fluid cysts on the surface of the ovaries . Leeches are used to completely eliminate pathology. After the first session, the tumors disappear, the intensity of their growth decreases significantly, and often stops completely.

Leeches help women overcome it easier climacteric changes. Periodic hirudotherapy sessions help reduce the frequency and intensity of hot flashes and regulate blood pressure.

Hirudotherapy is now called by many as an alternative to what has become fashionable plastic surgery. After several sessions of treatment with leeches, the facial skin becomes velvety, becomes smooth and has a healthy color. Leeches are excellent at removing pigmentation from the skin, the presence of keloid scars, and teenage acne, as well as other cosmetic defects.

Rules for using leeches at home

• leeches;
• small glass;
• ordinary cosmetic tweezers;
• a small swab pre-soaked in iodine;
• a cotton swab the size of your palm;
• sterile bandage (or a bandage);
• container for used worms.

1. Wash the hands;
2. Treat the area where the leech is installed with alcohol and rinse it off boiled water, wipe the skin dry;
3. It is recommended to lubricate the skin with sugar water - then the leech is guaranteed to stick;
4. Take the worm with tweezers and apply it to the intended location. You should pick up the leech carefully, without causing damage to it;
5. Cover the top of the leech with a glass, pressing tightly to prevent movement.

The wound left after a leech bite must be treated - apply a cotton swab, then secure it with a bandage or plaster. Even if the wound bleeds for a day, it’s okay - it’s normal.

After the procedure is completed, the leech should be placed in a jar with a chloramine solution, where it is completely disposed of.

Is it permissible to reuse leeches?

If a leech is intended only for one person, then there is nothing wrong with reusing it. However, this is quite troublesome, since the leech needs to process the blood so that it becomes hungry again. In practice, this takes several months.

Can leeches cause harm: contraindications

Hirudotherapy – medical practice related to traditional methods treatment, which consists of using medicinal leeches for treatment and prevention.

Despite its size, the leech helped cure diseases for people who had previously tried the possibilities of traditional medicine.

This method of therapy practically does not cause the slightest harm to the body, has no strict restrictions, and also does not cause adverse reactions, unlike pharmaceutical products.

The effect is achieved due to the fact that leeches absorb a certain volume of blood, thereby reducing the load on vascular system, which can significantly improve her condition. In this way, venous and lymphatic congestion is eliminated.

Leeches inject a specific substance into the wound - hirudin, which by its nature is an anticoagulant. Thanks to its anticoagulating properties, hirudin thins the blood and improves its rheological properties.

In addition, the benefit of hirudotherapy lies in its special reflexogenic effect. Specialists apply leeches to special points of the human body, into the area of ​​which the whole line nerve endings. Thanks to this phenomenon, a whole cascade of biochemical reactions occurs that contribute to the improvement of the functioning of organs and systems of the body as a whole.

How are medicinal leeches useful in orthopedics?

Leeches can be useful and effective in the treatment of joint pathologies.

Orthopedic pathologies that can be treated with hirudotherapy include osteochondrosis of various parts of the spine.

Additionally, leeches can be used during rehabilitation measures after suffering from arthritis.

• tenosynovitis;
• arthrosis of large and small joints;
• deforming osteoarthritis.

All of these ailments are a consequence of defects in the blood supply to the joints, metabolic processes disorders, and the provision of inadequate physical activity on a sore joint, injury to articular joints. Medicinal leeches, when used correctly, can completely get rid of pathology.

The purpose of leech therapy is to:

1. Eliminate discomfort.
2. Complete elimination of pain.
3. Stopping the progression of the disease.
4. Normalization of blood circulation.
5. Improving metabolic processes in tissues.

This ensures normal joint function. Leeches, when suctioned, inject a special element that has analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties.

At the moment, the question of how leeches are useful for women is very urgent. There are a number of indications for hirudotherapy in the practice of an obstetrician-gynecologist.

To treat various gynecological pathological processes, leeches can be used both externally and injected into the vagina. It all depends on the patient’s testimony.

Hirudotherapy in gynecology

It is worth noting that such therapeutic measures should be carried out exclusively by a medical specialist to avoid negative consequences.

The high effectiveness of hirudotherapy in the treatment of the female reproductive system is associated with the adjacent wide network of capillaries.

Hirudotherapy helps:

• normalization of hormonal levels, which contributes to the overall rejuvenation of the body;
• elimination of dysmenorrhea;
• eliminating pain associated with menstruation;
• elimination of symptoms of PMS and menopause.

With inflammatory processes in the uterus and its appendages, patients are most often concerned about pain localized in the lower abdomen, swelling and an increase in the size of the appendages, and dysmenorrhea. All inflammatory gynecological diseases accompanied by swelling and congestion in the pelvis, which increases the risk of secondary infection.

Due to the ability to eliminate edema and congestion, hirudotherapy has a positive effect on the condition of patients. In addition, leeches are very effective in preventing diseases. Just a few sessions help improve women’s well-being and also facilitate unpleasant symptoms inflammation.

Often, after abortion, childbirth and inflammation, fibrin adhesions form in the internal genital organs, the formation of which is associated with the development of severe chronic diseases and infertility.

To avoid such diseases, experts recommend that young girls who have had an abortion, failed pregnancy or any inflammatory process undergo a course of treatment with leeches.

Due to hormonal imbalances, benign hyperplastic processes often develop in the uterus and ovaries. The most common are ovarian cysts and leukomiomas. To more formidable pathologies associated with violation hormonal metabolism includes endometriosis. Hirudotherapy performed by a competent gynecologist will help stop growth and prevent the progression of the disease.

For the treatment of gynecological diseases, leeches should be applied externally to the lower abdomen, sacrum and lower section lower back.

Hirudotherapy for varicose veins

Early use of leeches pathological process in blood vessels, allows you to slow down the development of the disease and eliminate unpleasant symptoms.

Leech enzymes help eliminate stagnation in venous vessels and strengthen the vascular endothelium. Most an important component treatment in this case is the resorption of thrombotic deposits under the influence of hirudin.

Treatment with medicinal leeches is a highly effective method of therapy without any special contraindications or dangerous side effects. It is approved for the treatment of patients diagnosed with arterial hypertension; in addition, it can be used for patients in a state after acute coronary syndrome and stroke; in addition, diabetes mellitus is not a limitation for hirudotherapy. Overlay in reflex zones– will allow a non-drug method to reduce blood pressure. The particular benefit of leeches for women is associated with the presence of their vascular physiology - women are more prone to varicose veins veins than men.

Leeches have found theirs wide application in the cosmetology field.

Why are leeches useful in cosmetology?

The advantage of the method is that there are no age restrictions. It is important to correctly follow all the cosmetologist’s recommendations during the procedure.

The benefits of using medicinal leeches in cosmetology are:

1. Treatment of acne, pustular disease, acne and demodicosis.
2. Etiopathogenetic treatment of cellulite.
3. Reducing skin scarring activity.
4. Improving the general condition of the skin.
5. Prevention of alopecia.

In addition, leeches can be used to treat and prevent exacerbations non-infectious pathologies skin.

Harm and limitations in hirudotherapy

Despite all the positive aspects of treatment, and, in particular, high efficiency procedures, hirudotherapy has a set of limitations and adverse reactions.

There are a number of nosologies in which it is unacceptable to carry out therapy with medicinal leeches.

Anemia. With anemia, the patient's hemoglobin concentration sharply decreases. Hemoglobin is an oxygen donor protein. That is, this group of patients already has insufficient oxygen saturation of tissues. Leeches, in turn, lead to an even greater decrease in the amount of hemoglobin, which aggravates the course of the disease.

Hereditary hemophilia. There are several genetic variants of this disease. Hemophilia is characterized complete absence in the blood of special blood clotting factors. For this group of patients there is a risk of massive bleeding even with minor damage skin.

Oncological diseases. In the presence of a tumor process in the body, the biochemical composition of the blood and the functions of organs change. However, hirudotherapy is not recommended, as it can aggravate general condition patient.

Women during menstruation. Monthly metrorrhagia is absolute contraindication to hirudotherapy, since many women note heavy blood loss during menstruation, and thus treatment with leeches can only increase the amount of blood loss.

Women during pregnancy and breastfeeding. During these physiological periods, any entry of an antigen into the body can affect the health of the baby and mother. Being a living creature, together with saliva, the leech injects a number of its own antigens into the mother’s blood, which subsequently enters cord blood and is excreted in breast milk.

Low blood pressure. Hirudotherapy is a procedure in which blood pressure is reduced; therefore, in case of hypotension, leeches should not be used so as not to cause an additional decrease in this indicator. The pressure-reducing effect is achieved thanks to special active elements injected during suction, as well as reflexogenic properties. After applying leeches, according to observations, patients experience temporary moderate hypotension.

This will not cause harm to a healthy person, but in a patient with low blood pressure it can provoke severe depression of brain activity.

Side effects from the use of hirudotherapy

Often, the reason for refusing treatment with leeches is a special psychological moment. For most patients, these creatures cause strong hostility, and even strong disgust. Forced treatment, in this case, will not have a positive effect.

Fortunately, the pharmaceutical market is rich in drugs based on leech extract. Products are available in various dosage forms: from candles to external creams. This type of treatment is more aesthetically pleasing, but is less effective natural process application of leeches.

Any therapy, in most cases, carries a potential risk for the patient. Hirudotherapy is no exception.

Mostly negative reactions complicate therapy due to the low qualifications of a hirudotherapy specialist or, due to independent use.

The most common side effects are:

1. Anaphylactic reactions and allergies. Most common symptom associated with abundant intake of large quantity antigens. Patients may develop acute allergic urticaria, suffocation and Quincke's edema.
2. Hemorrhages often develop due to non-compliance with instructions and restrictions on the use of leeches.
3. Lymphadenopathy.
4. At improper care wounds left after therapy may be associated with a secondary infection.

It is important to remember that leeches should not be caught in standing water, they are grown in a specially equipped eco-zone.

Sometimes minor bleeding occurs after therapy, which is a normal reaction to the leech enzyme.

You cannot remove leeches yourself. After the procedure, you should listen to the recommendations of a specialist in caring for the area where leeches are applied.

Treatment with leeches is the oldest method of treating many, often completely diverse, diseases. Despite the fact that this method of treatment belongs to the methods of alternative medicine, its unique medicinal properties recognized as official medicine. This influence on a person is also indicated by popular name these organisms are a “living pharmacy”.

Did you know? Leech is full-fledged medical device, and this fact has been recognized since 1990.

The body of the medicinal leech is smooth and elongated, reaching a length of 3 to 13 cm and a width of 1 cm, and is slightly flat in the abdominal region.
The body structure is ringed, like an earthworm, but less segmented. The body can be black, dark green or gray, brown-red with contrasting body color stripes of yellow, red or black.

The anterior and posterior ends of the body have suckers:

• the front one is designed for attaching (suction) to objects; the mouth is located in the center of it. In the mouth opening there are three serrated plates designed to break the integrity of the skin and suck out blood;
• the back one is designed to attach the body when moving.

These organisms have male and female sexual characteristics and are hermaphrodites, but for reproduction (laying eggs) they need the participation of a second individual.

There is no point in looking for medical specimens on wide sale - this is not a mass-produced product, although some pharmacies sell them. It is recommended to use these organisms under the guidance of a specialist in working with leeches (hirudotherapist) in a medical institution.
This approach will help avoid purchasing “low-quality goods”, because Unscrupulous scammers, under the guise of medical supplies, supply ordinary “river” ones.

Important! Ordinary freshwater (or river) leeches do not benefit the human body.

Supplies for hirudotherapy sessions are made from special biofactories where leeches are grown under sterile conditions. Such cultivation makes them safe and “tame,” which greatly simplifies the work of health workers with them.

The safety of the procedures performed will be indicated by the immediate disposal of organisms by a healthcare worker immediately after use.

The benefits of hirudotherapy sessions depend not only on the bloodletting process taking place, but also on the contents of the salivary glands of leeches, the composition of which is unique and invaluable. At the moment of biting the skin and in the process of consuming blood, biologically active substances contained in saliva enter the human body. Among these substances, the most useful:

• anticoagulant hirudin, which prevents blood clotting. In addition to thinning, it helps cleanse the blood of blood clots and blood clots;
• the enzyme hyaluronidase, which increases the permeability of tissues and blood vessels to incoming active substances;

Did you know?Leeches are afraid of noise; excitement from high vibrations depletes and weakens their body, which can lead to their death.

• enzyme destabilase, helping to reduce inflammatory processes in organism;
• enzyme asperase, which helps reduce the level of “bad” cholesterol and prevents the formation of cholesterol plaques on the walls of blood vessels. This effect accelerates metabolic processes in the body, which promotes weight loss.

In one session, each leech consumes from 15 to 20 ml of blood, and no more than 7 individuals are used. As a result, the volume of blood in the human body decreases, but at the same time the supply of oxygen and nutrients increases.

Also, hirudotherapy is often compared to acupuncture sessions. The thing is that leeches stick only to biologically active points (acupuncture) on the body, which is comparable to the effect of punctures. This positive influence on the body also occurs in modern alternative medicine.

Indications for treatment are disturbances in the functioning of the body associated with:

• with a metabolic failure to normalize it;
• with violations in endocrine system to resolve it and receive normal indicators analyses;
• with spinal diseases to improve physiological norms and increasing the amplitude of actions;
• with disorders in the hematopoietic system, in particular, to reduce the likelihood of blood clots;
• with illnesses genitourinary area, for getting positive result treatment.

In addition, it is possible to use hirudotherapy sessions as prophylactic to rejuvenate the body and maintain energy balance.

The mechanism of action of a leech is that enzymes and other active substances contained in the saliva of a leech, in the process of saturation, enter the human body and spread to nearby tissues and organs, where they begin their effect.
A feature of this mechanism is the fact that biologically active substances begin to act in the place where it is needed.

Hirudotherapy as additional method Treatments are prescribed for diseases:

• in the field of gynecology for the treatment of chronic inflammation of the appendages, endometriosis, cystitis, infertility;
• in the field of dermatology for the treatment of dermatitis, psoriasis, allergic skin manifestations, acne and acne;

• in the field of cardiology and neurology with coronary disease heart disease, hypertension, atherosclerosis;
• in the field of endocrinology, especially in diabetes mellitus;
• in the field of urology for the treatment renal colic, hemorrhoids, prostatitis;
• in the field of ophthalmology for the treatment of glaucoma and keratitis;
• in the field of phlebology for treatment varicose veins veins and thrombophlebitis;
• in the field of rheumatology for the treatment of rheumatic carditis, arthritis, hernias and other diseases of the spine.

It is impossible to list all the diseases that a leech can cure, because... medicinal and side effects depend on the characteristics of each person’s body.

Important! Same leech when used different people will not be transmitted from one person to another possible infections and illnesses because the blood she consumes cannot get back into the wound.

Contraindications for treatment

Despite the overall positive effect on a person and his body, hirudotherapy has some contraindications. Sessions cannot be held:

• for chronic hypotension (low blood pressure);
• with diagnosed hemophilia;
• with anemia (anemia);
• after a stroke or heart attack;
• for cancer in severe forms;
• during pregnancy;
• with individual intolerance.

You should not start using leeches at home without prior preparation. It is recommended that you first obtain the necessary information about the staging rules from a specialist, because The process of hirudotherapy has its own characteristics.

To conduct home hirudotherapy sessions you will need:

• leeches;
• a jar of water where well-fed individuals will be placed;
• tweezers;
• a test tube or small glass vessel with a narrow neck for placing individuals there before staging;
• dressings (cotton swabs, bandages);
• hydrogen peroxide.

Did you know? Blood consumed by a leech can remain in its digestive organs for more than 3 months without coagulating and without signs of rotting.

Despite the fact that leeches can sense active biological points on the body, the placement location can be adjusted, but with prior consultation with a specialist. Each disease for which they are used has its own area for treatment.

The process of hirudotherapy occurs in the following order:

1. the area of ​​the body where the leeches will be applied must be thoroughly rubbed, warming it up in this way;
2. The leech, taken by the tail with tweezers, is placed in a glass vessel and applied to the skin in the required place. The vessel does not need to be removed immediately, but should be held on the body a little so that the leech attaches tightly;
3. The session lasts until the leech is satiated and falls off on its own. Such an individual must be immediately placed in a jar of water. There is another way to conduct a session, when the leech is given the opportunity to suction well, but the process of its saturation is interrupted forcibly by applying a tampon soaked in salt water or iodine solution to the back. This method has positive impact, and blood loss is not allowed;
4. A clean napkin, a cotton swab and a bandage are applied to the bite site. on the first day, a certain amount of blood may be released from the wound;

Important! At copious discharge If there is blood at the site of the bite, an additional bandage is applied, and the first bandage applied should not be removed, even if it is completely soaked in blood.

Scope of application for applying leeches for certain diseases:

• in area chest - for the treatment of heart and vascular diseases;
• in the area of ​​the liver- for diabetes;
• at the bottom of the legs- for the treatment of varicose veins;
• V occipital region heads- for treatment hypertension;
• along the spine- for the treatment of osteochondrosis and hernias;
• in the lower abdomen- for the treatment of gynecological and urological diseases.

Leeches are unique organisms that can benefit humans by simply consuming their blood. For treatment sessions only the type of medicinal leeches is used, which may differ somewhat in their external manifestations, although this does not make them positive traits do not decrease. And do not forget that it is still better to entrust the procedure to a specialist.

Hirudotherapy is a term that refers to treatment with leeches in order to achieve improved health.

Hirudotherapy (lat. hirūdō- “leech”, ancient Greek. θεραπεία - “treatment”), also bdellotherapy (ancient Greek βδέλλα - “leech”) - a method of alternative medicine, one of the areas of naturopathy, treatment of various human diseases using medicinal leech wiki ( Hirudo medicinalis).

The technique is quite ancient and was practiced before, but since the twentieth century, with the rapid development of the pharmacological industry, it has fallen out of use.

Today, this unusual treatment is gaining momentum again, so it makes sense to talk about its relevance.

Hirudotherapy - historical background

This technique has been practiced for quite a long time.

It was discovered a thousand years before our era. The ancient Egyptians used blood-sucking worms to treat a number of diseases.

To relieve pain and suffering, ancient healers used this particular method of treatment.

The peak of popularity of hirudotherapy dates back to the 18th and 19th centuries.

In those days, patients were given even a hundred leeches. Naturally, this did not benefit them, as a result of which they began to abandon the technique altogether.

Today we see the emergence of hirudotherapy, but it is already applied using the knowledge of modern medicine.

This is far from a newfangled trend, but a serious attitude towards the human body.

Leech: designation and role in medicine

Medicinal leeches are used to treat people from various diseases - annelids that feed on blood.

Getting them is quite problematic, because they are inhabitants wildlife and every year there are fewer and fewer of them. Therefore, they are now bred artificially.

The worm is equipped with special suction cups on its body and its mouth is located in the front part.

A leech rarely drinks blood, since, having attached itself to a mammal and drinking once, it will be full for several months. A severely starved worm can drink approximately 15 ml of blood at a time.

In the digestive tract of the hiruda, the blood that is drunk does not clot.

The worm remains fed for a long time and only after several months can it begin its work again.

It is precisely these hungry leeches that are used in medicinal purposes, since only they can have a positive effect on the human body.

The principle of action and benefits of hirudotherapy

The therapeutic effect is due to the healing saliva of the leech, which contains many useful substances in its composition:

• hirudin - characterized by a pronounced anti-inflammatory effect, prevents blood clotting, relieves pain;
• prevents the formation of blood clots destabilase;
• hyaluronidase increases the penetration of beneficial substances into tissues;
• aeglins have an anti-inflammatory effect, promote tissue restoration and healing.

This treatment method is often prescribed by doctors from various medical fields for therapeutic and preventive purposes.

During the event, the worm is installed on special suction points on the skin and immediately produces its useful material, which instantly enter the circulatory system and spread throughout the circulatory system, causing many responses in the body.

Indications for hirudotherapy

The essence of hirudotherapy is a therapeutic effect in the presence of many pathologies, but, as a rule, treatment is combined with other techniques. Sometimes worms help prevent surgery.

Treatment is used for the following diagnoses:

• Stagnant processes (therapy helps cure diseases such as varicose veins and thrombophlebitis);
• Diseases of the pelvic organs (hiruda therapy in gynecology is widespread for infertility and endometriosis, as well as many others women's issues.) For many female pathologies, this particular technique is prescribed. Many patients have experienced the therapeutic effects of blood-sucking worms;
• Pathologies of cardio-vascular system. (the technique is used in the treatment of hypertension, rehabilitation after heart attacks and strokes);
• Skin diseases. Hirudotherapy plays a huge role in dermatology. With the help of leeches, acne, ulcers and other diseases are successfully eliminated;
• The technique is especially popular in the treatment of migraines and headaches, as well as pathologies of the central nervous system. Similar curative measure restores restful sleep, makes the blood thinner, activates performance, prevents the occurrence of cardiovascular diseases;
• Diseases of the digestive tract. Gastroenterologists prescribe this technique for many diseases: gastritis, colitis, cholestasis, etc.;
• Diseases musculoskeletal system. Excellent results can be achieved through the use of hirudotherapy for osteochondrosis. Therapy is important for joints and is prescribed for arthritis and arthrosis, helps to recover from injuries, promotes tissue regeneration;
• Almost the first place was given to the use of hirudotherapy in cosmetology. It is prescribed during the period of rehabilitation after plastic surgery, scar healing, and elimination of hematomas. The rejuvenating properties of the technique have been proven.

Oddly enough, even dentists resort to the use of hirudotherapy. So, with the help of several sessions you can be cured of a dental cyst.

Naturally, this is not the entire list of indications, but given this impressive list, we can say that hirudotherapy is a real panacea with which many problems can be solved.

Leech treatment regimen

Before the session, it is necessary to identify all available indications and contraindications in each specific situation.

Each patient has his own therapeutic regimen.

The event takes place under sterile conditions in a special room.

Hirudotherapy can only be carried out under the supervision of a qualified specialist.

The use of the technique is unacceptable at home.

How exactly worms are established is influenced by the person’s diagnosis, the stage of the pathology, the age of the patient and the individual characteristics of the body.

The specialist must know which points to place the leeches responsible for different processes in our body.

Placing worms in specific areas skin or mucous membranes leads to blood loss.

In addition, through the wound with hiruda saliva in human body a whole complex of biologically active components enters.

• How much blood can a leech drink?

The worm drinks up to about 15 ml of blood. After it disappears, the hemorrhage continues from six to twenty-four hours.

• Duration of a hirudotherapy session

Regarding the duration and number of sessions, it is necessary to consult a doctor, taking into account the characteristics of the pathological process.

Several leeches can be placed during one visit.

As a rule, ten visits are enough to achieve a certain therapeutic goal.

But in some cases, two procedures are enough.

• Leech treatment course

The technique must be repeated several times a year, but not less than twice.

Contraindications and possible complications of hirudotherapy

Like any therapeutic technique, hirudotherapy has a certain list of contraindications.

It is not suitable for everyone, namely, it is not prescribed to persons:

• those suffering from diseases of the circulatory system;
• with a diagnosis of hemorrhagic diathesis;
• bearing a child;
• children under ten years of age;
• for chronic hypotension.

Sometimes, as a result of hirudotherapy, allergies occur, which can only occur in sensitive people.

If for complementary therapy The doctor prescribed a course of hirudotherapy, you need to review all possible indications and contraindications.

The event is carried out exclusively by a certified professional who knows all the nuances of this procedure.

Therefore, you should trust an experienced doctor and recovery will not take long.

If all the rules of the procedure are followed, the patient has no contraindications, then the likelihood of complications occurring is minimal.

When self-medicating or providing services by amateurs, an infectious process may develop after a worm bite.

Based on the experience of many patients, it is worth saying that the effectiveness of hirudotherapy has been proven.

Giruda is a reliable human assistant in relieving many health problems.

But you must know and take into account all possible indications and contraindications in order to prevent the possibility of problems.

Each person has the right to choose one or another therapy tactic.

But in some cases, there is no need to be a skeptic and miss your chance to be cured or improve your well-being in an incredible way, refusing to use life-saving medications or replacing them only with leeches.