Hirudotherapy is a progressive direction of modern medicine. Can there be harm from treatment with leeches and existing contraindications

Holistic medicine. Tradition and modernity

Starchenko Olga Alexandrovna

Hirudotherapy - treatment with leeches

From ancient times to the present day, thousands of various substances and creatures have been tested as medicinal preparations. The memory of many of them has been erased by inexorable time. However, there are many that not only continue to be used in traditional medicine, but are also actively studied by modern science.

Today we will talk about a very ancient method of treating many diseases - hirudotherapy (from the Latin words "leech" and "treatment"). It is mentioned in ancient Egyptian and ancient Indian treatises, the works of Hippocrates, Galen, Avicenna. On the walls of Egyptian tombs, paintings depicting the treatment with leeches were found.

What is the secret of the effectiveness of hirudotherapy? Why are synthetic analogues less effective than using leeches? In what cases should you contact a hirudotherapist? These and other questions are answered by a specialist in hirudotherapy and straightening the abdomen of the clinic of Dr. Zager Starchenko Olga Alexandrovna.

Olga Alexandrovna, due to what does the therapeutic effect of hirudotherapy occur?

OA: I noticed that in the articles of Internet communities devoted to hirudotherapy, the action of a leech is associated with only one biologically active substance - hirudin. I think this is pretty outdated information. The anticoagulant substance hirudin was isolated from leeches in 1903 by F. Franz. To date, dozens of unique biologically active substances with a powerful therapeutic effect have been found in leech saliva, many of which have not yet been synthetically recreated.

In answer to the question, due to which mechanisms the leech has a therapeutic effect, two of the most studied can be distinguished.

The first is microcirculatory, i.e. regulation of the outflow of venous blood, lymph and arterial blood inflow, during which the intercellular space is unloaded. It is very important! After all, a leech does not suck blood as such, it bites through the skin by 1-1.5 mm and feeds on intercellular fluid and blood from a damaged capillary. But “a holy place is never empty”, and as a result, due to diffusion, liquid from the intercellular space enters the capillary bed, and therefore the blood viscosity decreases.

The second mechanism is the action of biologically active substances. During its feeding, the leech secretes a secret of various composition, i.e. At different stages of nutrition, saliva has a different composition. This is functionally justified and allows solving various problems. First, the destruction of the tissues and microvessels of the “victim”, then the blockade of the mechanisms of hemostasis, and finally, the counteraction to the protective reactions that develop in the tissues in response to damage.

Scientific studies of the mechanisms of action of leeches on humans began at the end of the 19th - beginning of the 20th century with the work of John Haycraft, who discovered the anticoagulant effect of leech extract. In 1884, he discovered an enzyme from the saliva of a leech - hirudin.

In the Kamenev-Baranovsky textbook on hirudotherapy, currently known biologically active substances are divided into 4 groups: The first group is enzymes that have lytic properties (from the Greek “lysis” - “separation”, “dissolution”): hyaluronidase destroys hyaluronic acid, collagenase - collagen (components of connective and other tissues), peptidase - proteins, etc. These substances are found in the first or second portion of leech secretion.

The second group consists of anticoagulants and antihemostatics. This group includes a large number of substances. Of these, hirudin is the most well-known. All substances work differently. Thus, hirudin blocks the thrombin pathway (it is a direct inhibitor of thrombin), other substances prevent platelet aggregation and adhesion (sticking and sticking), etc. The third group is represented by blockers of the body's defense reactions. They are produced by a leech so that in the body, which serves as food for the leech, there is no swelling, pain, vasospasm. These include: painkillers, decongestants, anti-inflammatory, and even substances involved in maintaining normal blood pressure (eg, girustasin).

The fourth group is auxiliary substances that help everyone else perform their functions and enhance their action. For example, lipids shield proteins introduced with leech secretion from macrophages, thereby saving them from destruction in the human body. This allows the biologically active substances from the leech saliva to stay in the body for a long time and exert its effect gradually.

The Russian word "leech" comes from "piti" - "drink". This word refers to animals belonging to the subclass of annelids from the class of belt worms, living mostly in fresh water.

What problem should be solved for hirudotherapy? After all, leeches are often not taken very seriously.

OA: It happens that men around 40 years old come to the clinic without obvious health complaints, with a purely preventive goal - to improve the quality of blood. According to the test results, they show high blood viscosity. At the first setting, the leeches are removed after an hour (it makes no sense to wait longer). On the fourth or fifth time of setting, the leeches fall off on their own, and from the wound left behind, it can be concluded that the quality of the blood has noticeably improved.

I have repeatedly received information from vascular surgeons about negative reviews about leeches. The fact that they have to treat trophic ulcers formed after hirudotherapy sessions. But it is not the method that is to blame, but the wrong practice of its application. Apparently, these people had problems with their lower extremities (varicose veins, thrombophlebitis, etc.), the outflow of blood was disturbed, and the nutrition of the tissues of the lower extremities was impaired. And they (patients) were immediately put leeches on these zones (lower limbs). In such situations, in no case should you start with such zones. First, the body must be prepared.

When I studied with Konstantin Vasilievich Sukhov, Candidate of Medical Sciences, who is a member of the College of Hirudotherapists and Healers with Leeches of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, a lot of attention was paid to the above problems. Until the central settings are carried out - the navel and sacrum are not worked out (since there are vessels in this zone through which blood returns from the lower part of the body), one should not work on the lower extremities. At the same time, it is necessary to work with such a patient, to improve his condition, without using the indicated zone.

And what does it mean "worked out this zone"? Is this also done with the help of hirudotherapy?

OA: This means that a set of measures has been completed, including repeated setting of leeches and, possibly, a massage of the abdomen. At the same time, thanks to leeches and abdominal massage, blood flow, venous outflow, and lymphatic drainage of tissues improve. For a patient with diseased vessels of the lower extremities, leeches are not immediately put on their feet. They are repeatedly placed on the stomach, sacrum, on certain points of the body, and only after that, in some cases, it is possible to put them on their feet.

Do you use biologically active points?

OA: Yes, I do. At the same time, I take into account the recommendations of the acupuncturists of our clinic when we manage the same patient together. However, I prefer to start with the abdomen and sacrum. I consider it important. If there are rhinitis, sinusitis, periodontitis, I put leeches on the mucous surface of the mouth and nose.

That is, no matter what the patient comes to you with, do you start with the abdomen and sacrum?

OA: Not always. For example, if a person comes in with a recent injury, I often work locally at the site of the injury. In case of injury, the method of setting leeches works very well! For example, a woman fell from a horse, injured her knee, followed by severe swelling. Literally after the first setting, the edema decreased significantly. Another woman's leg fell between the platform and the train, a giant bruise formed on her thigh. She came to the reception on the same day that the injury was received. Leeches were put in, and the hematoma regressed immediately.

It is believed that hirudotherapy is indicated in case of problems with blood vessels. This is a very wide range of problems. Since in the case of diseases of internal organs, for example, the liver, gallbladder, the work of blood vessels worsens in the periorgan space. And as a result of the restoration of blood and lymph outflow, the work of these organs improves.

Are there any contraindications?

OA: Contraindications are all blood diseases that cause increased bleeding, oncology, febrile conditions (there is a risk of bleeding, because bleeding is also increased at elevated temperatures).

Is high blood pressure also a contraindication?

OA: No, people with high blood pressure are often treated. During the session, the pressure may not decrease. But over the course of the course, relief comes. In any case, it is better to undergo a course of hirudotherapy, and not one session.

Of course, there can be many reasons for high blood pressure. And you need to understand the reasons.

How do you diagnose patients? After all, hirudotherapy is not a diagnostic method.

How many sessions does one course include?

OA: Each patient may have his own individual number of sessions.

If the leech quickly saturates and falls off after about 30 minutes, then that's great! This suggests that she has already prepared her “victim” well, she is quickly sated.

The action of leech saliva lasts three months. Chronic disease is always harder to treat. If possible, a good treatment rhythm is as follows: for two weeks, twice a week, then once a week, then once every two weeks, etc. This results in a prolonged action. Some go for it, some find it hard.

How did hirudotherapy become your method of choice?

OA: I came to leeches through my illness. Thanks to complex treatment, including visceral massage, leeches, herbal medicine, two surgical operations were avoided.

Hirudotherapy can be an alternative to surgical intervention?

OA: For example, hemorrhoids. Here you can work, compete. Endometriosis is going very well. And the remission is very persistent. Baker's cyst (a pathological fluid formation in the popliteal fossa) also goes well with leeches.

This is very important. Many people grasp at any straw to avoid surgery.

OA: Not all. Many do not realize the consequences of the operation. They do not understand what powerful adhesive processes are being launched. But all the same, if there is an opportunity and time to do without surgical intervention, it should be used.

If the treatment of the patient is approached in a complex way, for example: use leeches, needles or homeopathy, massage the abdomen. If at the same time the person himself has a desire to work in order to be healthy, then everything taken together will certainly bring a positive result.

To be healthy, you need to put things in order first of all in your head. Form positive mental images and do not blame your ill health on age, lack of time, etc., as this is a trick not to work on yourself. At any age, a person needs to work in order to feel in good condition. Engage in feasible physical activity, continue to develop, train your brain, because new neural connections can be formed even in old age; do not torture your body with alcohol and smoking. And smile.

Since ancient Egypt, leeches have been used to treat anomalies of the nervous system, inflammation, diseases of the teeth, skin, and infections. Today they are used in plastic surgery and other branches of microsurgery.

The therapeutic effect of hirudotherapy lies in the peptides and proteins secreted by leeches. They prevent the formation of blood clots. These secretions are also known as anticoagulants.

Currently, hirudotherapy is gaining popularity again as a simple and affordable way to treat various diseases.

Medicinal leeches have three jaws with tiny rows of teeth. They pierce human skin with their teeth and inject anticoagulants through saliva. They are then allowed to bleed. The session lasts from 20 to 45 minutes according to the patient's course of treatment.

In the amount of blood, a little is obtained - up to 15 ml from one leech.

As already mentioned, leeches release a number of active compounds into the blood:

Local anesthetic. With it, you endure the sting of a leech with almost no pain.
Elements that cause local vasodilation. This increases blood flow at the site of the bite.
Anticoagulant (hirudin). It prevents blood clots from forming.
Platelet aggregation inhibitors. They prevent the formation of platelets.

Leech saliva contains many chemicals, including about 60 known proteins. It is this chemical cocktail that should heal the body when it enters the bloodstream.

Despite the skepticism of the scientific community, the topic of treatment with leeches is still worth subjecting to further research.

Experts managed to prove that leeches can improve blood flow in the elderly, stop the symptoms of eczema. Enzymes contained in leech saliva can prevent the formation of cancerous metastases and relieve pain.

Scientists are also busy researching hirudin and its role in the treatment of arthritis.

Before conducting hirudotherapy, the patient takes blood tests for anemia and the presence of HIV. The area of skin where the leeches will be planted is checked for clogged veins and arterial insufficiency.

You should not take drugs that inhibit the activity of the blood coagulation system and prevent the formation of blood clots, as well as drugs that reduce the response of the immune system. In order to avoid vasoconstriction, the patient is not recommended to consume caffeine until the end of therapy.

Smoking and nicotine replacement products are contraindicated due to the vasoconstrictive effects of carbon monoxide and nicotine.

Carrying out hirudotherapy

The leech sits on clean skin washed with soap and water.
Then the specialist takes out the leech from the container using long tweezers. The easiest way to do this is immediately after removing the container from the refrigerator: leeches in this state are docile and inactive.
Next, the leech is placed in a syringe, the bottom of which is directed to the injection site. The syringe can be removed as soon as the leech sucks. To avoid displacement, wet gauze can be placed on the leech.
If the leech does not want to stick, the skin is pierced to release a drop of blood.
Having sucked, the leech will feed on blood for about 45 minutes.

After the procedure is completed, the bite site will bleed for about 10 hours. During this time, the skin needs to be washed regularly, removing the resulting blood clots.

Drink plenty of water. Don't drink alcohol. Follow a healthy full regimen.

In the afternoon after therapy, you can take a shower and disinfect the bite site with hydrogen peroxide. Do not use rubbing alcohol. Cover the bite with a small bandage.

You may experience slight swelling, itching, bruising. Cold wet towels or lemon juice can help relieve itching. Mix lemon juice with three cups of water, dip a towel in it and apply it to the sore spot.

Temporary enlargement of the lymph nodes is also possible. It will go away on its own as part of the detox process.

You may feel either sleepy and tired, or energetic and active. Both reactions are normal and occur everywhere.

Hirudotherapy for arthrosis

Rheumatologists with extensive experience know that treatment with leeches is good for trochanteritis (inflammation of the tendons of the thigh), psoriatic arthritis and in the initial stages of arthrosis.

The action of the enzymes that the leech injects is similar to the action of drugs when a periarticular injection is given. The beneficial effects of a leech bite also include the restoration of blood circulation in the area of \u200b\u200bthe diseased joint. The impact of the complex of these factors gives good results in the treatment of the first and second stages of arthrosis.

Another picture in arthrosis of the third stage. Here, hirudotherapy relieves night pains, “rest pains”, and also helps in the period of preoperative preparation. After surgery in the treatment of joints, the use of leeches will accelerate the recovery of muscles and periarticular tissues disturbed by the operation: cartilage, skin, ligaments.

The usual course in the treatment of leeches includes 6 to 8 procedures with an interval of 2-6 days. During one session, 4 to 8 leeches are used. After 3-4 sessions, there is usually an improvement, but the patient returns to normal about two weeks after the full course.

However, it is necessary to warn against the independent use of leeches. You should not save on the services of specialists and put leeches yourself or other people on your own. There are contraindications that you may not be aware of. There are also special points on the body where leeches should be placed. Ignorance of all the subtleties of the procedure will lead to the absence of the expected effect. A specialist hirudotherapist who works with leeches all the time will provide you with truly effective and efficient assistance.

Treatment technique with leeches for arthrosis

With gonarthrosis, arthrosis of the shoulder joints and coxarthrosis, leeches are placed in the projection area of diseased joints, around them. By palpation of the joint, a specialist identifies pain points, on which leeches are planted. Among the variety of ways to use these blood-sucking worms for arthrosis of the knee joints, the following are distinguished:

Setting 4 leeches on the so-called. "knee eyes"
If there are pains in the places of muscle attachment at such points, up to 6 leeches are placed.
If the patient has patellofemal syndrome (pain in the patella), leeches are placed in areas around the joint, along the edges of the projection of the patella on the skin.

The principle of choosing the landing points for leeches is the same for coxarthrosis of the hip joint, except that leeches are used in larger quantities. They are placed on pain points of the sacrum, lower back, lower abdomen, hips.

With arthrosis of the shoulder joint, 8-10 individuals are placed in front and behind on trigger, most painful, points. And in the third stage of osteoarthritis, when bone outgrowths begin to show through the muscles and skin, leeches are placed on the hips, knees, elbows and shoulders right on top of the protruding formations. Arthrosis complicated by synovitis, cysts in the joint area, as well as bursitis are also well treated with hirudotherapy.

After half an hour - an hour, the leeches, when they are satisfied, unhook from their "donor". Relief in patients is usually observed after the first procedure, but in order to consolidate the effect, it is recommended to conduct 6-8 sessions, and sometimes up to 12 with an interval of 2 to 7 days. However, if after the third session there is no improvement, the treatment should be stopped, and a second attempt is carried out no earlier than after two months.

You need to know anatomy and reflexology well in order to place leeches on biologically active points with high accuracy. The natural disgust of a person from the touch of a cold, living and wet creature can be softened by placing a sterile cotton wool between the body and the worm.

Treatment of rheumatoid arthritis with leeches

This treatment can be done:

by aspiration method, the main purpose of which is bloodletting. With this method, from the site of the inflammatory process, together with the blood, the leech sucks out inflammatory proteins and toxins. The leech feeds on blood until it is satiated and detaches itself.
According to the method of Dr. Abuladze. The leech is removed from the body immediately after biting through the skin and spraying anesthetic saliva into the wound. With this method, up to 20 leeches are used per session.

Indications and contraindications

Treatment with leeches can be effective in cases of risk of limb amputation. The latter occurs due to the side effects of diabetes, heart disease. Also, leeches can be treated if the patient is undergoing cosmetic surgery or, for example, treatment of varicose veins and blood clots.

Contraindications for use are hemophilia, leukemia, anemia, arterial insufficiency. In addition, leeches should not be used to treat children under 18 years of age.

In addition to the natural for many disgust for such a specific method of treatment, people also have individual intolerance to the components of leech saliva.

Practice shows that it is quite safe to use leeches in case of such a disease as arthrosis of the hip and shoulder joints, as well as gonarthrosis. If a person is intolerant to NSAIDs and has serious contraindications to glucocorticoids, treatment with leeches may be an acceptable substitute.

However, certain rules must be observed:

Before treatment, the patient is examined, possible contraindications are identified.
Outside certified centers and without the use of high-quality biomaterial, do not agree to treatment.
Hirudotherapist must be licensed: the development of the correct treatment program with the choice of points of influence is impossible for self-taught, even the most talented.
One of the main requirements for the method is the observance of sterility.
In the case of local allergic manifestations, it is necessary to increase the intervals between sessions. If the manifestations of intolerance are systemic, affecting many functions of the body, then the sessions can be resumed no earlier than after 9 months, and sometimes this method of treatment should be completely abandoned.

Leeches caught in the pond are unsuitable for the treatment of diseases, they can be infected with all sorts of pathogenic microorganisms. Medical leeches are grown in laboratories, and specimens that have been starving for at least 4 months are taken for treatment. After the sessions, the leeches are destroyed; this is a one-time “tool”.

Rheumatoid arthritis and arthrosis are not treated with hirudotherapy in the following cases:

blood disorders such as anemia and hemolysis;
poor blood clotting, increased bleeding;
low blood pressure;
oncological diseases;
tuberculosis;
exhaustion after surgery or malaise after a serious illness;
pregnancy;
allergy to components of saliva of leeches;

Also, treatment with leeches is not suitable for children and the elderly.

Hirudotherapy at home

Can leeches be treated at home? Yes, but only under the supervision of a qualified therapist. You can call him at home.

The first step is to make an appointment. When the specialist arrives at your place, take him to the bathroom, as he will need to change the water for the leeches. The water in which they were delivered is not suitable for the procedure. During transportation, leeches are in a state of stress and throw their secretions into the water. It is for this reason that the water must be changed immediately. You will also need to wash your hands.

Hirudotherapy is an amazing method of treating a variety of diseases, while it is quite simple and has no drawbacks. Leeches are used in all areas of medicine, especially in the fight against vascular diseases. The amazing properties of leech saliva make it possible to apply the procedure for the treatment of thrombophlebitis.

There are almost no contraindications for hirudotherapy, but in addition to varicose veins, doctors identify many diseases that leeches can help in the treatment of:

Diseases affecting the musculoskeletal system. These include hernias, arthrosis, post-traumatic consequences that negatively affect the condition of bones and joints.
Doctors prefer leeches to surgery if the patient is suffering from advanced hemorrhoids. Usually, just a few procedures are enough for the bleeding to stop, and the discomfort in sitting postures and during defecation disappears.
Indications for hirudotherapy can serve as diseases that are within the competence of urologists and gynecologists. For example, leeches provide an incredible effect in the treatment of prostatitis. In the treatment of "female" diseases (infections, inflammation of the appendages and uterus, miscarriages, infertility), leeches have also established themselves as a unique and absolutely safe remedy.
In dermatology, leeches are also used, since after seven or eight procedures one can see progress in the treatment of diseases from which the patient has suffered for years.
Leeches are widely used in ophthalmology, while there are no contraindications for hirudotherapy. Treatment bears fruit in the fight against keratitis, glaucoma and some other diseases.
Leeches help to normalize the work of the gastrointestinal tract and restore the normal functioning of the liver and kidneys. The best world scientists have proven the effectiveness of the procedure in the treatment of diseases of these organs.
It has been proven that the use of leeches is justified in the treatment of rheumatism - the patient feels the results after the first visit to a hirudotherapist.
In a situation where the metabolism is disturbed, the benefits of the procedure are invaluable. If a patient has diabetes or thyroid problems, leeches can affect the course of the disease and significantly improve the person's well-being.
Hirudotherapy not only contributes to the recovery and disappearance of infections, but also strengthens the immune system.
Even dentists have recognized the effect of the procedure in the treatment of certain diseases. In addition, indications for hirudotherapy include post-filling pains that do not leave the patient for a long time.
Leeches are gaining popularity among traumatologists, because hirudotherapy treats tissue edema, various injuries, hematomas, bruises, and helps to heal fractures faster. No matter how paradoxical it may sound, leeches stop bleeding - this is another reason for their use in traumatology.
There are indications for hirudotherapy if one of the diseases of the nervous system has been diagnosed. In particular, leeches help to cope with constant headaches, dizziness, neuroses, insomnia and excessive sleepiness. After visiting a hirudotherapist, the patient becomes much calmer, easily falls asleep and wakes up rested.
The fair sex has already managed to appreciate the benefits of treatment for cosmetic purposes: leeches are often an important part of rejuvenation programs, as they start the processes of cellulite resorption.
Hirudotherapy may be prescribed as a treatment for diseases that affect the lungs.
Relatively recently, hirudotherapy began to be used to treat diseases included in the field of otolaryngology: otitis media, tinnitus, sinusitis, hearing loss, diseases near the nasal sinuses.

Summing up, we can say that there are dozens of indications for hirudotherapy. At the same time, a number of diseases are not amenable to alternative treatment. Below you can find contraindications.

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Contraindications for hirudotherapy

If we talk about contraindications, then the list is significantly reduced. Treatment with leeches is absolutely excluded if the woman is in position or if the following diseases are diagnosed:

Personal immunity to one or more components that make up the saliva of leeches.
Genetic non-coagulability of blood.
A significant decrease in the number of red blood cells in the blood.
Hemophilia.
Hemorrhagic diathesis.

Advantages of EUROMEDPERSTIZH

EUROMEDPERSTIZH Medical Center is distinguished by a number of advantages due to which patients trust us.

Hirudotherapy, or treatment with leeches, is one of the oldest methods used for a large number of diseases.

Despite the fact that this method is non-traditional, it is widely used in various fields of medicine and is considered a real panacea. Some people consider hirudotherapy to be almost the only hope for recovery. A similar method of treatment is practiced in many countries of the world, but, like any other technique, hirudotherapy has indications and contraindications. Before applying it on your own experience, you need to familiarize yourself with the features of the procedure, its benefits and possible consequences.

For the procedure in hirudotherapy, only medical leeches are used, which are grown in special conditions. The main feature of such leeches is their complete sterility, which makes it possible to reduce human infection to zero. The leech, which is used only once, is disposed of after the procedure.

Modern medicine widely uses hirudotherapy in the treatment of various diseases, but still this method of treatment is considered by doctors only as an adjuvant therapy to the main treatment. Only an experienced specialist in hirudotherapy, who has work experience, a special medical education, and knows the points where these individuals can be placed, should put leeches.

How useful is hirudotherapy?

hirudin - an enzyme that has a pronounced anti-inflammatory, analgesic effect, slows down blood clotting;
destabilase - an enzyme that prevents the formation of blood clots in the vessels;
hyaluronidase is an enzyme component that breaks down hyaluronic acid, thereby allowing beneficial components to penetrate deep into tissues.
eglins - a substance that has an anti-inflammatory effect, stimulates tissue regeneration, accelerates their healing.

Hirudotherapy is often prescribed by doctors of various branches of medicine for therapeutic and prophylactic purposes. During the procedure itself, the leech sticks to the skin and immediately throws out its secret, which quickly penetrates into the bloodstream and spreads throughout the body, causing a whole chain of reactions. Leech saliva is a powerful anticoagulant, it also has a tonic effect, improves the functioning of the nervous system, stimulates appetite, and improves overall well-being.

Treatment with leeches - indications

Hirudotherapy is indicated in the treatment of many diseases, but it is mainly used in combination with other therapeutic measures. In some cases, leeches help to avoid surgical intervention. Hirudotherapy can be used for the following pathologies:

congestion phenomena. Treatment with leeches will help get rid of diseases such as thrombophlebitis, varicose veins.
Diseases of the female genital area. Treatment with leeches in gynecology is used for diseases such as endometriosis, adnexitis. With many "women's problems" it is hirudotherapy that is indicated: ovarian cyst, uterine fibroids, menopause. Some women claim that with the help of this method of treatment they were able to cure infertility.
Diseases of the heart and blood vessels. In cardiology, hirudotherapy is used in the complex treatment of diseases such as hypertension, recovery after a stroke, heart attack.

Dermatological diseases. Acne, trophic ulcers can also be treated with leeches.
Diseases of the central nervous system. Hirudotherapy has found wide application in the treatment of headaches, migraines, it is used for neurosis, epilepsy. Such a procedure thins the blood, improves sleep, increases efficiency, eliminates the possible risks of developing cardiovascular pathologies.
Diseases of the genitourinary system. Leeches can treat cystitis, prostatitis, pyelonephritis, polycystic kidney disease.
Pathology of the gastrointestinal tract. Leeches also save from gastritis, cholecystitis, colitis, are used for cirrhosis of the liver, dyskinesia of the bile ducts.

Diseases of the musculoskeletal system. A good result can be obtained in the treatment of osteochondrosis with leeches, especially if it is accompanied by pinching of the nerve roots. Also, this technique is used in the treatment of rheumatism, arthritis, arthrosis. Hirudotherapy allows you to quickly recover from injuries, accelerates the healing of wounds and postoperative sutures.
Cosmetology. Hirudotherapy has also found its application in cosmetology. It is used after plastic surgery for resorption of hematomas, elimination of scars. Some cosmetic clinics offer hirudotherapy for facial skin rejuvenation.

There are cases of successful use of leeches in dentistry. For example, if hirudotherapy is applied, the tooth cyst will be cured in several sessions. These are far from all indications for hirudotherapy, but given their number, treatment with leeches can be considered a real panacea, a unique tool that can solve many health problems.

Contraindications to hirudotherapy

Despite the fact that this method of treatment belongs to alternative medicine and is considered completely safe for human health, hirudotherapy still has contraindications. Among them we note the following:

Some blood diseases: hemophilia, poor blood clotting, severe anemia, deficiency of red blood cells.
Hemorrhagic diathesis.
Pregnancy.
Children under 10 years old.
Chronic hypotension.

In rare cases, after hirudotherapy, an allergic reaction is noted, but it can only be present when a person has an increased sensitivity to the components of leech saliva. If hirudotherapy is prescribed as an additional treatment by a doctor, indications and contraindications should also be taken into account by him. A hirudotherapy session should only be carried out by a professional hirudotherapist who knows all the features of the procedure. How many sessions of hirudotherapy a patient will need depends on the diagnosis, the characteristics of the human body. Therefore, if there is a need for treatment with leeches, you should trust the doctor, perhaps this will be the very chance for a full recovery!

Treatment with leeches is called hirudotherapy, indications and contraindications for it have been unchanged for 2500 years. Once upon a time, ALL known diseases were an indication for treatment with leeches. There is even an opinion that the words TREATMENT and LEECH (leech) have common roots. The only absolute contraindication to hirudotherapy has been hemophilia for centuries.

Even 30 years ago, angina pectoris, asthma, and even scabies, along with thrombosis and inflammation, were considered an indication for treatment with leeches. Now even the most enthusiastic hirudotherapists admit that there are faster remedies for the treatment of a dying patient than the medical leech - Hirudo medicinalis. Official testimony has narrowed considerably.

The modest role of the once powerful leech

In general, indications for the appointment of leeches are reduced to situations where there is pain, swelling, inflammation and. And since any organs and systems of our body undergo these processes, then leeches can be used in almost any disease, both independently and together with other means. But basically, treatment with leeches is used where official medicine shows modest results: in the treatment of chronic diseases.

In urgent medicine, only in microsurgery of the limbs and amputations of the nose, ears, genital organs, leeches are reliably leading compared to any other methods of treating microthrombosis and lymphostasis. Indications for the use of medical leeches in reconstructive surgery are capillary thrombosis, edema, inflammation.

Another indication for the use of leeches in emergency medicine: severe pain and inflammation. Indications for use in dentistry - acute toothache, inflammation of the gums. In ophthalmology for the treatment of an acute attack of glaucoma. Hirudotherapy is very effective as an additional treatment for acute bronchitis and pneumonia.

Leeches have a relative advantage in exacerbation of chronic arthritis compared to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, in the treatment of acute discogenic spinal pain and other neuralgia.

Indications for the use of leeches in rehabilitation: states of convalescence (recovery) after an acute injury, heart attack, any protracted illness, including after infections, in gynecology in the treatment of infertility, mastitis, endometriosis, uterine fibroids, in dermatology for the treatment of psoriasis, acne, furunculosis, streptoderma, in angiology for the treatment of venous stasis of all varieties, varicose veins, trophic ulcers, lymphedema.

In restorative medicine, in my opinion, leeches have no equal. They are needed for:

increase the body's defenses, immunity;
improve mood and general tone;
improving the rheological properties of blood;
restoration of microcirculation and hormonal balance;
rejuvenation of the body and increase fertility;
pain relief

That is, the leech, as before, heals everything, but not as quickly as modern pharmaceuticals. And the choice in favor of hirudotherapy is more often made by the patient, and not by the doctor. But patients rush between conventional medicine and folk methods and get a hirudotherapist with the luggage of chemotherapy.

To whom is treatment with leeches contraindicated?

In the old days, it was believed that the only absolute contraindication to hirudotherapy was hereditary hemophilia. With the development of medicine, contraindications were expanded: treatment with leeches is not recommended for bleeding, pregnant women, infants, malignant diseases, anemia, hypotension.

But over the past 30 years, since medicine and pharmacology relied on lifelong use of drugs by chronically ill patients, new contraindications for leech treatment have appeared. Few people think about this, but nevertheless the risk of hirudotherapy from ignorance is growing.

Interaction of leeches with medicines

Modern hirudotherapy began to have much more contraindications, or, let's say, risks, than before. This is due to the fact that sick people take a lot of medicines. Previously, patients were treated, only during exacerbations, but now, every second person after 50 years of age takes daily at least one drug. And many suffer from polypharmacy (that is, they take a lot of medicines). BUT some medicines increase the risk of bleeding, peptic ulcers, infections and without hirudotherapy, and then we appear, with our leeches and hirudin, and, BLOW THE LIGHT!

Hirudotherapy is auxiliary treatment. In no case drugs cannot be stopped for chronic therapy, the patient must be informed about this;
hirudotherapy, as a rule, is performed at the request of the patient and it must be explained that his medications are a contraindication to treatment with leeches;
if the hirudotherapist did not identify in advance or ignored the fact that the patient is being treated with one of these drugs and complications have developed, then this is simply negligence!

When starting hirudotherapy, it is necessary not only to carefully ask the patient what chronic diseases he has and by what means he is being treated, but it is necessary to demand that the person show all the pills and drops that he drinks, including nutritional supplements. Patients do not know the names of active substances, and listing all the commercial names of drugs is simply pointless!

Below is a list of medicines that greatly increase the risk of bleeding, their use is a contraindication for hirudotherapy! Please note that these are not commercial drug names, but the name of the active substance, the one that is written in small letters on each package.

Preparations absolutely incompatible with hirudotherapy - the first group

Mifepristone(a drug used in gynecology) is a categorical contraindication for treatment with leeches (the risk of life-threatening bleeding is very high).

Drugs for the treatment of acute thrombosis and their chronic prevention are also an absolute contraindication for joint use with hirudotherapy. Often these medications are prescribed for people who turn to a hirudotherapist for varicose veins, thrombosis, thrombophlebitis, the consequences of a heart attack, stroke, hip fractures with joint replacement, with chronic thrombophilia and antiphospholipid syndrome, rheumatism, with heart valve damage and some other conditions. Asterisks indicate those prescribed frequently* or very frequently**.

Anticoagulants:

Antithrombin alfa, antithrombin III, apixaban*, argatroban, acenocoumarol*, bemiparin, bivalirudin, dabigatran*, dalteparin*, enoxaparin*, fondaparinux*, heparin*, protamine, tinzaparin, warfarin**, desirudin, phenindione, rivaroxaban*

Antibiotics:

Cephalosporins** reduce prothrombin activity: cefditoren, cefdinir, cefotetan, cefoxitin, cefpodoxime, ceftriaxone, cefuroxime; clarithromycin.
Erythromycin* preparations may alter the metabolism of hirudin.
Piperacillin inhibits platelet function.
Sulfonamides*: sulfadiazine, sulfamethoxazole, sulfisoxazole, roxithromycin can potentially reduce hirudin metabolism

Antiplatelet agents

Clopidogrel**, dipyridamole**, prasugrel*, ticlopidine**

Preparations for the treatment of hypothyroidism and with a remote thyroid gland - levothyroxine **, liothyronine can change the metabolism of hirudin.

The second group of substances - drugs, vitamins and nutritional supplements

Group 2 drugs are not so dangerous, but can also cause bleeding. Taking these drugs can be called a "relative contraindication to treatment with leeches." In any case, the dose of leeches should be kept to a minimum if you decide that the indication for treatment with leeches is greater than their safety in combination with these drugs. Often these drugs are taken by those patients who turn to hirudotherapy for inflammation or pain.

Non-narcotic analgesics

Aceclofenac*, Acemeticin, Aspirin**, Indomethacin**, Diclofenac**, Celecoxib**, Etoricoxib**, Flurbiprofen*, Ibuprofen**, Fenoprofen, Feverfeu*, Ketoprofen*, Ketorolac*, Lornoxicam**, Mefenamic Acid* *, meloxicam**, naproxen**, oxaprozin, piroxicam**, salicylates**, sulfasalazine, sulindac, tolfenamic acid*, diflunisal, etodolac

You have to be very careful with food additives, especially those that are directly or indirectly intended for the treatment of thrombosis:

*, *, horse chestnut**, ginkgo biloba**, angelica*, sweet clover*, burdock argimony*, alfalfa* alfalfa*, ginseng*, garlic grass, chitosan*, cordyceps*, sage root*, devil's claw, fish oil* , garlic**, glucagon, green tea**, omega 3 fatty acids**, reishi immortality mushroom, vitamin E**, chlorella algae potentiate the anticoagulant properties of hirudin;
alcohol - alcohol increases the risk of bleeding, the mechanism is unknown, but I think it is associated with chronic liver damage

Other drugs (from different pharmacological groups) can also potentiate the anticoagulant properties of leeches hirudin: ticagretol, curantil, vorapaksar, alteplase, rifabutin, azfitsel, citalopram, triclofos, vortioxetine, etotoin, propafenone.

Chronic use of corticosteroids, azatirprine, methotrexate leads to a decrease in immunity and is possible risk of infectious complications. Deferasirox increases the risk of peptic ulcers. The list is far from complete..

Hirudin of a medical leech is a direct anticoagulant, a medicine of natural origin. And, like all medicines, hirudin interacts with other medicines. The moment has come when hirudotherapy, more than ever, requires medical education, because, without a good knowledge of pharmacology, it is very easy to harm the patient. And as you know, ignorance of the rules is no excuse. Unfortunately, patients themselves do not understand this and sometimes very unpleasant situations happen.

So, summing up, we can say: the indications for treatment with leeches are the same as before, but the circle of patients suitable for hirudotherapy has changed dramatically.