Pros and Cons of Leech Therapy

What is Leech Therapy?

What is medical leech therapy (MLT)?:

Leech therapy(hirudotherapy), in addition to being used effectively in many diseases thanks to the enzyme secreted by the leech, can also be applied to every healthy person in order to protect health.

Leeches have many benefits during treatment, thanks to the active substances contained in the enzymes they secrete. When leeches adhere to human skin or mucous membranes, they secrete a blood-thinning substance called hirudin from their salivary glands. The secretion of leeches called hirudin reduces clotting factors in humans and causes bleeding. Additionally, leeches contain a histamine-like substance in their saliva, which allows the capillaries in humans to open. At the same time, leeches secrete an anesthetic substance to reduce pain where they bite.

The therapeutic feature is not in the leech’s ability to absorb blood, but in the secretion it gives to the body. This secretion contains more than 100 bioactive substances. The substances of this epidemic are inhibitors of blood clotting (antiplatelet), dissolvers of formed clots (fibrinolytic), pain reliever (analgesic-antirheumatic), germicide (antibacterial), blood pressure stabilizer (antihypertensive), muscle relaxant (myorelaxant), immune system regulator (immune modulator). It has stress relieving (anxiolytic) effects. These substances are also enzymes that accelerate the repair of nerve cells and fibers.

History of Leech Therapy

For centuries, leeches have become a focus of medical attention due to the diseases they cause, as well as being used in the treatment of many diseases by humans. First in B.C. It has been observed that Laodicea, the student of Asclepiodcs, the founder of the methodical system in the 50th century and known as the rival of Hippocrates, included opinions about the use of leeches in medicine in her records. Later, it is said that leeches were used in the treatment of many diseases in China in the 10th century. Leeches, which first came into medical use in Europe in the 15th century, became so popular in the 19th century that 41 million leeches were imported to France in 1833 to be used in the treatment of various diseases. In a short time, this became a branch of industry and large leech farms were established in Europe. During these periods, it was argued that leeches were effective in removing excess blood or poisonous blood from the body in many diseases, from a simple cold to cancers, from non-healing ulcers to heart failure.

As a result; the answer of the “How old is leech therapy?” is about 3500 years.

What Is Leech Therapy Good For?

Here are the benefits of leech therapy?

It accelerates blood flow by diluting the blood.
It is effective in problems such as blood clotting and vascular occlusion.
With the formation of new blood, oxygenation in the tissues increases.
With the excretion of toxins and heavy metals, a detox effect occurs and relief is provided.
It relieves pain complaints and relaxes muscles.
It is beneficial for heart health and circulation.
It beautifies the skin with its anti-aging effect and adds shine and freshness.
It provides fitness by increasing body resistance.
It restores the body’s internal balance, called homeostasis.
It is good for stress, depression and anxiety disorders with its antidepressant effect.
It has positive effects on the digestive system and liver.
It balances blood pressure by regulating blood pressure.
Thanks to its neurotrophic effect, it is used in the repair of nerve cells.

What is leech therapy used for?

In many circulatory system diseases with artery, vein and capillary occlusions,

In inflammatory and non-inflammatory joint rheumatism,
In types of epilepsy
In soft tissue rheumatism
Paralysis, partial paralysis
In skin diseases such as psoriasis and eczema
Hemorrhoids
Eye pressure (glaucoma)
Migraine and all kinds of headaches
Burn cases, non-healing wounds and surgery scars, gangrene and some hearing disorders
It is widely used all over the world within the scope of orthopedics and plastyl-reconstructive surgery.

Use Of Leech In Medicine

Today, H.medidnalis, called the medical leech, is used in modern medicine, especially in plastic surgery, vascular surgery and varicose vein treatment. The purpose of use is the ability of leeches to solve the disorders caused by the accumulation of venous blood. Leeches prevent blood accumulation in the veins without disrupting the arterial circulation. After the area where there is a risk of dirty blood accumulation during application is cleaned with antiseptics. The leech is attached to the skin with a sweet solution such as 5% glucose solution. After it is held on, it is expected that it will stop feeding and fall on its own. The leech sucks 20-60 cc of blood in 10-20 minutes, removes the water and NaCl from the blood, and increases to 2-6 times its normal weight with the concentrated blood. If the bleeding continues for 1-2 hours after the leech falls, it will continue to have a positive effect on removing dirty blood. Applying leeches to areas where blood accumulates for 5 days results in a decrease of approximately 1-2 grams in hemoglobin.

Diseases Caused by Leeches

In addition to all these well-intentioned uses, diseases caused by leeches may also occur. This disease is called HIRUDINIASIS. Hirudiniasis is of 2 types:

1. Apart from the use of leeches for therapeutic purposes, the diseases in this group occur as a result of freshwater and soil leeches biting people. The most dangerous of these is the disease caused by soil leeches. . In tropical forests, soil leeches live in moist soil, plants and shrubs. They especially cling to the legs of people and animals walking on lands poisoned by leeches. After clinging, they settle in a suitable place to suck blood and start feeding. They can easily pass through tightly laced shoes, through the fabric of clothing or socks. Many leeches can be attached to a person at the same time. The bite area is painless. The person is usually unaware of the presence of the parasite until he feels the blood leaking from the leech’s fall. Bleeding may last for hours due to the anticoagulant called hirudin, a blood thinner and vasodilator substance secreted by the leech. A characteristic Y-shaped mark is formed in the bite area, in accordance with the triple jaw of the leech. In addition to bleeding, swelling, redness, itching, urticaria, blisters and necrosis may develop in this area. After the leech is removed, the scar heals easily without leaving a scar. However, if you try to remove the leech from the skin area where it is attached by pulling and forcing, its mouth parts may remain there, causing a foreign body reaction and delayed wound healing, and secondary infections caused by fungi or bacteria may occur in wounds with delayed healing.

2. Hirudiniasis caused by leeches in internal organs: It is a parasitic disease caused by leeches in internal organs. It develops as a result of people drinking or bathing in spring waters. The gastrointestinal and genitourinary systems are affected by walking or bathing in infected water. Although many freshwater leeches have been identified as the causative agent of this disease, Lnilotica and D.ferox are the most important ones.
Young freshwater leeches enter through the mouth or nostrils while drinking water and attach to mucous membranes such as the mouth, esophagus and uvula. It can reach the trachea and bronchi by deep breathing or by moving. At the point where they hold on, leeches begin to suck blood and continue this until their bodies reach 2-6 times their normal size. Although pain does not normally occur during the blood sucking process, they may experience pain, foreign body sensation and bleeding due to the physical obstruction and dysfunction they create in the area where they are located. When they attach to the cavities in the nose, they can cause headaches, flu-like complaints, shortness of breath and nosebleeds. They can attach to the esophagus, trachea, or vocal cords and cause bleeding from the mouth, hoarseness, complete loss of voice, chest pain, and suffocation resulting in death. However, when swallowed, they are digested in the stomach.
If a woman swims or walks in infected deep water, leeches can lodge in the vagina. In addition, with a similar mechanism, it can settle in the urinary tract and bladder in men and cause bloody urine.

Leech Bite Treatment / How to treat leech bite?

Leeches usually fall off on their own after feeding. If the leech has fallen off on its own, antiseptics and antibiotics can be used to prevent secondary infection. A burning cigarette, a few drops of mineral oil, alcohol, 10% tartaric acid, salt water, vinegar and insecticide can be used to ensure that leeches are separated from where they are attached. Leeches should not be attempted to be removed by pulling them from their location. This may result in the mouth part of the leech remaining in the area, causing a foreign body reaction and a delay in healing. After the leech leaves the skin area, it may be necessary to apply tampons or alum to stop bleeding.
To remove leeches settled in the nasal cavity or upper respiratory tract, local anesthetic is applied to the leech and the area to which it is attached, and then it is pulled out with forceps. Posterior pharynx, larynx. The best way to remove leeches settled in the trachea or bronchi is to remove the leech with forceps using an endoscopic device, under local or general anesthesia, after placing the patient in the Trendelenburg position.
Leeches settled in the oral mucosa or esophagus can be removed by gargling with salt water or by boiling 5 ml of chloroform and 15 ml of turpentine solution and inhaling the steam by the patient and allowing the leech to leave the mucosa. Thus, the leech is separated from its attachment point, swallowed, digested and excreted through defecation.

How long does Leech therapy take?

Hirudotherapy is completed in approximately 20-45 minutes.

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