Saturday, September 27, 2008

HIRUDOTHERAPY - The leech therapy

Is by its blood-diluting and container-extending effect the leech ideal Therapist for blood circulation disturbances. With multiplicity of diseases there is a connection with an unsatisfactory blood circulation. Clearly on the hand all diseases lie with our container system are connected like:
- Thrombose
- Cramp veins
- Haemorrhoiden
- Vardiac infarct
- Impact accumulations
- Calcifying the containers
- Tinnitus

At the same time it could be stated that the leech therapy can cause an improvement also with pain. Positive effects could be determined with:
- Rheumatism
- Arthrose
- Volume disk problems
- Pulling
- Bruises
- Muscular pains
- Muscle injuries

The preparation of the patient

The patient should not use showering gel, lotions, etc. on those skin portions, on which the leech are to be touched down. A cleaning of the skin before the treatment is possible with water, curd soap or alcohol. The alcohol as well as curd soap must be washed off before the beginning of the treatment. For the treatment the skin of the patient must be warm. Therefore use warm water.
How many leeches do I need for a therapy

The necessary number of leeches depends by the following factors: Age and weight of the patient, the kind of disease and the size of the leeches available. When chronic illnesses one sets fewer animals for it the therapy however in shorter time intervals is on repeated. With acute diseases one uses more leech and has a longer period up to the next treatment. For a normal adult with standard weight and no further medical treatment and in a healthy condition 10 leeches may be used for a therapy.

The leech therapy

The leech sucks approximately 30 minutes. One should let the animals in peace suck and under no circumstances when sucking disturb. Likewise should not be under any circumstances smoked in the environment. Sucking should not be artificially interrupted. At the end of sucking the leech drops off alone. Sometimes it happens that the leeches after sucking are so tired and slow acting, that they remain hanging on the patient. Into such a case it helps to drive with a putty under the front suction cup and take so the leech off. Please make sure that the leech will not be crimped, in order to avoid an infection. For this reason also no salt may be used for removing the leechs.

Subsequent treatment

The blood letting after the suction should not be prevented; it is increases the effectiveness of the therapy and has a cleaning effect. In addition thereby the wound is cleaned from the germs. The blood letting usually lasts up to 12 hours. During the day the treatment the patient should avoid physical efforts. The wounds should be controlled in the next days up to healing.

Medicinal leech - Hirudo medicinalis

Scientific interest in leeches date back to ancient India. However, the first Western citation is credited to the Greek, Nicander of Colophon (c 130 BC). These early references were accounts of the use of leeches for bloodletting. This therapeutic use of leeches, the medicinal leech in particular, reached a height between 1825 and 1840. A more contemporary use of leeches was dicovered in 1957 by Markwardt. The leech secretion hirudin was isolated and subsequently its anticoagulant properties with respect to the elucidation of blood clotting mechanisms were examined.

Today medicinal leeches are used as tools in tissue grafts and reattachment surgery. Not only do they secrete anitcoagulants to prevent blood clots and relieve pressure due to pooling blood. It appears that leech saliva has other therapeutic properties. Leech saliva helps reestablish blood flow to reattached body parts by means of a vasodilator, provides a numbing anesthetic, and lessens the risk of infection due to an antibiotic.

Although leech feeding may be the first behavior one associates with medicinal leeches, neurotologists have examined this species with particular interest in interneuronal oscillators. The advantage of this preparation stem from the simplicity of its central nervous system (CNS).

Leech therapy with eye diseases

In the literature numerous referring to the successful employment of the leech therapy are with the most different eye diseases.

Haematoma

Leeches are an excellent means to resorb Haematoma within the eye range. This characteristic also the boxer in the United States have themselves too use made around the so-called "blue eye" or also violet mentioned to heal. By the employment trauma tables swelling already mostly disappear to the leech therapy after few days.

Glaucoma

The acute accumulation with Glaucoma responds well to a leech therapy. The headache and the eye pain mostly omit after setting the leech relatively rapidly and the internal pressure of the eyes come again on a normal level. A eye-medicinal treatment however cannot be replaced by the leech therapy.

Inflammations of the eyes

The following inflammations of the eyes are mentioned in the literature, with which the leech therapy may be helpful:
- Chorioiditis
- Chorioretinitis
- Iridochorioiditis
- Iridozyklitis
- Keratoiritis
- Retrobulbaerneuritis
- Skleritis

http://www.cliniccolonic.com/en/hirudo.htm

3 comments:

medi agro said...

hi, i do read a lot of leech theraphy in malaysia, anybody certify this practice in malaysia? Any government body actually certify the practice. is it safe? any side effects?

armouris said...

other info on hirudotherapy here - Cupping and Hirudotherapy

Sevene said...

Hi medi agro ,

Leech therapy is under supervision of complementary practice under Ministry of Health.

I recommend you leech therapy service offered by Leech Miracle in Pantai Dalam, Kuala Lumpur, they practiced clinical procedure and hygienic leech. You may visit their website at www.leechmiracle.com