Leech Therapy

Leech Therapy
Hirudo Medicinalis and Hirudo Verbana species of leeches that have therapeutic properties in diseases are called ‘Medical Leeches’.

The medicinal effects of leech can be divided into 3 main items:

Phlebotomy (intervention to a vein to destroy the clot in it)
Reflex Alert
Bioactive Secretion Content

Leeches give the body the secretion they produce while sucking blood. This secretion contains about 100 bioactive substances as far as it can be isolated so far. While some of these substances prevent blood clotting, some of them melt the formed clots, some of them exhibit pain-relieving properties, and some of them balance blood pressure. In addition, antidepressant, antibacterial and antioxidant efficacy of leech therapy has been demonstrated by studies.

All of the medicinal effects of leech can be listed as follows:

Antibacterial
Anti-inflammatory in rheumatism
Antihypertensive (anti-high blood pressure)
Antidepressant
Myorelaxane (muscle relaxer)
Antioxidant
Neurotrophic (nerve cell regenerator)

In Which Conditions Leech Therapy Is Not Applied? The main points that should be considered in leech therapy application are the patient’s lack of anemia (anemia) problem, not using a blood thinning medication, no coagulation disease and no active bleeding focus in his body. In addition, leech therapy is not applied in pregnant women and nursing mothers, those with uncontrolled diabetes or heart failure.

Bleeding Diathesis (Like Hemophilia)
The presence of an active bleeding focus
Serious Anemia (Hb <10)
Before Surgical Intervention
Blood Thinning Drug Use
Leech therapy is not applied during pregnancy and lactation.

Leeches can be applied to which parts of the body?

Leech therapy can be applied to all parts of the body except the following areas; It is very inconvenient to apply leeches to the following areas.

Soft Skin Areas (such as around the eyelid)
Keratinized Regions (such as palms and soles)
Over the Important Vessels (such as the neck, under the chin, armpit, groin) leech can be applied to any area “outside”.