Treatment of hematoma with leeches. How to get rid of traces of leech bites Bruises after leeches what does it mean

Dear patients, hirudotherapy services are temporarily not provided at the clinic.

I would especially like to dwell on the side effects of hirudotherapy. This issue is poorly covered in available sources of information, and this gives rise to a lot of gossip, myths and fears. Side effects and complications are not the same thing. Side effects are considered acceptable and do not pose any danger to the health of patients. With complications the opposite is true. So, there are six side effects. These are: pain with a bite, post-leech bleeding, scars at the site of bites, a prefix reaction, a decrease in blood hemoglobin and a decrease in blood pressure. Let's look at each effect in detail.

Pain when bitten

Many patients say that in their lives they were attacked by leeches while swimming in natural bodies of water, and then they did not feel pain. But when the procedure for placing leeches takes place, this happens very rarely. Pain is almost always felt, varying in intensity depending on the individual pain threshold. It only hurts in the first minute, when the leech cuts the skin. When blood begins to flow out of the capillaries, the leech relaxes and the pain goes away. Thicker or blood-poor skin requires more leech work, so the severity of the sensations is stronger. They can be described as the pain from a mosquito bite, or, with greater intensity, like the pain from a needle being pricked slowly around an axis. As practice shows, women are less sensitive to the pain of leeches than men. Why do leeches bite painlessly in nature, but during procedures they don’t try to numb their bite? The answer, obviously, lies in the peculiarities of their origin. A leech living in a river or lake is forced to feed very quickly and, if possible, unnoticed - its life depends on it. So she numbs her bite. And the leech, grown under artificial conditions, in a biofactory, was forced to feed from birth until it was full, without running the risk of being eaten or crushed. Why does she need to secrete painkillers? Even leeches don’t like to do extra work. Therefore, all patients of the hirudotherapist during the session feel some pain, however, very tolerable.

Scars at the site of bites

After the wound stops bleeding, a dry clot remains at the site of the bite and a bruise around it about 1-2 cm in diameter. The bruise disappears after a few days, the blood clot disappears, leaving in its place a small hole, which quickly turns into a red and then a whitish scar of about 2-3 mm. In order for the bite mark to become completely invisible on the skin, at least two months must pass, usually up to a year, depending on the individual characteristics. To minimize the cosmetic defect, you can begin special treatment a week after the bite. Typically, the hirudotherapist warns the patient in advance about possible consequences and, if necessary, avoids placing leeches on unwanted areas.

Post-leech bleeding

Everyone is very interested in the answer to the question: how much blood is lost during the procedure. This issue is especially acute if blood comes out in large quantities. Quite large dressings become soaked through (for example, an adult diaper when treating hemorrhoids), they have to be changed several times, and this cannot be ignored. When saturated, the leech drinks, according to its original size, from 3-4 to 7-10 milliliters of blood. Since the leech cuts the skin to a depth of 1 - 1.5 mm, capillary bleeding occurs, and not pure blood comes out, but a mixture of capillary blood with intercellular fluid and lymph. Additionally, in the period from 3 hours to 24 hours (depending on individual characteristics), the human body loses blood into the external environment during post-leech bleeding in a volume of 10 to 30 milliliters. If not one leech, but several, is used, then calculating the volume of blood loss by ordinary arithmetic addition will be incorrect, since leeches working in a group secrete less enzymes in total than leeches working separately. As soon as the fluidity of the blood and the tone of the blood vessels reaches the state necessary for the leech, it stops secreting additional saliva and simply draws blood onto itself. It is easier for a group of leeches to do this job than for individuals. Thus, an overdose does not occur, and blood loss is reduced. On average, after a hirudotherapy procedure, a person loses about 50 - 70 milliliters of blood. Since this process lasts many hours, the body has enough time to use reserves and compensate for losses, and other than autonomic vascular reactions, visible changes are usually not observed.

Prefix reaction

The most unpleasant side effect of leech treatment is considered to be a prefix reaction. Its cause is considered to be activation of the immune system, accompanied by the release of inflammatory mediators from mast cell granules into the tissue. The reaction manifests itself as redness, swelling and itching of the skin at the site of leech bites. Most often, complaints continue to bother you especially intensely during the first two days. They then go away spontaneously, even if no treatment was given. Depending on the individual sensitivity of the skin and the activity of the immune system, this reaction can look different: from complete unresponsiveness to pronounced swelling of the skin (up to 5-10 cm in diameter) and itching. Usually the prefix reaction is confused with an allergy and this is where treatment with leeches ends. However, everything is not so simple and scary. We've all been bitten by mosquitoes at some point. Their bites cause itching, swelling and redness of the skin. After some time, the symptoms disappear. They manifest themselves differently in different people. Some people don't react at all. Others suffer from itching for a week, scratching the bites until they bleed. In such cases, marks remain on the skin. And if a midge bites, then such life experience is retained in memory for years, especially if the skin of the face is damaged. Swelling and unbearable itching cause discomfort for several days. And these phenomena are not considered allergies. Why? Because these insects bite us all our lives, and other than minor scratching, there are usually no troubles. In a true allergic reaction, each new entry of an antigen into the human body causes the formation of more and more antibodies, which leads to an increased immune response in response to each subsequent exposure. Therefore, allergies tend to progress and the severity of its symptoms usually requires emergency hospitalization. With mosquitoes, midges and leeches the picture is completely different.

The prefix reaction does not occur in all people. Older and overweight people are more likely to suffer. In children, the reaction is minimal or absent. It does not occur on the mucous membranes at all, which is an additional difference between a prefix reaction and a true allergy. Usually, after the first application of leeches in life, at least 5 to 7 days must pass before the reaction develops. Once an immune response to leech aggression is formed, the body’s memory of this factor remains for life, and placing one leech even after ten years will lead to itchy skin the very next day. An interesting fact, but if, despite the swelling and itching, you continue the course of applying leeches, the prefix reaction eventually loses its severity and disappears completely. And after a pause in treatment for a period of 3-4 weeks, it returns. So, every patient who is going to undergo treatment with leeches should be prepared for the fact that he may have to endure some discomfort associated with severe itching and redness of the skin at the bite sites. It is important to realize that these are not symptoms of a purulent infection or an allergy, and the experience of the first three days of treatment will prove the correctness of this statement.

Decreased blood hemoglobin and decreased blood pressure

Treatment with hirudotherapy for diseases such as hemorrhoids, thrombophlebitis, hidradenitis, and some others is usually accompanied by heavy bleeding and loss of a certain amount of iron by the body, which is reflected in laboratory blood tests by a decrease in hemoglobin levels and the number of red blood cells. Since this condition does not develop as a result of a chronic wasting disease, but as a result of post-leech bleeding, with adequate nutrition the body quickly recovers. As a result of the leech’s intervention in the processes of internal regulation of vascular tone, as well as a psycho-emotional reaction to an unusual procedure and the type of blood, some patients, often young women, may experience a reflexive decrease in blood pressure, which is manifested by darkening of the eyes and dizziness. These symptoms go away on their own within a few minutes and do not pose a health hazard.

In the vast majority of cases, negative aspects during treatment with leeches arise in the absence of explanatory work among hirudotherapists among their patients, which leads to their inadequate reaction to the safe side effects of therapy. Bleeding is usually assessed as a consequence of trauma to a large vessel, and, accordingly, requiring urgent surgical intervention. A prefix reaction can be regarded as an infectious purulent process of the subcutaneous tissue or an allergy to a leech bite.

Hirudotherapists claim that the best help for injuries and bruises is leeches. And as soon as possible. I checked this on myself.
. Caught on the high threshold of an incorrectly installed elevator, I fell, breaking my knee and face. Loss of two front teeth. It was so bad that the lady I went to visit during Holy Week called an ambulance.

While the ambulance was driving, I was already holding a bag of frozen crab sticks near my face. No, crab sticks are not at all a hit of traditional medicine. It’s just that swelling on the face appeared immediately, and it was necessary to apply cold. But the knee remained unattended. At the hospital, the doctor did not examine me; he sent me for an X-ray of my head and neck. This surprised me greatly. She refused a head x-ray. Upon returning to the emergency department, I noticed that walking had become very difficult. Having pulled up my trouser leg, I was horrified by the huge swelling of my knee. I got it while walking up the stairs to the next building to see the ophthalmologist and radiologist. I was not offered cold and this is the result - a plaster splint from the gluteal fold to the heel to immobilize the joint and intimidate the operation.

There were leeches at home. Having checked on the Internet when they could be placed: immediately or after 3 days, having seen a photo of a broken knee and an excellent outcome after hirudotherapy, I no longer doubted that I would be treated with leeches. But I only had 8 of them. I made an attachment at night and in the morning the tumor decreased by half. But treatment must be continued every day for 3 days.

The first prefix of leeches. There were seven of them. They immediately grabbed the bruise where the blood was pouring out. The tumor began to melt right before our eyes.

The second day could have made me happy if it weren’t for the monstrous “hickeys.” However, my knee didn’t hurt so much. I bought new leeches and continued. They all sat on the edges of the tumor. And leeches know exactly where they shouldn’t nibble.

In the morning I felt slightly dizzy. After the leeches I applied ice because the knee was hot. At night I did not cover my leg with a blanket. The plaster additionally warmed the leg and the bruise went down.

The third day gave excellent results. Only the top of my knee is still sticking out, but I think I can handle that too tomorrow.

Undesirable consequences after hirudotherapy Serious complications caused by hirudotherapy are rare. If contraindications are taken into account and the method is applied correctly, undesirable consequences, in principle, can be minimized. Frequently occurring undesirable consequences, such as pain during treatment or short-term itching, must be brought to the patient’s attention before starting therapy. Before each procedure, the patient must provide written consent to this treatment, and significant adverse effects must be specified. To accurately establish individual undesirable effects of hirudotherapy, there is only partial information from systematic studies. We took into account and collected the results of previous studies on the effectiveness of the method, published or known (to the authors) descriptions of cases, as well as reports on the work carried out contained in monographs. In addition, the Essen-Mine Clinic analyzed and documented the undesirable effects of hirudotherapy, identified in more than 1000 cases, mainly in the treatment of degenerative joint diseases. Local pain during treatment Local pain is assessed differently by patients. As a rule, patients complain of a nagging local pain that occurs immediately after the bite and lasts from 1 to 5 minutes. With an increase in the volume of saliva entering the tissue, the anesthetic effect of the saliva ingredients begins to take effect. Patients most often report the intensity of pain from a bite and o pain at the first stage of blood sucking by a leech as o mild or such that it can be neglected. But in some cases (which depends on the patient’s individual sensitivity to pain), the pain is perceived more strongly and is compared to a wasp sting. The pain perception scale begins in the “barely perceptible” range, then progresses to minor pain (comparable, for example, to a nettle sting), and finally, which is rare, ends in the range of pain reminiscent of a wasp sting. There is often a mild, sometimes more severe, rhythmically drawing pain over the next 1-3 minutes. Whether objectively strong irritation is perceived as pain or perhaps not perceived at all depends, of course, on the patient, his attention to therapy or his attitude towards leeches. In addition, the size of the dental plates (jaws), the force of the bite, the intensity of blood suction and the composition of the leech’s saliva play a certain role. People often feel nothing at all when - for example, under water - they are stung, because at that time their attention is drawn to something else. The more fearfully the patient observes what is happening during therapy, the more clearly he perceives pain. The therapist must take these facts into account when preparing and treating the patient. Sometimes the patient can be distracted. It can also be useful to “introduce” the patient to “your” leech, then in the process of manipulating the therapist with the leech, the patient will lose all his fear. Even if the therapist is wearing latex gloves for hygienic reasons, he should under no circumstances handle leeches with tweezers. The feeling of disgust often disappears if the patient can observe the “elegant” swimming style and the beautifully colorful pattern on the back of the leeches. It is also reported that the patient’s attitude towards leeches after successful treatment changes to a positive one, since the fears caused by leeches in the patient most likely correspond to archaic fears than to objective conditions. It is not recommended to kill the leech in front of the patient after treatment is completed. If leeches still need to be destroyed, they should be frozen and after a few days placed in 90 percent alcohol. Local itching Temporary itching at the sites of leech bites often occurs in the first days after treatment and should not be considered an allergy. In a study of the effectiveness of hirudotherapy for gonarthrosis, approximately 70% of patients treated with leeches reported the occurrence of local itching, which, on average, lasted more than 2 days. With the same frequency and to a more pronounced degree, many patients experience itching after treatment of peripheral joints, for example, with rhizarthrosis. Conversely, based on experimental data, less itching is felt when treating large joints and areas in the spine. Before treatment, it is necessary to draw the patient's attention to this undesirable consequence. After the first closure of the wound, you should especially avoid scratching it, as this often delays healing. As a primary measure after treatment, local cooling (curd compresses, wet-cold compresses, vinegar compresses) is recommended. In case of severe itching, for example, Fenistil ointment is applied to the affected areas and antihistamines are prescribed internally. Some therapists additionally prescribe oral antihistamines to patients if it is known in advance that after hirudotherapy they usually experience a severe reaction in the form of itching and redness. There are medical reports containing patient reports of the recurrence of moderate itching after completing uncomplicated treatment after a few months for a short time, for example, during external heat (in a sauna, etc.). d.). Hypotension and vasovagal reactions As with other invasive treatments, vasovagal reactions, including carotid syncope, may occur in patients predisposed to fainting at the beginning or during hirudotherapy. When reviewing 1000 descriptions of leech treatment in our clinic, only one documented case of a vasovagal reaction was found. Before performing hirudotherapy, it is always necessary to ask the patient whether he has had vasovagal reactions and fainting in the past, for example, after drawing blood or during acupuncture. Drinking sufficient fluids before and during treatment, performing the procedure only in a supine position, and a calming atmosphere can effectively counteract vasovagal reactions. Two outpatient cases were also reported that were accompanied by symptomatic hypotension and vasodepressive syncope after hirudotherapy. Both patients were known to suffer from hypertension and were treated with triple doses of antihypertensive drugs as usual. A few hours after hirudotherapy, both patients experienced mild short-term fainting. It is important to remember that leech treatment has a known antihypertensive effect, especially if patients are taking antihypertensive medications. Patients should take plenty of fluids. In case of severe profuse bleeding from a wound caused by a leech, blood pressure should be monitored and, if necessary, the intake of antihypertensive drugs should be adjusted for some time. Blood loss Hirudotherapy is always associated with relative blood loss, which, as a rule, in most cases is clinically insignificant. In a study report by Michalsen et al, the mean decrease in hemoglobin was noted to be 0.7 mg/dL, and no patients experienced clinically significant blood loss. However, isolated cases of severe profuse bleeding with a subsequent decrease in the hemoglobin content in the blood picture have been reported, primarily when leeches were accidentally applied directly to the superficial veins. The documentation from the Essen clinic describes cases in which y 2 patients experienced a clinically significant decrease in hemoglobin (> 3 Mn/dl.). In one of these cases (treatment of gonarthrosis with 6 leeches), a blood transfusion was subsequently required. When interviewing one of the patients, it was determined that in the past she had experienced what she believed to be prolonged bleeding. In another case, it was necessary to stop profuse bleeding that lasted more than 36 hours by applying a skin suture. However, a complex diagnosis of blood clotting was then carried out and showed the absence of any special coagulation disorders. Therefore, it is very important before starting hirudotherapy to specifically ask the patient about whether he has a predisposition to bleeding. But, first of all, it is necessary to check whether the patient is taking medications with an anticoagulant effect. In situations where patients frequently take medications with low aspirin content (“heart aspirin”), as well as other new platelet aggregation inhibitors (clopidogrel, iscover, plavix) and high-dose fish oils (omacor), a small number of doses should be given at the initial stage of treatment leeches (3 to 4). Before carrying out hirudotherapy, it is necessary, in any case, to draw up a hemogram. You should not place more than 12 leeches on one affected area to avoid significant blood loss. Disturbances in wound healing. Superinfection and allergies After completion of hirudotherapy, the edges of the triradiate wound swell, usually within 12-48 hours, which is accompanied by a local feeling of tension, a feeling of overheating and redness. Bruises form around the bite sites in a small radius. In rare cases, severe bruising occurs. As with a superficial hematoma, the red-purple spots turn yellowish after a few days and eventually disappear after about 2 weeks. Densely localized inflammations with nodular bulges at the sites of bites occur relatively often and are often accompanied by itching (see above), but under conditions of cooling and rest they heal quickly. I The cause of these healing disturbances is not clear. Their potential cause may be improper treatment of the wound, premature stopping of profuse bleeding, crushing the head area of the leech with tweezers, forcible removal of the leech until it is completely saturated with blood, keeping leeches in stale water. However, such undesirable consequences are reported in isolated cases and with impeccably correct treatment. Perhaps the cause of the disorders may be local infections caused by the leech symbiont bacterium Aeromonas hydrophila. However, so far in none of the cases has the presence of Aeromonas hydrophila in the secretions of a wound on the patient’s skin been confirmed by microbiological methods. The most common cause of severe local inflammation is secondary contamination or irritation of the wound caused by scratching and rubbing. Therefore, mechanical protection of the wound should be provided and the patient should be informed in detail about this. Some cases of severe local inflammation are reported in clinic reports. We are talking about three cases. In one of the cases, erysipelas is described, in the other two - moderately severe lymphangitis. In all three cases, rapid healing occurred after the use of antibiotics (cephalosporins) and/or gyrase inhibitors. In order to minimize local inflammation, it is necessary to strictly take into account contraindications and instructions for their identification. The therapist should know that in doubtful cases, with progressive painful redness, especially with an increase in temperature, it is necessary to use antibiotics. In rare cases, a nodular rash that persists after a leech bite should be classified as pseudolymphoma caused by a reaction to a leech bite. Currently, there is no information on the frequency of manifestation of this undesirable consequence of hirudotherapy. The author is aware of a total of three such documented and verified cases. It is difficult to determine the differences between secondary wound healing disorders and allergic reactions. There is no exact information on the frequency of allergic reactions to hirudotherapy. Often local itching cannot be assessed as the occurrence of an allergic reaction. Unambiguous allergic symptoms such as short-term urticaria and distantly moving swelling are reported only in isolated cases. Local symptoms in the form of limited skin hyperemia caused by the reflex effects of hirudotherapy, or urticaria-like skin changes are most often observed in people with unstable psychovegetative disorders. One of the reports from the last century describes short-term anaphylactic shock after applying leeches to the temple area. Some therapists (as experience shows) successfully administer antihistamines, primarily in case of a local allergic reaction. But a good response to antihistamines in itself does not confirm the origin of the allergy, since taking antihistamines should be compared with taking a placebo. In therapeutic works, the issue of a possible increase in allergies to antibiotics as a result of hirudotherapy is also discussed. When interpreting local phenomena caused by leeches, it should be taken into account that the proteases contained in the saliva of leeches can stimulate the release of non-immunological mediators of various types. In addition, psychovegetative factors can enhance the corresponding reactions. In general, there are descriptions of a very small number of cases in which the cause of the allergic reaction is confirmed quite reliably. But allergic reactions, as in any other case of the appearance of a foreign protein, are potentially possible with hirudotherapy. After applying an ointment containing leech saliva, contact dermatitis was also observed. From time to time, after treatment with leeches, short-term reactive swelling of the proximal lymph nodes or pain when palpating these nodes is also reported, especially when wound healing is delayed. The most common location is the groin area when treating knee and hip joints, as well as varicose veins. All reports report rapid, uneventful tumor resolution in these lymph nodes. One report on surgical indications reported follicular pseudolymphoma occurring after hirudotherapy. Sepsis Systemic infections with sepsis through Aeromonas hydrophila, a symbiont bacterium of the medicinal leech, after hirudotherapy have been repeatedly reported in the context of the use of hirudotherapy in reconstructive surgery. So far, cases of sepsis infection in other areas of use of leeches are not known. It therefore seems reasonable to conclude that the risk of contracting sepsis through Aeromonas hydrophila only exists in cases of severe underlying disease or immune suppression, as is often the case in surgical patients. Accordingly, for hirudotherapy in the area of surgical indications, it is recommended to use accompanying antibiotic therapy. For other indications, according to the current state of knowledge, primary antibiotic therapy is not required, but the following rules must be strictly observed in case of contraindications for hirudotherapy. Antibiotic therapy during hirudotherapy Accompanying treatment with antibiotics (started at least six hours before therapy) is recommended during hirudotherapy for all surgical patients. For all other indications, according to current experience, there is no need for accompanying antibiotic therapy. Patients with complex comorbidities may receive antibiotics for three days (the best choice is gyrase inhibitors such as ciproflaxacin or cyprobe). Gyrase inhibitors are also indicated in the treatment of severe cases of inflammation that clearly extend beyond the normal tissue reaction, or in cases of prolonged manifestation of phlegmonous inflammation or lymphangitis.

Hirudotherapy is widely used in many branches of medicine. With its help, doctors enhance the effect of drug treatment, since leeches contain anti-inflammatory and other healing components. Leeches reduce pain, tighten the body, relieve excessive tension and improve the general condition of the body. After the hirudotherapy procedure, the used leeches are immediately disposed of, so there is no chance of the patient contracting infectious diseases from the previous patient.

Today, experts identify about four hundred types of leeches, but only medicinal leeches are used in the treatment of pathologies.

A hirudotherapy session can be carried out either in a sitting or lying position. A hirudotherapist can use from one to eight leeches at a time, but most often doctors try to maintain the golden mean, using two or three medicinal leeches per procedure. Initially, the leech is placed in a glass test tube, which is then applied to the desired area of the body. Suction usually occurs within five to ten minutes, and during the procedure, three to five milliliters of blood are sucked out of the patient. The patient may feel a slight burning sensation. The procedure lasts about an hour, after which the leech eats up and falls off on its own, or the hirudotherapist removes it with a cotton swab.

Leech marks

Often after hirudotherapy sessions, the patient notices wounds or hematomas on the body that form in areas with loose subcutaneous tissue. Substances in the saliva of leeches kill all microbes in the area, however, if the patient begins to scratch the wounds after the procedure or does not maintain proper hygiene, the risk of infection increases. If leech bites become inflamed or reddened, you should immediately consult a hirudotherapist for advice.

It is advisable not to wet the areas bitten by leeches after the procedure for several days, so that microbes do not get into them with water.

Typically, marks from leech bites heal within ten to fifteen days, while scars from them can resolve over several months. You can speed up this process with the help of healing and absorbable ointments, which the hirudotherapist will recommend. 1% hydrocortisone ointment, Eplan, Solcoseryl, Sinaflan, Bepanten or Boroplus are ideal for this purpose. On the first day, you should not lubricate the traces of leeches with any other means - you can only use lotions with ice or cold water, as well as vinegar or curd compresses.

However, there is no need to endure all the bruises, scars or scars for the rest of your life. You can get rid of them with the help of hirudotherapy. In this case, hirudotherapy will help get rid of these problems without the use of drugs.

In very serious cases, for example, large swelling resulting from accidents or fights, a huge number of hematomas and bruises, an intensive course of hirudotherapy can help. In this case, a significant number of leeches are placed on the sites of bruises and hematomas, which leads to a rapid improvement in health, and not even bruises remain at the site of recent injuries.

Therefore, for bruises and accompanying hematomas, hirudotherapy is probably the most effective and safe means of treatment.

Treatment of hematoma (bruises) with leeches

Prices for treating hematoma with leeches

Treatment of hematoma with hirudotherapy

Hematoma can be treated with leeches. Hirudotherapy has proven itself from the best side. Undoubtedly, the more you delay treatment procedures, the less likely they are to be effective.

The positive effects of leeches are as follows:

Tissues in which a hematoma is observed are regenerated with great success as a result of optimization of blood circulation parameters.
During the first day after the start of the procedure, pain is relieved.
The affected tissue is saturated with leech saliva. The blood thins under the influence of this saliva, which creates an obstacle to the formation of blood clots in the hematoma. All this contributes to the speedy start of the process of resorption of the bruise.

Leech therapy for serious tissue damage

Of course, every person at some point receives a minor injury like a scratch or bruise. This phenomenon is quite common, but it does not bring us much discomfort. The same cannot be said about more severe injuries, such as fractures, burns, and severe bruises. But in this case a solution has been found. Hirudotherapy will help get rid of such unpleasant phenomena as scars and severe bruising. It should be noted that the use of hirudotherapy occurs without taking medications.

In the case of extensive swelling caused by car accidents, falls from great heights, sports injuries, which are accompanied by a huge number of hematomas, the use of hirudotherapy sessions could not be better. In case of extensive damage to the tissue, a larger number of leeches are placed on it, which contributes to a speedy recovery of the person, and not even a trace remains of the bruises.

We can say with confidence that in case of extensive bruises, accompanied by extensive swelling and bruising, the best choice for treatment will be hirudotherapy. It has a high level of effectiveness and is absolutely safe for the patient’s body.

Reviews about the treatment of hematoma with leeches

Numerous positive reviews about the treatment of hematoma with leeches make hirudotherapy a very effective remedy.

How to get rid of bruises - herudotherapy or how to feed a leech

A hematoma, otherwise known as a bruise, is an injury that occurs in each of us. Small bruises “pass by our attention,” but what to do when a bruise appears in a visible place (especially on the face). A person with a visible large hematoma will experience great discomfort. But, fortunately, you can get rid of bruises using folk remedies.

How does a hematoma appear? A blood vessel ruptures and blood accumulates under the skin. To get rid of a bruise, you need to “remove” the blood. There are subserous (superficial) hematomas and subdural hematomas - intramuscular, intracerebral, etc. We will get rid of superficial (subserous) bruises. Signs of subserous hematomas are swelling, pain, fever, change in color of the skin surface from yellow-green to lilac-red. The hematoma usually resolves on its own. Sometimes it can fester, become infected, or form a false cyst. In this case, seek medical help immediately.

How to get rid of bruises yourself. After the blow, immediately apply a cold compress to the damaged area (1-3 hours), you can use a vodka compress. Bruises can only be heated on the second day (for this you need to use heated salt).

With the help of leeches, hematomas resolve almost instantly. 2-3 leeches are placed on the bruised area. We need to give them the opportunity to drink until they fall off on their own. The method can be repeated the next day.

Answering the question posed, you can jokingly answer: “You.” But seriously, the leech that lives with you does not require any feeding. The leech must be hungry to come to your aid. Do not try to feed the leech sugar or honey, as some “experts” advise. The leech feeds only on blood and nothing more. Its mouthparts are adapted exclusively for biting through skin and sucking blood.

By adding sugar, you only harm the leech. Sugar promotes rapid acidification of the water containing the leech. And the water must be clean.

A leech is not an aquarium fish, don’t worry about the questions “what to feed a leech”, “what can you give it that’s delicious” so that it lives long. A leech can live up to six months without food. During this period, you will most likely already be using a leech.

Leech cleansing is the emptying of the gastric pouches of the sucked leech. Purification is used to reuse the leech. You can clean a leech using irritants: salts, acids, etc. The sucked leech is placed in a slightly salted water solution or in a solution with wine (table) vinegar. The irritants act on the leech's skin, and the leech regurgitates the contents of its stomach. Mechanical methods are also used for cleansing, simply squeezing the blood out of the leech with your hands. All of the above methods are used when placing leeches at home!

It is surprising that people who are far from hirudotherapy claim that leeches are reused in hirudotherapy offices.

Why can't even an unscrupulous doctor reuse a leech?

This is not a profitable business, that's why. It's easier to buy leeches than to bother with cleaning them! The survival rate of leeches after cleansing is negligible. Therefore, do not be afraid that they will give you a used leech in your office. Used leech in hirudotherapy rooms is destroyed.

If you wish, you can take “your” leech with you and clean it at home. You can not clean it, but release the leeches into a jar of clean, settled water (2/3 water), cover with a canvas napkin, and secure the napkin with an elastic band so that the leeches do not escape.

By the way, the second option is preferable. Be prepared for the water to turn an unpleasant brown color. You need to change the water very often. At first, 2-3 times a day. The brown color of the water is leech excrement. A well-fed leech often defecates, so constant frequent changes of water are necessary. With the second method of keeping (a well-fed leech), the survival rate is about sixty. That is, out of ten leeches, about six survive. The next time the leech is ready to attach itself no earlier than after 3-6 months. This indicator is very individual. A leech, like any creature, is not a mechanism whose action is programmed. Leeches have different “appetites”. The most active, indiscriminate and efficient (what is required of a leech) is the glutton leech.

The leech stores food in several stomach pouches. Bags of food are consumed gradually, unused food is preserved under the influence of special substances and remains suitable for leech consumption for a long time. This is the kind of adaptive tool that leeches have in order to survive. Provisions are stored in the leech itself, so there is no need to feed the leeches.

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Hirudotherapy - treatment with leeches

What leeches are used for hirudotherapy?

Indications for hirudotherapy

The effect of hirudotherapy on the human body

Leeches placed on the body at the right points have the following types of therapeutic effects on the human body:

Reflexogenic – in this sense, hirudotherapy is similar to acupuncture. Leeches land on biologically active points associated with certain organs and systems, and they do this consciously. And biting the skin and sucking blood has a much more pronounced stimulating effect on the active point than placing needles using the su-jok or zhen-ju method;
Bleeding - one leech sucks out from 5 to 10 ml of blood in one procedure, depending on the duration of the session and the size of the worm, and bleeding from the wound continues for another 6-24 hours after removing the leech, since its injected substances interfere with blood clotting. Thus, congestion is effectively relieved and small vessels compressed by edema and clogged with blood clots are unblocked;
Decongestive – the leech enzyme hyaluronidase opens drainage pathways and promotes active lymph flow in diseased tissues and organs, due to the breakdown of hyaluronic acid and resistance to human heparin. Thus, during the hirudotherapy procedure, the permeability of cell membranes greatly increases and the deepest drainage effect is achieved;
Anticoagulant - another important leech enzyme, hirudin, normalizes blood clotting, resists the formation of blood clots, provides an anti-ischemic effect and promotes cell saturation with oxygen. But it is cellular hypoxia that is the main cause of all non-inflammatory pathologies, including oncology;
Immunostimulating - local effect is achieved due to bacteria living in the digestive tract of leeches, which penetrates the wound and causes an immune response in a person. The number of lymphocytes increases, macrophages are activated and the body’s defenses are strengthened;
Hypotensive - active lymph flow, elimination of edema, release of blocked vessels and capillaries, combined with an actual decrease in the amount of blood as a result of suction, leads to a natural decrease in blood pressure;
Anti-inflammatory - leeches not only help immune cells cope with microbes and bacteria, promoting the synthesis of interleukins and removing histohematic barriers, but also release substances into the blood that are similar in their action to antibiotics and destroy pathogens right at the site of the leech;
Painkiller - the leech injects substances into the wound that act as a local analgesic, and also increase the level of endorphin and reduce the level of bradykinin. Thus, hirudotherapy can help cope with muscle, joint and headaches;
Anti-sclerotic - substances secreted by the leech accelerate the breakdown of fats, normalize the lipid balance of the blood and help reduce the level of LDL (“bad” cholesterol). Therefore, hirudotherapy is indicated for obesity and vascular atherosclerosis;
Regenerating – the hirudotherapy procedure activates cellular regeneration processes, which promotes a speedy recovery after injuries to soft tissues and joints;
Neurotrophic - substances contained in the saliva of leeches support the viability of neurons, stimulate their development and activity, and therefore help the functioning of the brain and strengthen the nervous system as a whole.

The saliva of medicinal leeches contains the following biologically active substances:

Hirudin;
Inhibitors of plasmin, trypsin, alpha-chymotrypsin, chymazin, elastase, subtilisin, cathepsin, kallikrinin, neutral granulocyte proteases and blood clotting factor 10;
Enzymes hyaluronidase, apyrase, destabilase, collagenase, cholesterol esterase, triglycerindase;
Prostanoids, antihistamines, analgesics and many others.

What leeches are used for hirudotherapy

More than four hundred species of these annelids are found in nature: from the tiniest, a few millimeters long, to the huge forty-centimeter giants. But only the medical leech (Hirudo medicinalis) and its three subspecies are used for medicinal purposes. They are grown in laboratory conditions and sold through the pharmacy chain.

Indications for hirudotherapy

You need to start treatment with leeches with an examination and consultation with a doctor, since this technique is not always relevant and has a number of contraindications. A qualified hirudotherapist, having your medical record and test results in hand, will be able to determine exactly whether leeches will help you, where, in what quantity and for how long to place them, and how many sessions need to be performed. Patients with serious illnesses or injuries are recommended to undergo procedures in a hospital, under the supervision of a physician, since undesirable effects and complications may occur during the session.

Hypertension, migraine, chronic headaches and menopausal hot flashes - leeches are placed vertically on the mastoid area behind the ears, as far as possible from the veins passing nearby;
Thrombosis, thrombophlebitis and varicose veins - leeches are placed directly above the diseased vein or venous node, unless the skin in this place is too thin - then the leeches should be placed nearby, at a distance of 1 cm, on both sides of the diseased vein;
Local inflammatory processes, injuries, bruises, swelling, hematomas - directly at the site of inflammation and around it;
Diseases of the liver and biliary tract - leeches are placed on the tailbone and in the area of the right hypochondrium;
Kidney failure and nephritis - just above the lower back;
Nail felon, furunculosis and other suppurations - next to the lesion, in the most painful area.

You can carry out home hirudotherapy procedures for alcoholism, loss of strength, chronic fatigue, as well as to speed up rehabilitation after injuries and operations, including heart surgery, but before this a thorough examination and consultation with a doctor is required.

List of diseases that can be treated to one degree or another with leeches:

Pulmonary ailments – bronchial asthma, chronic obstructive bronchitis, pleurisy, pneumonia, tuberculosis;
Skin lesions – psoriasis, neurodermatitis, eczema, alopecia, acne, rosacea, pyoderma, furunculosis;
Diseases of the cardiovascular system - angina pectoris, ischemia, hypertension, atherosclerosis, varicose veins, thrombophlebitis, vegetative-vascular dystonia;
Pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract - gastritis, gastroduodenitis, cholecystitis, pancreatitis, cirrhosis and fatty liver hepatosis, enterocolitis, gastric ulcer;
Diseases of the kidneys and urinary tract – pyelonephritis, urolithiasis, cystitis, chronic renal failure;
Women's diseases - fibroids and cervical erosion, endometriosis, ovarian dysfunction and cysts, PMS and severe menopause, secondary infertility, obstruction of the fallopian tubes, adhesions in the pelvis, mastopathy;
Male diseases - chronic prostatitis, prostate adenoma, erectile dysfunction and impotence;
Diseases of the endocrine system – diabetes mellitus, obesity, gout, thyroid cysts, adrenal gland disorders;
Neurological problems - radiculitis, osteochondrosis, hernias of the spine and joints, paresis and paralysis, increased intracranial pressure, migraines, sleep disorders;
Diseases of the ENT organs - acoustic neuritis, sinusitis, chronic rhinitis and otitis media;
Injuries – bruises, fractures, dislocations, hematomas;
Cosmetic defects - cellulite, wrinkles, acne, rosacea, sagging skin.

Hirudotherapy should not be considered as an independent and only method of treatment; it is much more effective to combine treatment with leeches and acupuncture, physiotherapy, homeopathy and traditional drug therapy. Moreover, the effect of the drugs can be significantly enhanced if a leech is placed at the site of the subcutaneous injection.

Treatment with leeches at home

Anyone can perform hirudotherapy at home; there is nothing complicated about it. But before starting treatment, you need to consult a doctor and determine the exact number of leeches, placement location and session time.

Skin preparation. Wash the treatment area clean with baby soap and rub it vigorously with dry gauze until slightly red to stimulate the appetite of leeches, and do not use cosmetics with strong odors for washing - this will repel them.
Setting up leeches. Take the leech using a clean vial or test tube and gently move it with the front suction cup to the desired point. If the leech does not want to bite, take another one, or try to lubricate the skin with sweet water, or lightly prick it with a sterile needle so that blood comes out. When placing leeches on active points using the hirudoreflexotherapy method, piercing is mandatory.
The process of hemorrhage. At the moment of biting the skin (1.5-2 mm in depth), a slight burning sensation appears, which disappears within seconds as soon as the analgesics from the salivary glands take effect. The leech is sucked on by both suction cups and stays on the skin on its own, so the bubble can be removed. If it reluctantly sucks blood (wavy movements are almost invisible on the body), you need to moisten your finger in warm water and carefully stroke the leech from top to bottom along the back.
Completion of the procedure. After a minute, the leech will be saturated and fall off on its own, but if, according to indications, the patient needs a shorter session (15-25 minutes, less is pointless), you need to remove the attached leech. To do this, simply bring a cotton swab dipped in any aggressive-smelling liquid to the front suction cup - alcohol, vinegar, iodine, ammonia. If this does not help, you can fumigate the leech with cigarette smoke. It is strictly forbidden to pull, cut or pick it out - any violent actions only cause the leech to bite into the skin more strongly.
The period after the session. The wound, which is shaped like a three-pointed star, will continue to bleed slightly for 6 to 24 hours. This is normal, and even useful. Simply change sterile swabs or dressings. Under no circumstances should you disinfect or lubricate the bite area with anything. A small scar will completely disappear in 2-3 weeks.
Disposal of leeches. Fed leeches should be destroyed by placing them in a container with chloramine. Even if they are not completely saturated, transferring to another patient a few months later can cause infection with the same pathogens that were in the blood of the first patient (staphylococcus, tuberculosis, HIV and many others).

On average, one treatment session takes from two to five leeches, less often - ten. It is not recommended to place more than four pieces on the head area. Before starting the hirudotherapy procedure, you can make subcutaneous injections of medicinal drugs so that during the session their entry into the blood and distribution throughout the body will accelerate. And after such a procedure, the blood sucked by the leeches, and they themselves can be used as raw materials for a therapeutic mask.

How to properly keep leeches

The very idea of keeping leeches at home looks dubious, since even if they are used to treat the same patient, you will have to wait at least a year and a half until they get hungry again. However, if the procedures are carried out regularly over many years, you can keep several containers at home and mark them with the dates of the last use of leeches.

Side effects and complications of hirudotherapy

Adverse reactions to treatment with leeches are rare, here is a list of possible complications:

Lymphadenitis – inflammation and enlargement of the lymph nodes, as a result of too active work. They usually go away on their own in a couple of weeks, but if lymphadenitis is accompanied by fever and pain, you need to seek help from a doctor - you may need antibiotics;
Local allergic reactions - swelling, pain and itching in the area where leeches are placed, wounds that do not heal for a long time. This side effect is easily relieved by taking antihistamines;
Common allergic reactions are rash, hives, difficulty breathing, and in severe cases, angioedema and anaphylactic shock. Urgent help is needed, and further treatment with leeches cannot be carried out;
Darkening of the skin and pronounced scars - sometimes the skin pigmentation changes at the site of the bite, then you have to resort to vacuum therapy or injections of autologous blood;
Prolonged bleeding may indicate hemophilia, a bleeding disorder. Such patients are not recommended to resort to hirudotherapy in the future;
Massive hematomas are almost always the result of improper placement of leeches, too close to large veins.

Contraindications to hirudotherapy

There are diseases and conditions for which treatment with leeches is contraindicated:

Tendency to allergic reactions and a history of angioedema or anaphylactic shock;

Acute infectious diseases accompanied by fever;

Severe immunodeficiency conditions, including AIDS;

Poisoning of the body with poisons and heavy metals;

Some cancers (consultation with an oncologist is required).

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What happens after a leech bite: bruises, swelling of the skin and itching. Photo and video

The question, “what will happen after a leech?”, after a leech bite, occupies all novice hirudotherapist patients. So what will happen:

Bite marks?
Bruises and hematomas?
Scars and cicatrices after leeching?
Allergy to leeches?
Prefix reaction?
What measures to take?

All these fears are greatly exaggerated. I will try to clearly demonstrate what leech bites look like and how to treat them.

Post-attachment marks after hirudotherapy

So, bruises after a leech bite resemble indecent kisses and do not appear in all patients; most often such blue spots or red swellings occur with:

liver diseases,
diseases of the pancreas,
in individuals with severe red dermographism (increased parasympathetic response of the autonomic nervous system),
in elderly patients,
in those taking aspirin or other blood thinners
in those who are starving or on a strict diet.
ATTENTION! During fasting or fasting, leeches must NOT be placed! Blood clotting decreases and there may be not only bruises, but also bleeding!

Sometimes the bite sites also itch.

Such signs of leech bites are often mistaken for an allergic reaction. But this is not an allergy! A blood test in the patient does not show changes characteristic of allergies: the level of immunoglobulins E and eosinophils does not increase.

On the contrary, hirudotherapy is sometimes used to treat allergic diseases.

Hirudotherapists call this reaction “post-prefix” reaction, “prefix” reaction, “post-prefix” or “post-aggressive” syndrome, but the essence is the same.

It is characteristic that this may not happen on the first session, but after the second session of hirudotherapy or even after the third.

Is it possible to somehow check whether there will be a prefix reaction or not?

Can. Test for dermographism: with the back of a pencil, draw a line across the abdomen with slight force. If the red mark is diffuse, bright and lasts for several minutes, then we are talking about red dermographism. Red dermographism is a sign of a special response of the autonomic nervous system.

If against the background of pink skin there is a trace with a thin red stripe bordered by a diffuse white stripe, then this is white dermographism or mixed, if both red and white features are very bright.

Sometimes we see during the bite itself: the leech seems to be sitting in the center of two circles - red and white.

Individuals with bright red or mixed dermographism are more likely to have a post-attachment reaction.

Do all leeches have the same prefix reaction?

In my experience, stronger post-prescription reactions occur after using oriental medicinal beer Hirudo orientalis.

Naturally, small animals leave small bites, they heal faster. Bite marks and scars from small leeches dissolve faster. And the size of the leech does not affect post-constipation syndrome.

Do I need to do anything to avoid permanent changes on the skin?

Firstly, the prefix reaction must be taken for granted; it is a natural response of the skin and skin vessels to the biologically active substances of leech saliva. A prefix reaction is normal!
Secondly, you need to let the leech suck on blood and wait until it falls off on its own. It is IMPOSSIBLE to remove the leech with rough movements or pull it by the body! The leech will vomit and the contents of its stomach will fall into the wound. The result of such violence against an animal may be inflammation at the site of the bite.
Thirdly, there are a lot of simple ways to reduce itching at the bite site: you can lubricate it with a weak solution of vinegar or apply snow or ice to the area.

You can reduce the attachment reaction by applying a spray with leech saliva extract. I like LEEVIT SPRAY, it relieves itching and speeds up the resorption of all traces: bruises and scars. About Piyavit spray - read the article to the end.

Can there be scars after a leech bite?

They can. The scars look like a "Mercedes sign". Large leeches can leave scars for a long time – several years! Therefore, it is better to place a small leech in open places. A small leech may leave no trace at all.

For people with a tendency to develop rough, raised scars (keloids), leech scars can be ugly! Keloids are a relative contraindication to hirudotherapy.

I buy small and cosmetic leeches at the GIRUD.IN factory in Balakovo, Saratov region. The leech can be ordered online.

So, post-prefix reactions are:

Light – 1st degree. The diameter of the red spot around the bite is no more than 4 cm. The itching is slight. No treatment required

Average – 2 degrees. The diameter of the swelling and redness around the bite is from 4 to 16 cm. Intense itching of the skin. Sometimes the lymph nodes become enlarged and painful. For treatment in this case, I use PIYAVIT SPRAY.

Severe - very rare. Diffuse swelling, body temperature rises, lymph nodes enlarge, in the center of the bite there may be a black dot - necrosis. This reaction must be differentiated from inflammation or an allergic reaction. Treatment is not only local, but also general, according to all the canons of treating bites:

How often do prefix reactions occur?

From my practice, almost half of new patients experience prefix reactions. But if you take all patients with a post-prefix reaction, then in 95% of cases it is a mild prefix reaction.

5% had a prefix reaction of moderate severity.

A severe post-attack reaction with fever, diffuse edema, etc. is extremely rare. It is necessary to carefully collect anamnesis and not take anyone “suspicious” of a disorder of the immune system for therapy.

I would like to draw your attention to the fact that post-attachment reactions do not occur when leeches are placed on the mucous membrane.

Prefix reaction after leeches and its treatment

So, to treat or not to treat? I believe that post-constipation reactions of the first and second degree do not need to be treated! It is necessary to allow the body to fully “react” to the healing bite of a medicinal leech.

NO antibiotics or antihistamines should be used internally!

What to do about itching, swelling and bruising?

Patients often ask: “The leech bite is swollen, is it an allergy to leeches?” or “The leech bite is itchy, what should I apply?”

It is possible to reduce and prevent the prefix reaction. The best remedy in my opinion is PIYAVIT SPRAY.

Leech Spray is a mixture of leech extract and eucalyptus oil. Piyavit spray is designed specifically for the treatment of bites, for the resorption of bruises and hemorrhages, subcutaneous hematomas. Spray Piyavit relieves itching, reduces swelling, and speeds up the resolution of the post-attachment reaction by approximately two times. This is especially important on the face and exposed parts of the body.

I buy LEEVIT SPRAY at the Girudin factory in Balakovo, Saratov region, where I also buy leech. I order through the factory website. The spray is inexpensive.

Every hirudotherapist should have Piyavit Spray in her first aid kit!

Spray Piyavit was developed jointly by the scientific team of Moscow State University (under the leadership of Professor Baskova) and the company "GirudIN.N". PIYAVIT, as a medicinal substance, is patented and the only manufacturer of the PIYAVIT substance in the Register of Medicines is the Girudin Balakovo factory in the Saratov region.

All other creams, gels and cosmetics with leech extract are much more expensive than LEECH SPRAY and have a lower concentration of LEECH EXTRACT in their composition.

That's why I use Piyavit Spray, produced at the Girudin factory, and only that!

And finally

You should always be on alert:

We must remember about the perverted reactions of the immune system in people with autoimmune diseases and immunodeficiency.
We must remember that patients with chronic hepatitis, pancreatitis, cirrhosis of the liver, people on a vegetarian diet or during religious fasts, have peculiarities of the blood coagulation system. Women need to find out how much and how long their periods last. In men, how long does bleeding last after domestic injuries.
It is also necessary to carefully examine the patient’s body for the presence of keloid scars.

And then the leech bites will be predictable.

If you don’t have enough information about the prefix reaction, post-prefix reaction, then I recommend reading the scientific literature on hirudotherapy.