Leech Therapy

WHICH ARE MEDICINAL LEECHES?

Medicinal Leeches are the species of leeches such as Hirudo Medicinalis used for medicinal purposes. There are several other species of leeches that can be used for the treatment and prevention of a range of disorders. These include Hirudo Troctina, Hirudo Orientalis, and Hirudo Verbana. The Hirudinaria Manillensissis a Mexican leech while Macrobdella decora is a North American leech used for Leech therapy.

WHY ARE LEECHES USED FOR MEDICAL PURPOSES

Leeches are primarily used for supporting the healing of the skin grafts. It is used in the treatment of burns and skin lesions. It is used during the process of treating skin burns in which the blood tissues are transferred from one part of the body to other by extracting the blood pooled below the grafted area and restoring the blood circulation in the blocked veins. Medicinal leeches are also used as an anticoagulant during the grafting procedure.

Some other benefits of Leech therapy include an improved health of the skin and hair. It is also used for treating varicose veins, and ulcers. People, who are at a risk of limb amputation due to the complications caused due to diabetes, can also benefit from Leech therapy. Patients, who are prone to suffer from the loss of soft tissues due to a heart disease or following a cosmetic surgery, can also benefit from undergoing this therapy.

HOW DOES LEECH THERAPY WORK

Leech therapy works in the following manner:

The medicinal leeches have 3 jaws and small rows of teeth. As these teeth pierce the skin of the patients, the anticoagulants present in their blood are inserted into the body of the patients through the saliva of the leeches.

The medical leeches are allowed to extract the blood from the person for about 20 to 45 minutes during each session. This equates to a very small amount of blood, which could be up to 15 milliliters.