Hirudotherapy

What is hirudotherapy?

Hirudotherapy is a treatment using medical leeches and preparations from the secret of their saliva.

Indications for treatment

  • vascular diseases (hemorrhoids, varicose veins, migraine, cerebrovascular disease, ischemic heart disease, atherosclerosis)
  • acute and chronic inflammatory diseases
  • diseases of locomotor apparatus (osteochondrosis, arthritis, arthrosis)
  • condition involving increased blood clotting (including thrombosis, thrombophlebitis)
  • atrophic and degenerative processes, decrease in immunity, metabolic disorders.

Contraindications

  • hemophilia and processes
  • accompanied by increased bleeding
  • anemia (hemoglobin level below 90 g/l)
  • severe hypotension, pregnancy, individual intolerance, cachexia.

Possible reactions

  • post-application reaction: (redness, swelling, soreness, in the place of the leech attachment. Ointment «Giruda» is used for correction;
  • increase in body temperature to subfebrile figures +37,0, +37,3° C;
  • weakness, dizziness (reaction is not connected with blood loss, but with the reflex reactions of the organism);
  • bleedings, discharge (signs of bleeding may persist for up to 2-3 days, which is associated with a decrease in coagulation properties of blood);
  • swollen lymph nodes (associated with increased lymphatic drainage in the area of setting leeches. The reaction is short-term, does not require additional medical interventions);
  • in the place of leech attachment there is a possibility of trace reaction occurrence in the form of ribbed skin or hyperkeratosis for up to 2 years. (the reaction is linked with individual characteristics of the regenerative properties of patient’s skin).