In ancient times, a hirudotherapy session was called bloodletting. This name is not accidental, because leech saliva contains special substances that interfere with blood clotting. In some cases, non-stop bleeding causes concern, so anyone who wants to try this treatment method should know how to stop the blood after leeches.
Healing Worms
The benefits of treating various ailments with leeches have been known for a very long time. It is safe to say that hirudotherapy is one of the oldest healing methods, popular in ancient Rome.
Today, hirudotherapy sessions are very popular. Little healers are able to both cure various ailments and normalize metabolism. You can buy leeches in pharmacies, but there is a risk that they could already be used for other purposes. And leeches easily carry infection. To prevent this possibility, it is better to contact specialized clinics involved in both the treatment and breeding of these worms. And remember that the conduct of any procedures must be agreed in advance with a specialist.
What is the use of a leech bite?
Leech is known for its ability to purify blood. Her saliva contains hirudin, which includes a large number of biologically active substances familiar to our body. These substances saturate the bloodstream with oxygen and help to eliminate toxins. And thanks to the ability to prevent blood clotting and thin blood clots, contaminated vessels are cleansed. Leeches are used in several areas: endocrinology, gynecology and cosmetology.
Features of hirudotherapy
Depending on the purpose, the treatment with leeches takes place with a different number of worms and a different duration of the session. Hirudotherapy is a very delicate process that requires good moral preparation. Leeches are able to subtly capture the mood of the patient, therefore, at the slightest hint of squeamishness, treatment may be denied. On average, one session takes from 20 to 40 minutes, with a frequency of two to three times a week. For one procedure, 10-15 leeches are used.
On the skin, leeches are launched from glass bubbles. During biting, a slight pain is felt, which quickly subsides due to the analgesic property of the leech saliva. After the procedure, a sterile dressing should be applied to the bite site.
Contraindications for hirudotherapy
In order to avoid possible problems and not harm your body, treatment with leeches must be strictly coordinated with specialists, because, like with any other method, there are limitations for some people in hirudotherapy.
This type of treatment is contraindicated:
- during pregnancy and breastfeeding;
- for people with impaired coagulability;
- with hemophilia and other similar diseases;
- when taking certain medications.
Possible complications of leech treatment
Like any treatment, hirudotherapy also has a number of side effects. They are completely harmless, so do not worry if strange symptoms appear. However, it is better to know about the possible consequences of the procedure in advance in order to be prepared for them.
Itching and redness at the sites of bites is a common occurrence that does not require anxiety. Rashes on the skin can be either in the form of a small rash, similar to hives, or in the form of large single pimples. This reaction is not so much on leech saliva, but on the bactericidal and disinfecting effect that it exerts, purifying the blood of toxins and foreign microorganisms. In order for this side effect to come to naught, you can take antihistamines and lubricate the reddened areas of the skin with an anti-allergic ointment. The main thing is to drink plenty of fluids so that the toxins and poisons secreted by “alien” bacteria and viruses at the time of their death leave the body faster.
Such an unpleasant effect as hyperpigmentation is observed in places of a leech bite. These are small blood clots and blood clots that accumulate due to the fact that the wound cannot heal for a long time. For people with sensitive and fair skin, the first few sessions of therapy are best to put leeches on those parts of the body that will be hidden by clothing. Once the blood becomes cleaner, the bites will heal much faster. To bruises resolved, use heparin-containing ointments.
- Lethargy, drowsiness, chills.
Such symptoms usually appear in people with poor immunity and thick, contaminated blood. In the first hours after a hirudotherapy session, the saliva of leeches reaches the places of accumulation in blood vessels of blood clots and plaques and dilutes them. They flow down the walls of blood vessels and enter the general bloodstream. Therefore, during the time that they circulate in the body and slow down blood circulation, the patient becomes lethargic and lethargic. Drink a mug of hot herbal tea and lie down to rest - in a couple of hours, all the excess will come out of the body and become easier.
If blood does not stop after a leech , do not panic. After all, for this, the procedure is carried out - so that all contaminated blood comes out, replaced by a healthy and clean one. Therefore, do not try to stop the bleeding a couple of hours after hirudotherapy. Moreover, this is likely to be useless. Leech saliva contains substances that prevent blood coagulation. When its action is over, the wound will heal itself. However, knowing how to stop the blood after a bite of a leech is still necessary. Because there are situations when the bleeding needs to be urgently stopped, for example, before a trip or an important event.
How to stop blood after leeches?
These and other similar questions are usually asked by beginners - those for whom hirudotherapy sessions have not yet become a familiar thing. Below are the answers to the most popular ones.
How much blood should go after leeches in time? - After the first procedure - no more than 24 hours. With prolonged bleeding, consult a doctor.
How much blood after leeches does a person lose in one procedure? - On average, about 70 ml of blood. However, its number depends on both the location of the leeches and their number.
Is it necessary to forcefully stop the bleeding? - No, if there are no alarming symptoms. To avoid unnecessary worries, it is better to consult with a specialist in advance.
How long do leech bites heal? - About a week. A maximum of two weeks. The wounds that bleed heavily immediately after a hirudotherapy session heal the longest.
Ways to stop bleeding
There are situations when blood does not stop after leeches. What to do in this case?
- A tight pressure dressing for the bite for several hours.
- The bite site can be treated with iodine or brilliant green.
- Another great way to reliably clog a wound is with BF medical glue.
- A piece of swab that is firmly fixed to the wound with a patch or bandage. Blood oozing from it will be absorbed into the swab. It, in turn, will expand and put pressure on the hole, clogging the bloodstream.
- Strangely enough, it is possible to stop the blood after leeches on the back with ordinary ice. Wrap the cube in a cloth and apply such a compress to the wound on the back.
- What to do if after leeches the blood does not stop and no method helps? A vacuum can will help, but this is an extreme measure. You can put it no earlier than after 8 hours, and only 4-5 minutes. The jar will take blood with saliva, and the wound will heal itself.
Patient Reviews
On the first day after the start of treatment, many patients report heavy bleeding with large clots, which is very difficult to stop. However, after several sessions, the wounds are healed faster, sometimes after ten to twelve hours. When asked about how to stop blood after leeches, many are advised to use gaskets for bite sites. One of the problems most exciting patients is the time of the disappearance of small bite scars. However, everything is individual here: for some they take place in a month, for others - for a year.
The opinion of experts
Although the reviews of many doctors are still divided into pros and cons, still the majority of experts note the undoubted effectiveness of treatment with leeches, even in cases where traditional medicine is powerless. Some doctors purposefully prescribe hirudotherapy procedures to their patients, being confident in a positive result. The benefits of these little healers have been proven by thousands of years of experience, and since then knowledge in the field of hirudotherapy has only accumulated.