HIRUDOTHERAPY - BASICS

Hirudotherapy, or the leech treatment is not as simple as it may sound at first. There are no complications in the threatment if applied carefully and respected all the recomendations and techniques. If these general rules are not followed, complications may appear, especially if the application spots are not chosen correctly.

The effect of leech treatment is multilateral and a very complex one. It has reflectory, mechanical, biological and quantum effects. These components allow using the Hirudo medicinalis in treating a vast range of diseases which are very dificult to cure. The effects of Hirudotherapy on the human body are very definite - they depend on the spot of application.

Since 2001, in conformity with theordinance of the Ministry of Public Health, Hirudo medicinalis are considered as "disposable syringe"(they can be used only once on one person). This is why thei method is "clean". It as very few contraindications: haemophily, anaemia, bleeding diathesis. The treatment period and the number of sessions are stated acording to each pacient individually, taking into consideration the pacient's condition, the character of the disease and other factors(A usual treatment periods lasts between two and six weeks, once or three times a week, but in some cases it could go on for 16 to 24 months, depending on the case)

Hirudotherapy is a very effective method of treatment which implies knowledge, qualification and experience.

GENERAL KNOWLEGDE

In the past 10 years more and more countries started their own research and development programs in hirudotherapy. In 1990 the International Society for Hirudotherapy created and already in 1991 the first international Hirudologic conference was held. After many researches it was found out that the leech saliva contains many bio-active substances with curative(healing) effects. It should be mentioned that this effect is also achived by a couple of other factors: reflexogenic, mechanical, biological and quantic.

Depending on the chosen spot for application, Hirudotherapy has different effects, therefore the method of application is one of the most important factors in this kind of treatment.

Let us review the basic effects of the Hirudo medicinalis on the human body and analized them a litte more in detail:

• The mechanical effect is the most evident and is characterized by the discharge of the essential regional blood circulation
• Hirudo medicinalis has a reflexotherapeutical effect by biting into the skin(tussue) in the spot of accupunture. In this case the leech is like a needle in the accupunture treatment and some forms of massages and ultrasound.
• Finally, the biological effect is applied throught the saliva which contains many curative substances, including the hirudine which prevents blood coagulation.
  

The curative effect of the blood being thinned out is largely known for treating many diseases like intravascular blood coagulation(clotting).

Taking into consideration all four factors, nowadays Hirudotherapy is succesufully used in the treatment of ischemia, oedema, normalization of blood pressure, improving the blood microcirculation and lymph in general, energy field recovery.

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The method has a great succes in cases of fat accumulations, like cellulite. Separate substances from Hirudo medicinalis saliva helps us deal with differents infectious deseases and also considerably help reduce disease sufferings. It should be noted that a good hirudotherapeutic treatment can only be obtained in a specialized facility with qualified specialists.

But certainly, the method proved itself as a safe one during the centuries so it can be applied individually with care. The advantage of specialized facilities is that a whole complex of methods and diagnoses can be used in combination to treat a desease.

HOW DOES HIRUDO MEDICINALIS CURE

The majority of the invertebrates of the fauna, especially the one small in sizes, have a defense mechanism, usually on a chemical basis. The defense substances are generated by the body's own cell biochemistry and if needed is stored for future use.

Speaking of the Hirudo medicinalis, the main ferment mass and other substances are created in the salivary gland. During the bite, thede substances are introduced into the body, while a small amount is being kept in the digestive tract of the leech in order to be able to process the blood intering the system.

Multiple investigations have demonstrated that these substanes once introduced into the human body have not only anesthetic and antiinflamatory effects, but also antiedema effect, decrease the probability of tromb formation, activate the microcirculation and the blood and lymph dynamics, stabilize and strenghten the immune system.

Nowadays many doctors and specialists use reflexotherapy, fitotherapy, homeopathy and now is the time of hirudotherapy.