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Modern

Medicinal

Leech

Therapy

"...Sometimes the effects of such therapy are shocking. Lower cholesterol, stabilised blood pressure, reduced migraine headache pain and tinnitus are just some examples..."

​

Dr. Maciej Paruzel, surgeon and father of modern MLT.

medicinal leech therapy london

Hirudotherapy (Medicinal Leeches Therapy) is a scientifically proven treatment using medicinal leeches. Hirudo medicinalis, Hirudo Verbana or Hirudo Orientalis have been used to treat patients for centuries. In the past, leeches have proved to be an effective treatment for a number of conditions including battle wound treatment. Currently, leeches may be used to assist in the treatment of abscesses, arthritis, glaucoma, myasthenia gravis, thrombosis and some venous disorders. Medical leeches may also be used in plastic surgery and in some blood circulatory problems. During feeding, leeches secrete a complex mixture of different biologically and pharmacologically active substances into the wound.

Hirudin is the prominent constituent of leech saliva. It is sometimes used to describe all the active constituents in the leech saliva.

leeches therapy london
hirudotherapy london

The name of hirudotherapy comes from the word „hirudo”, which means „leech”.

The compounds that can be found in leech’s saliva - commonly known as „hirudosubstances” – are called Salivary Glands Secretion (SGS). SGS contains more than 120 - 140 bioactive substances, some of them are still being examined. The knowledge of how do they work and what are the health profits is the thing that gives us new therapeutic opportunities.

Some of the Salivary Glands Secretion (SGS):

  • Analgesic compounds – are still being examined. They kill the pain in the area of leech bite.

  • Compounds with vasodilator properties - Hyaluronidase: prevents infection and improves the absorption. An enzyme that splits hyaluronic acid, lowers its viscosity and increases the permeability of connective tissue and so the absorption of fluids.

  • Hirudin – a potent anticoagulant that prevents blood from clotting by binding to thrombin.

  • Antibiotic substances – prevent infections.

There’s no simple answer when the leech treatment is unambiguously indicated, because there’s no ready-made list of the diseases, that may require leech healing. We can only base on the evidence, that hirudotherapy showed its effectiveness in some particular cases, in specific ailments and health problems. Usually, hirudotherapy is a method that supports other treatment (mostly pharmacological) or eases the pain, but it doesn’t cure the underlying causes of illness. The therapy we consider is based on the skill of matching the symptoms with probable profits, that come from the hirudin in the leech saliva and its healing compounds. Leech’s saliva compounds show concrete effects; anti-coagulant, profibrinolytic, antiplatelet, anti-inflammatory and anti-edema. To a minor extent, the effects are also immunomodulatory and neurostimulatory.

leeche therapy in london
Leeches in Sport:

 

​Medicinal Leeches are miniature, live medical laboratories, more and more doctors, and physiotherapists in their practices, achieving great and quick therapeutic results using medicinal leeches. Leeches saliva is a unique, multi-ingredient elixir. In sports injury, Hirudotherapy improves blood circulation and innervation of damaged areas, regeneration of damaged hands, swelling, stimulates rapid bone fusion and tendon regeneration:

 

  • acute or chronic Achilles tendonitis,

  • tennis & golfer elbow,

  • frozen shoulder,

  • fractures, sprains, dislocations,

  • rupture of muscles and tendons, 

  • bruises and hematomas, degenerations diseases.

Example treatment for Achilles tendinopathy:
Two sessions of 6 leeches and 10 days later return to training.

Indications
for Hirudotherapy:

​

Cardiovascular diseases:

  • Ischaemic heart disease

  • Myocarditis

  • Pre- / post-heart attack condition

  • Hypertension

  • Migraine

  • Varicose veins (lower extremities)

  • Thrombophlebitis

  • Ulceration

  • Da Costa's syndrome

  • Atherosclerosis

 

Neurological disorders:

  • Hypertensive encephalopathy

  • Paresis

  • Peripheral nerve re-innervation disorders

  • Concussion symptoms

  • Parkinson's disease

  • Alzheimer’s disease

  • Neuralgias

  • Cerebral palsy

 

Gynaecological diseases:

  • Pelvic inflammatory disease

  • Polycystic ovarian syndrome

  • Infertility

  • Uterine fibroid

  • Endometrial adenoma

  • Painful menstruation

  • Mastitis

  • Menopausal symptoms

  • Vaginitis and endometritis

 

Odontic diseases:

  • Gingivitis

  • Odontitis

  • Odontical haematomas

  • Sialoadenitis

 

Musculo-skeletal (MSK):

  • Rheumatoid arthritis (RA)

  • Fractures, sprains, dislocations

  • Rupture of muscles and tendons

  • Bruises and haematomas

  • Degeneration of joints and bones

  • Tendinopathies

  • Contractures

  • Joint inflammation

  • Bone infection and necrosis

  • Post-surgery recovery

  • Sciatica & back pain

Urological diseases:

  • Nephrogenic hypertension

  • Cystitis

  • Prostate gland adenoma

  • Chronic renal failure

  • Erectile dysfunction

 

Respiratory diseases:

  • Asthma

  • Bronchitis

  • Emphysema

  • Pulmonary thrombosis

 

Otolaryngological diseases:

  • Labyrinthitis and vestibular neuritis

  • Otitis

  • Sinusitis

 

Ophthalmology:​

  • Glaucoma

  • Eye haematoma

  • Conjunctivitis

 

Dermatological diseases:

  • Varicella (chickenpox)

  • Herpes zoster

  • Psoriasis

  • Collagen disease

  • Dermatitis

  • Skin allergy

  • Subcutaneous haematoma

  • Scars (but not keloids)

 

Surgery:

  • Amputations and re-plantations

  • Haematomas and edemas

  • Post-operative thrombosis

  • Subcutaneous tissue infection

  • Phlebitis

 

Gastrointestinal diseases:

  • Gastritis, gastric erosions and duodenitis

  • Cholecystitis

  • Pancreatitis

  • Hepatitis

  • Colitis

  • Gastric and duodenal ulcers

  • Haemorrhoids

 

Trauma:

  • Auricular haematoma (Cauliflower Ear)

Contraindications and important
informations for hirudotherapy:
​

This is brief list of conditions. Please contact therapist for further advice. A list of commonly established contraindications for Hirudotherapy (P. Flecken, A. Michalsen):

  • Haemophilia and anticoagulants (acenocoumarol, marcumar, warfarin, heparin and heparinoids)

  • Anemia

  • Upper gastrointestinal tract post - haemorrhage condition

  • Severe infection

  • Severe internal diseases, immunosuppression and immune system conditions such as HIV, AIDS, etc.

  • Cancer

  • Severe allergy

  • Cold & flu

  • Pregnancy

  • Wound healing complications

  • Children and unconscious patients

  • Mental impairment

  • Keloids

  • Bleeding disorder

  • Deep vein thrombosis

  • Diabetic foot and tissue necrosis

  • Dermatomycoses

  • Skin malignancies

  • Skin tissue loss, ulceration, decubitus

  • Autoimmunological pemphigus

​

Also contraindications for hirudotherapy are:

  • Diets such as detox diet, juice diet, etc. (diet must be completed)

  • Recent vaccinations 

  • Medication such as aspirin, gingko biloba, viagra, ibuprofen,  

       (treatment is possible 5 days after).

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