Hirudotherapy has long been recognized by official medicine as an effective way to get rid of many pathologies. Leech therapy is used in many courses of treatment, including hemorrhoid therapy. Features of hirudotherapy is that it allows you to cleanse the body of toxins and harmful substances, activate the immune system.
If we talk about proctology, then indeed, leeches can alleviate the patient's condition, but on condition that the pathology is not at the last stage. In the initial stages, it is often possible to completely get rid of hemorrhoids.
A little about the leeches themselves
Many people do not understand where leeches come from, where they are grown. Even if you read reviews about the treatment of hemorrhoids with leeches, it immediately becomes clear that these are specially grown worms, and they never lived in ordinary reservoirs, in their natural environment. Leeches for medical purposes are grown in completely sterile conditions. In addition, each worm is used inmedical purposes only once, that is, while undergoing the procedure, you should not worry that the worm had previously attached itself to another person.
The best results in the treatment of hemorrhoids with leeches and the effectiveness of therapy can be achieved if combined with homeopathic medicines. Hygiene and physical activity are also of great importance during the period of therapy, which the hirudotherapist will tell about before the course of treatment.
What can be achieved?
The whole secret of leeches is in their unusual composition of saliva, which has an enzyme called hirudin. It is he who allows you to quickly cope with many pathologies and improve the process of blood circulation. And most importantly, leeches have a positive effect not only on diseased organs, but on the whole organism as a whole.
In reviews of the treatment of hemorrhoids with leeches, you can hear that they allow you to get rid of pain, which is very important in most cases. Problems during defecation disappear.
In addition to hirudin, leeches have orgelase in their saliva, which promotes the formation of new capillaries, and this is an opportunity to improve microcirculation, thin the blood and prevent blood clots.
Besides this, the course of hirudotherapy will allow:
- relieve swelling in the area of hemorrhoids;
- eliminate stagnant processes, therefore, reduce the node in size;
- stop the spread of microbes in the rectum;
- bring blood vessels into tone.
Rules of procedure
You can only put a leech in the place where there is a problem. Therefore, only external hemorrhoids can be treated in this way.
The number of sessions is determined individually, depending on the patient's condition and the extent of the problem. In any case, no more than 4 worms are placed at a time. However, in severe cases, 5-6 leeches are allowed in one session. In very advanced cases, they bet up to 7 worms.
Only hungry individuals are used for treatment, that is, in which hirudin is produced in large quantities.
Most often, worms are applied to the coccyx, directly to the hemorrhoid itself and the anus. Before setting leeches, these places are wiped with alcohol, then washed with warm water.
Preparing for the procedure
Reading reviews about the treatment with leeches, the features of the procedure, information on how to prepare for it will definitely pop up.
First of all, if you are taking aspirin, you must stop taking the drug 3 days before the procedure. You can not smoke and drink, use perfumes, as leeches may refuse to stick.
You will need to do special exercises. Their essence is that it is alternately necessary to weaken and strain the anus. Exercises throughout the day must be done at least 300.
Before the supply of leeches, the patient will be asked to perform anal hygiene, without the use of soap.
After the procedure itself, it is not recommended to swim for 4-5 days. No wayDo not touch or scratch the bite site. Throughout the course of treatment, you will have to give up heavy physical exertion.
What does a person do during the procedure?
According to reviews of the treatment of hemorrhoids with leeches, the patient absolutely does not need to do anything. They put him on his stomach, only forbidding him to move.
There is no pain or discomfort at the moment when the worm sticks to the body, no. At such moments, the leech secretes special enzymes, so, apart from a slight tingling, nothing is felt.
The procedure lasts about 20 minutes, in some cases longer, depending on what the doctor decides and when the leeches themselves are satiated. It’s not even scary if a leech gets into the anus, after full saturation it will get out by itself. At the end of the procedure, the worm increases in size by about 6-7 times.
Timeline
It is possible to achieve a positive effect from hirudotherapy only with regular procedures. However, the break between them must be 7 days.
Depending on the severity of the disease, 7 to 12 procedures are performed. If the desired results were not achieved, then the second course can be repeated only after one or two months.
Contraindications
Reviews of hirudotherapy for hemorrhoids are almost always positive, and it even seems that this is a panacea for all diseases, but little is said about the fact that they have a number of serious contraindications. Therefore, in no case can one independently determine the possibilitysuch treatment.
When you can not use hirudotherapy
First of all, such treatment is contraindicated in the presence of a history of the diagnosis of "hypotension". Secondly, if there is a blood disease or poor clotting, then treatment with leeches is also prohibited.
Regardless of where to put leeches for hemorrhoids or another disease, if a person has low hemoglobin, anemia, such treatment is not recommended so that the level of this blood component does not fall to a critical level.
Do not use leeches if you are allergic to the substances that make up the saliva of leeches, otherwise such treatment may result in a dangerous condition - Quincke's edema.
Mandatory contraindications also include pregnancy and the presence of cancer.
In all other cases, the decision on the possibility of the procedure is determined by the doctor, depending on the general he alth of the patient.
Additional reactions
This term refers to reactions that may occur during treatment with leeches. This is a certain set of symptoms that may or may not appear.
According to some reviews of the treatment of hemorrhoids with leeches at home, a small list of prefixed reactions can be distinguished:
- itch;
- hyperemia;
- local increase in body temperature at the site of the bite;
- puffiness;
- increase in the size of the lymph nodes.
In some people, the reaction to contact with leeches occurs inmild form, in other patients - more severe. For example, body temperature can rise not only locally, but in general. There may be muscle weakness and pain, deterioration of well-being.
As a rule, all unpleasant sensations appear for 8-12 hours, after the third or fourth procedure. It is believed that attachment reactions are a consequence of the activation of the immune system and, as a result, an increased release of histamine. Therefore, very often, in order to eliminate the symptoms, antihistamines are prescribed: Tavegil, Carotene and others.
Despite the fact that histamine is involved in the process of attachment reactions, it is still not an allergic reaction, so the cancellation of treatment is not provided.
Possible Complications
Reviews on the treatment of hemorrhoids with leeches are mostly positive, but some people have complications after treatment. In most cases, this occurs against the background of improper wound care or combing. An abscess or infiltrate may begin, in such cases you should immediately consult a doctor. Such a complication is not a contraindication to subsequent procedures.
There is a risk that there will be heavy bleeding, but this only occurs if the patient has problems with blood clotting. The dangerous duration of bleeding is 48 hours. But, as a rule, this happens very rarely, many doctors who have been practicing for a long time have not even encountered such reactions.
Can Ido the procedure at home?
Despite the many positive reviews about the treatment of hemorrhoids with leeches, the rules for the procedure do not imply self-treatment.
First of all, only a doctor and a nurse know about the points where leeches should be placed, and this is a very important point. In addition, any unforeseen event may occur during the procedure, so it is better to have a doctor nearby.
There is no doubt that leeches can help cure hemorrhoids. However, such therapy is not a panacea, and one should not abandon conservative methods, neglect dietary nutrition and the recommendations of the attending physician.
