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The Power of Leech Therapy for Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA) impacts millions, leading to chronic pain and decreased mobility. Traditional treatments often rely on medications with undesirable side effects. As an effective alternative, leech therapy—hirudotherapy—utilizes the medicinal properties of leech saliva, offering a natural approach with rich historical roots.

Understanding Leech Therapy

Leech therapy uses leech saliva, which contains beneficial substances such as:

  • Hirudin: A potent anticoagulant that improves circulation.
  • Anti-inflammatory compounds: Reduce joint swelling and inflammation.
  • Anesthetic properties: Help alleviate pain during and after treatment.

Treatment Process

The therapy involves several steps:

  • Preparation: Cleaning the area to ensure it's sterile.
  • Application: Placing leeches on designated points around the joints.
  • Duration: Sessions typically last from 30 minutes to an hour, depending on individual needs.

Key Benefits

  • Pain Reduction: Patients often experience significant relief from joint pain.
  • Improved Mobility: Enhanced circulation and reduced inflammation can lead to better joint function.
  • Natural Approach: Avoids the side effects associated with NSAIDs and steroids.

Choosing a Provider

Selecting a qualified practitioner is crucial:

  • Certification: Ensure the practitioner is trained and certified in hirudotherapy.
  • Quality of Leeches: Use only medicinal-grade leeches from reputable sources.

Leech therapy offers a unique and effective treatment for osteoarthritis, merging ancient wisdom with modern medical practice. It targets the root causes of joint issues, providing comprehensive pain relief and improved mobility. If you're seeking a holistic alternative to conventional medications, consider the benefits of leech therapy for enhancing your quality of life.

Leech therapy offers a natural and holistic approach to managing a variety of conditions, helping to improve circulation, reduce inflammation, and promote overall healing. Whether you’re exploring alternatives to conventional treatments or seeking a gentler, non-invasive solution, leech therapy can provide effective relief and support your health journey. Ready to experience the benefits?

HOW IT WORKS

What to expect during and after therapy sessions

We provide personalized consultation services to assess each patient's specific needs and create a tailored hirudotherapy treatment plan for optimal results.

Thorough consultation

Your Initial clinic visit includes a full assessment and possible tests.

Treatment session

Regular session: 60-90 mins with 3-10 leeches, includes wound care.

After treatment

12-24 hours of normal bleeding. Wear dark, loose clothes and contact us anytime with concerns.

Notice results

Expect 3-10+ sessions, weekly to monthly, with early results.

Questions & Answers

Our Main Services

How does hirudotherapy work, exactly?

The effects on the body and organs are a result of a combination of multiple properties of the medicinal leech saliva, including anticoagulation effects, thrombolytic effects, anti-inflammatory effects, immunomodulation effects, and lymphotropic effects. These properties work together to thin the blood, improve circulation and lymphatic drainage, reduce inflammation and pain, and restore normal immune function. The best part? Up to 90% of human ailments and pathology can be successfully treated with hirudotherapy. It's a safe, natural, and effective way to promote healing and restore balance in the body. Of course, we always encourage patients to continue working with their primary medical team of practitioners. Hirudotherapy should not be used as the ONLY medical intervention. But for those seeking a holistic, natural approach to healing, hirudotherapy may be just the solution they've been looking for.

Does leech therapy hurt?

No. With the exception of a very gentle initial “bite” through the superficial skin layer, the duration of therapy does not produce any painful sensation. Occasionally, the leech will re-”bite” to get a better access to your blood and lymph.

Is it covered by insurance?

No. Like many very effective and successful treatment modalities, Hirudotherapy in general is not covered by insurance companies when performed outside of the hospital. When this therapy is administered by surgical services in an acute hospital setting, it is generally covered.

Does this therapy actually work?

Yes. This therapy is a very powerful tool that helps to heal a myriad of human conditions with a solid track record of being in use for three and a half thousands of years. Can you think of another medication or a medical procedure that has such an extensive record?

What do you do with leeches when done?

The leech in the US is considered to be a “single use device” and therefore is discarded after each application. It is euthanized and placed into a medical waste container like any other medically related waste.

Will I have a scar?

Rarely leeches may leave a long term mark at the site of the bite. With proper wound care any of the scarring will resorb in time. We offer a special cream to aid with skin healing after the application.

How many sessions will I need?

This largely depends on the condition being treated. We always start with just a single trial session to see if a treated individual can fully tolerate the treatment. In acute conditions 3-5 treatments may be sufficient. In chronic conditions, one may need as many as 10 treatments. You will receive an estimate of the number of treatments needed after your first consultation.

Will I feel the effects right away?

This depends on the condition being treated. Most of the time, there will be a sense of a general improvement felt within a few hours after the initial treatment that may have lasting effects. Most conditions treated will require some time to improve as the Hirudotherapy per se does not “cure,” but rather it makes your own body heal better and faster. This may take days or weeks, or sometimes months depending on your age and overall health status.

How much does it cost?

Each session will cost anywhere between $200-$250 depending on the number of treatments planned. We give discounts for pre-payment for multiple treatments. As prices are subject to change, kindly call our clinic for more accurate pricing.

Is this safe for anyone to be treated?

Hirudotherapy is very safe and can be used for the vast majority of patients with very few contraindications. Contraindications for uses of leech medicine are severe anemia (very low blood count) and presence of hemophilia, previous allergic reaction (relative contraindication as this therapy becomes more tolerable with more treatment), severe cachexia (extremely poor nutritional status). Although not a true contraindication in most of the world, in the US Hirudotherapy would not be used on pregnant patients and someone who is taking blood thinners largely because of potential legal issues, rather than medical contraindications.

What are the potential side effects?

Most common side effects are post-application itching and skin redness, unexpectedly prolonged bleeding (rare), and severe allergic reaction (very rare). Also, prolonged marking of the skin is common, and scarring is possible, but rare.

For how long will I bleed?

On average, discharge of blood and interstitial lymphatic fluid may continue between 12-24 hours.

Why is this therapy not being used more by other doctors?

After many years of this powerful tool being essentially dormant and being brushed off by allopathic medical practitioners to favor pharmaceuticals and surgical procedures, Hirudotherapy is experiencing a true renaissance. It is currently being used in some hospitals for plastic surgery and trauma applications, and in outpatient settings it is largely being utilized as a cosmetic treatment (rejuvenation) and a well-being treatment. In the US, Hirudotherapy is not being taught in any medical schools or residency programs and therefore doctors simply know next to nothing about this amazing modality. In many countries around the world, Hirudotherapy is used in everyday mainstream medical practice. The practitioners in our clinic learned Hirudotherapy in Siberia, Russia.

How long do Hirudotherapy sessions take?

Hirudotherapy sessions usually take anywhere from 40 minutes to over an hour. This depends on the objectives of therapy and the patient's response to the treatment.

Where can I learn more about leech therapy?

We would not suggest using conventional internet search for this topic as the results that you may find may be very inaccurate. Instead, we suggest reading an excellent book: “Leech Therapy: an introduction to a natural healing alternative” by Matt Isaac that explains the essence of Hirudotherapy that is available for purchase in any major online book retailer:

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