Glaucoma occurs as a result of problems with the flow of fluid in the eyes. It may be either congenital or acquired as a result of an incorrect lifestyle. Hirudotherapy is now widely used in modern ophthalmology. Leeches have the property of restoring microcirculation in glaucoma and injecting special substances into the blood that properly thin the blood. It is better to perform the procedure in the morning before meals, when the human body and its activity are at their biological peak.
Hirudotherapy procedures should only be performed by an experienced ophthalmologist. In this article we will talk about the pros and cons of using leeches in the treatment of glaucoma, methods of their application and the effectiveness of the procedures.
What is glaucoma?
What is glaucoma?
Source: steptohealth.ru The disease is caused by an increase in intraocular pressure due to impaired outflow of intraocular fluid. It can be congenital or acquired.
In the second case, the causes of glaucoma are:
- some somatic diseases (hypertension, diabetes mellitus, osteochondrosis of the cervical spine),
- eye diseases (uveitis, cataracts, farsightedness),
- burns, tumors,
- surgical interventions.
In glaucoma, the optic nerve is destroyed, leading to blindness. At the same time, changes occur in the pupil - it acquires a greenish (cloudy) tint and a characteristic concave appearance.
The disease develops asymptomatically for a long time. In adulthood, a fogginess appears that is not given attention. Acute attacks of glaucoma are accompanied by unbearable pain, blurred vision, nausea and vomiting.
The ability of leeches to restore microcirculation is extremely important for glaucoma. Bradykinins and histamine-like substances dilate blood vessels. Hirudin, destabilase and a number of other enzymes thin the blood and dissolve blood clots.
Hyaluronidase ensures better penetration of leech secretions into tissues. Apyrase cleanses blood vessels of cholesterol deposits. Eglins relieve inflammation. Kininase reduces pain.
The complex action of 200 biologically active substances stimulates a powerful drainage effect and outflow of intraocular fluid. Lymph microcirculation is restored, swelling subsides, and intraocular pressure is normalized.
The disease is caused by increased intraocular pressure due to impaired outflow of intraocular fluid. It can be congenital or acquired.
In glaucoma, the optic nerve is destroyed, leading to blindness. At the same time, changes occur in the pupil - it acquires a greenish (cloudy) tint and a characteristic concave appearance.
The disease develops asymptomatically for a long time. In adulthood, a fogginess appears that is not given attention. Acute attacks of glaucoma are accompanied by unbearable pain, blurred vision, nausea and vomiting.
Hirudotherapy for glaucoma: reviews
As practice shows, hirudotherapy helps at all stages of glaucoma development. During acute attacks of the disease, within half an hour the painful headaches that shoot into the eyes and temples disappear.
One session is enough for the fogginess to disappear, visual acuity and the area of visual perception to improve. Hirudotherapy is a powerful tool for auxiliary treatment of glaucoma.
Subsequent visits to the ophthalmologist confirm a decrease in intraocular pressure and an improvement in the trophism of the orbital tissue.
Sources
- https://zdravoline.info/piyavki-na-glaza-pri-glaukome/
- https://www.glaukoma-glaza.ru/stati/pomogayut-li-piyavki-pri-glaukome/
- https://vashe-zrenie.ru/bolezni-glaz/glaukoma/girudoterapiya.html
- https://girudotherapy.ru/girudoterapija-pri-glaukome/
- https://glazdoktor.ru/piyavki-glaukome/
- https://glazdoktor.ru/marikhuana-glaukome/
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Medical leech
Source: stolichki.ru
Leeches are blood-sucking ectoparasites that belong to the class of annelids. There are about 500 varieties of them, found in ponds in the wild. They cannot be treated. Doctors use special medicinal leeches, the benefits and harms of which are controlled when grown in laboratories.
They come in only two types:
- medicinal
- pharmacy
The medicinal leech has an oral cavity on the front sucker with three jaws, each of which has a hundred chitinous teeth. This worm has five pairs of eyes, excellent hearing and sense of smell. Thanks to this, the leech itself finds a place on the human skin with biologically active points.
They can combat acute attacks of increased intraocular pressure and significantly alleviate their condition.
- normalize blood supply to the eye;
- reduce eye pain;
- restore visual functions, even restore visual acuity.
When treating glaucoma, it is very important to restore microcirculation. It is leeches that can cope with this task, since their saliva is endowed with medicinal properties. It contains medicinal components that help cleanse the blood.
Their saliva contains specific substances that have an antibacterial effect. This fact indicates that saliva is sterile. Once it enters the human blood, it enriches it with 30 healing components. This has a beneficial effect on the entire human body.
One of these components is hirudin. It stops blood clotting. Due to this, blood circulation is normalized and lymph outflow is improved. Plus, tissues are renewed and cell growth improves. In rare cases, you may be allergic to this component.
Interesting to know!
Leeches bite in the places where they are needed, without making any mistakes. Hirudotherapy can be compared to acupuncture. The wound at the site of the bite will bleed within 24 hours, which is considered normal. Mostly lymph is released from the wound, which helps get rid of swelling.
The ability of leeches to restore microcirculation is extremely important for glaucoma. Bradykinins and histamine-like substances dilate blood vessels. Hirudin, destabilase and a number of other enzymes thin the blood and dissolve blood clots.
Hyaluronidase ensures better penetration of leech secretions into tissues. Apyrase cleanses blood vessels of cholesterol deposits. Eglins relieve inflammation. Kininase reduces pain.
The complex action of 200 biologically active substances stimulates a powerful drainage effect and outflow of intraocular fluid. Lymph microcirculation is restored, swelling subsides, and intraocular pressure is normalized.
Healing saliva of leeches
Saliva has a healing effect and contains healing components that cleanse the blood of harmful substances and decay products.
Special bacteria that make up saliva have an antibacterial effect, which allows saliva to remain sterile. When it bites through the skin, it releases saliva into the blood, containing more than 30 useful substances. This promotes venous outflow, as well as the normalization of all body functions.
A special substance hirudin, which is part of saliva, prevents blood clotting, thus improving blood circulation and accelerating the outflow of lymph. At the same time, there is also an improvement in cell growth and tissue renewal. Therefore, hirudotherapy is not recommended for cancer.
It is surprising that the leech bites the skin at reflexogenic points, as during acupuncture, accurately identifying the right places. After using them, the wound bleeds for about a day, which is considered normal. In this case, lymph is primarily released, which stimulates the body’s immunity and removes swelling.
Leeches on the eyes for glaucoma
Good day! My name is Khalisat Suleymanova - I am a herbalist. At the age of 28, I cured myself of uterine cancer with herbs (read more about my experience of recovery and why I became a herbalist here: My story).
Before being treated using traditional methods described on the Internet, please consult with a specialist and your doctor! This will save your time and money, since the diseases are different, the herbs and treatment methods are different, and there are also concomitant diseases, contraindications, complications, and so on.
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Glaucoma is a serious eye disease characterized by increased intraocular pressure and degenerative disorders of the retina, and subsequently blindness.
In one of our articles we talked about the use of ASD fraction 2 in eye treatment, and in this one we want to talk about the benefits of medical annelids. Leech treatment is used for many diseases, including the eyes.
Hirudotherapy for glaucoma fights acute attacks of increased intraocular pressure and alleviates the patient’s condition.
The benefits of hirudotherapy in the treatment of glaucoma
A special fluid circulates inside the eyes, which is stimulated by the ciliated epithelium of the eyes. It is in constant motion, washing the lens, cornea and iris. The volume of fluid is constant, and imbalance provokes increased intraocular pressure. If the norm is 24 mm, then this indicates pathology.
How leeches help:
- normalize blood supply;
- reduce pain impulses;
- restore visual functions.
In glaucoma, the main thing is microcirculation. It is the blood-sucking worms that cope with this task; their saliva has healing enzymes that purify the blood, and also includes components with an antibacterial effect. When the worm fluid enters the blood system, it enriches the body with thirty beneficial enzymes. This has a beneficial effect on the body.
INTERESTING fact: Leeches for high cholesterol and hemoglobin
The main substance is hirudin:
- inhibits blood clotting;
- normalizes blood circulation;
- improves lymph outflow;
- renews the epithelium;
- improves cellular growth;
- destroys blood clots in the vascular system,
- has anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects.
Destabilase has an anti-sclerotic effect, clears blood vessels of cholesterol. Eglin restores tissues and prevents their degradation in arthritis, gout and other pathologies of the skeletal system.
An interesting fact is that leeches bite in those places where it is necessary and do not make mistakes. Hirudotherapy is a kind of acupuncture. Leeches are placed on the points of the eyes where the nerve endings that are connected to organs and systems intersect.
Simple ways to treat complex diseases:
Treatment of glaucoma with leeches
Surgeon N.I. was the first to use worms in ophthalmology. Pirogov. He performed surgery and used a blood-sucking worm to prevent complications from surgery. Any operation is characterized by spasm of the eye muscles and blood vessels, which provokes various complications. Leech eliminates spasm and helps achieve quick recovery.
In Russia, two types of worms are used for medical purposes:
- medical, which occurs in nature and is grown in special factories under the supervision of specialists;
- pharmaceutical, bred by man.
INTERESTING fact: Leeches for stomach ulcers and gastritis
Placing leeches for glaucoma:
- in the area of the temporal zone, where the diseased organ is;
- in the area of the second cervical vertebra on both sides;
- behind or in front of the ear in the area of the lymph nodes.
The procedures require 3-5 units. Before the session, the skin is washed with boiled and warm liquid. The leeches should get enough and fall off on their own. After hirudotherapy, wounds remain on the skin. Places where leeches are applied for glaucoma may bleed for several hours.
You cannot pick off leeches. You just need to pour a pinch of salt, wait a little, then place them in settled water without impurities. At the end of the session, a bandage of gauze and cotton wool is applied to the wound. It is allowed to re-use the same worms individually at home after a long time. Used worms are disposed of in specialized clinics.
Why are worms placed under the eyes?
Leeches are widely used in ophthalmology. Hirudotherapy is effective in the treatment of diseases such as glaucoma, inflammatory processes of the vascular tract of the eye, and keratitis. Indications for the use of leeches are also eye injuries and increased intraocular pressure.
Many large ophthalmology clinics always have leeches. They are placed before operations to relieve pressure, after operations on the cornea, in case of retinal detachment, so that there is no rejection. Let's try to understand the question of why leeches are placed under the eyes and how the therapeutic effect occurs.
As a result of placing leeches in the eye area, the spasm of the eye muscles is relieved, the blood speed becomes higher and less viscosity - the visual apparatus receives nutrients and microelements, as well as oxygen.
As a result, the sharpness, clarity, and contrast of vision increase, color and light perception improves, which is recorded by objective medical devices. For chronic glaucoma, medicinal leeches help well.
European and Russian doctors a hundred and two hundred years ago actively applied leeches to normalize blood pressure, for concussions, apoplexy (stroke), injuries, and hysteria. Leeches were also used simply to strengthen the body, so it was common to place leeches in baths, barbers, etc.
The decline of hirudotherapy everywhere began several decades ago due to the development of medicinal medicine, and primarily antibiotics. Giving the patient the “right” pill turned out to be less burdensome for doctors than waiting for the medicinal leeches to stick in the right place, and then waiting for them to get enough.
After this, you still have to tinker with applying sterile bandages to the sites of leech bites. All these procedures required at least an hour.
Today, numerous cases of drug allergies have become the fourth most common disease in the world among other diseases. Therefore, today there is a growing interest in old, centuries-tested, natural methods of treatment, including hirudotherapy.
Recently, the treatment and prevention of eye diseases using the method of applying leeches has significantly increased its position. At the same time, amazing results are observed in the treatment of the inflammatory process of the vascular tract of the eyes, glaucoma, keratitis and many other eye diseases.
Typically, the areas for placing leeches in eye treatment are the peritemporal surface of the skin or behind the ear, and sometimes, as an addition, the liver area.
In case of glaucoma, it is useful to place leeches in the most optimal place for these purposes - in the paratemporal zone, at a distance of 2–2.5 cm from the border of the lateral incision of the eyes, along the midline.
The placement of leeches on the peritemporal zone of the eyes should only be performed by a professional, because this is a jewelry job. The container for placing leeches in the eye area can be an ordinary, but specially treated plastic syringe of optimal size.
Experience shows that this is the best and most well-controlled tool for pinpoint placement of leeches in the eye area and other parts of the human body.
Places where it is convenient for a leech to attach itself
There is a whole scheme for placing leeches. In case of glaucoma, the points where to place it are selected closer to the eyes:
- Peritemporal region from the side of the unhealthy eye;
- Anterior or posterior parotid lymph nodes;
- In the area under the eyes and above the eyebrow;
- At the base of the occipital bone.
Zones are added gradually after the next procedure. On average, a session lasts 40 minutes. During this time, the bloodsucker will collect enough blood and fall off. It happens that one does not want to leave you, then a specialist will remove it with a cotton pad or using salt. Be sure to treat the area with alcohol.
Most patients feel relief after 3-4 procedures, headaches and eye pain go away, you can notice that your vision has improved after 10 sessions, and even better, repeat them after six months.
You may be interested in: Is it possible to cure cataracts and glaucoma with folk remedies?
The principle of treating glaucoma with leeches
Source: glaucomacentr.ru
Despite the fact that leeches are located on human skin, they affect deep tissues. The hyaluronidase produced by them has the property of increasing the permeability and sensitivity of tissues.
By biting the skin and sucking blood, the worm gives back biologically active substances, among which hirudin is especially valued. It helps cleanse blood vessels.
Hirudotherapy session
No more than 7 leeches are usually used in one hirudotherapy session. Each of them sucks about 15 ml of blood. Use the leech only once. After the procedure, it is destroyed in acid. This eliminates the possibility of infection of the patient.
Wounds left by leeches may bleed within 24 hours after the session. This is considered normal, so there is no need to be alarmed. However, if bleeding does not stop after 24 hours, you should consult a doctor.
Medicines of the toothy doctor
Currently, substances have become known that provide a miracle effect and recovery. By thrusting its 270 teeth into you, the leech injects the following biochemical benefits with saliva:
- Hirudin is an enzyme that cleanses the blood vessels of the eye from stagnation, blood clots, and toxins. This is achieved by blocking thrombin and microscopic bleeding. The bonus is the renewal of blood throughout the body.
- Eglins are substances that act at the immunological level. They prevent inflammation.
- Destabilase is a biologically active substance that has the property of dissolving blood clots and thereby improving microcirculation in the vessels.
- Kallikrein inhibitor is an enzyme that “kills” pain.
Perhaps you have doubts: is it painful, or maybe even dangerous? The answer is no, because the bite carries analgesic substances that dull the pain and one leech is used to treat only one person. Therefore, there is no risk of becoming infected with anything (at least for a good specialist).
Hirudotherapy: benefit or harm
Hirudotherapy - the treatment of diseases with the help of medicinal leeches - is quite popular today. Usually, before the session, patients try to find out what the benefits and harms of a leech can be. Reviews of this treatment are often positive.
The effectiveness of hirudotherapy lies in the fact that the beneficial substances secreted by the worm go directly to the site of the disease. They have a resolving effect on scars and stagnant formations in tissues, and help reduce benign tumors and nodes.
The secretion produced by leeches is capable of breaking down fats and removing cholesterol. Thanks to this, hirudotherapy is used for weight loss, getting rid of cellulite and atherosclerosis.
The effectiveness of hirudotherapy
After leeches have been applied, glaucoma most often becomes less pronounced, and in the mild stage of the disease it goes away completely. This effect is explained by the fact that when leeches are placed at the sites of bites, a complex of active substances—polypeptides—that the leech secretes with saliva penetrates into the human body.
Many of them are injected in such small doses that they effectively “bypass” the body’s defense systems and actively act directly on vital centers. As a result, a powerful therapeutic effect is achieved.
Among the enzymes that the leech releases into the human blood are the following:
- Hirudin is a powerful thrombin blocker that affects protein coagulation, preventing the formation of blood clots. It is hirudin that helps eliminate venous stagnation, improve blood flow, eliminate microthrombi and cleanse blood vessels of toxins and waste.
- Destabilase is another enzyme that has a powerful anti-clotting effect.
- Eglins are substances that help reduce inflammation in tissues.
- Histamine-like components are substances that have a vasodilating effect.
- Orgelase is an enzyme that enhances the resorption of edema and helps smooth the inner walls of blood vessels, which helps normalize blood flow.
These and other substances that make up the saliva of leeches help lower blood pressure, improve blood flow, accelerate the removal of toxins from the body, improve the resorption of blood clots, and have an anti-inflammatory effect.
In addition, hirudotherapy for glaucoma also helps to reduce blood cholesterol levels and normalize metabolism, in particular fat metabolism.
Practice shows that hirudotherapy is effective at any stage of glaucoma development, including the chronic form of the disease. During acute attacks, one session is enough for the patient to feel a significant improvement, headaches and blurred vision disappear, and perception acuity improves.
Regular sessions of hirudotherapy also help improve metabolism in the tissues of the eye and reduce intraocular pressure (usually occurs after 2-3 sessions).
In order to consolidate the achieved result, the course of treatment can be repeated after 5-6 months; subsequently, it is recommended to carry out the course once a year to prevent relapse of the disease.
Hirudotherapy is highly effective due to several types of effects on the human body. The reflex action consists of the worm biting the skin in the right places. This effect is similar to acupuncture.
The mechanical effect is expressed in bloodletting, leading to the release of blood vessels. More oxygen and nutrients enter the blood. Thanks to this, blood pressure normalizes and pain in the area of the disease disappears.
The biological effect is the entry into the blood of leech saliva, which contains many useful substances of natural origin. They have a healing effect and improve the functioning of the body.
Hirudotherapy is extremely effective in the postoperative period of cataract extraction and antiglaucomatous operations, in acute or chronic diseases of inflammatory and vascular origin, in the treatment of eye burns.
Hirudotherapy has a positive effect on all forms, types and stages of glaucoma. It can be used once in case of decompensation of intraocular pressure, and as a course of treatment that improves the hydro- and hemodynamics of the eye, which leads to improved visual acuity. expansion of its fields, reduction in the size of the blind spot.
In two or maximum three sessions of hirudotherapy, it is possible to relieve corneal swelling and stop the inflammatory process, after which appropriate treatment with medications can be started. Already the first session with leeches brings a reduction in the size of the infiltrate and its cleansing.
Leeches turn out to be an indispensable means of assistance for pregnant women, because most medications are contraindicated for them. And hirudotherapy sometimes remains the only means that can really help when medications, including antibiotics, cannot be used.
Depending on the duration of the disease and its characteristics, the required number of sessions is prescribed. Usually three or four are enough; as a rule, 2 - 3 leeches are placed per session, which are removed soon after suction.
This procedure is incredibly effective. For example, with iridocyclitis, there is a decrease in ciliary pain and swelling of the iris. The effect of mydriatics is enhanced. the posterior synechiae rupture and the pupil sharply dilates. With iridocyclitis accompanied by hypertension, IOP decreases.
In case of uveitis, thanks to hirudotherapy, the amount of precipitates present in the vitreous body decreases. the formation of rough strands, which subsequently become the cause of tractional retinal detachment, stops.
Important
For chorioretinitis, hirudotherapy sessions are recommended to begin immediately after diagnosis of the disease. Complex treatment coupled with drug therapy leads to a rapid reduction in the area of retinal edema, objectively manifested by a decrease in the size of the scotoma and an increase in visual acuity.
Hirudotherapy sessions as a component of the treatment of optic neuritis help reduce pain, increase visual acuity, help reduce the size of the scotoma, blind spot, and also expand the field of vision.
Leeches are practically irreplaceable in cases of acute obstruction of the vessels of the retina or optic nerve, which occurs due to vasospasm or thrombosis. They can be used urgently or routinely.
In addition, indications for hirudotherapy are subretinal hemorrhages and partial or complete hemophthalmos. The cure time is reduced by almost three times compared to using standard methods.
Text of the book “Hirudotherapy. Encyclopedia of treatment with medicinal leeches"
Chapter 15. Eye diseases
There is a good saying: “The age of a person is the age of his blood vessels.”
What kind of vessels do modern people have? Alas, we live in times of cardiovascular diseases, which also occupy the sad first place in mortality. The blood of a modern person is thick and viscous, the vessels have very little lumen for the passage of blood flow. The walls of the vessels are damaged, and blood clots and protein conglomerates “walk” along them. The vessels are narrowed and spasmed - both from stress and from lifestyle. Does this affect the blood vessels of the eyes? Of course, they are directly related to the general human vascular system. In addition, in the age of computers, we have additional strain on our eyes. Wear of blood vessels leads to sclerosis - they stick together. Blood circulation is disrupted, namely the normal transport of blood to the eye - a necessary condition for its health. Structure of the eye
The most common problem with which people come to me about the eyes is not even a loss of vision, but thrombosis of the retinal vessels - impaired blood circulation in the human eye, blockage of the veins, which can lead to complete blindness if no effort is made. This disease occurs in people who lead a sedentary lifestyle, do not bother brewing herbal teas and drinking enough clean water, do not change anything in their diet for years, do not help their health in any way to withstand the onslaught of modern stress, and then are very surprised that injections and pills do not help. or help poorly.
A person with any eye disease first needs to put in order the liver and lymphatic system - the body’s cleansing organs, which themselves have long been clogged and no longer clean anything. Then - blood, because without normal blood flow it is not only impossible to remove the diagnosis, but not even to achieve sustainable positive dynamics. Remember that it is exercise that makes the blood move better, and also pass through the liver more often and be cleansed. In addition, movements, even light and calm, voluntary, to your favorite music, relieve vasospasm. Eye exercises are especially important, according to ophthalmologist professor Zhdanov. The eye muscle, like any other muscle, can atrophy, and the eye may not have enough blood volume to remove toxins and bring in nutrients - all this brings and takes away blood.
Leech saliva contains exactly the substances that the eyes need. Hirudin has not only antithrombotic, but also thrombolytic effects - it effectively thins the blood, reducing its viscosity. The destabilase complex promotes intensive cleavage of E-lysine bonds in stabilized fibrin. As a result, the blood thins and the process of thrombus formation is inhibited. Hyaluronidase affects the degree of breakdown of connective tissue and the penetration of useful substances into systems and organs, and is of great importance in diseases and complications associated with scarring and adhesions. Other substances remove inflammation, disinfect and, most importantly, relieve spasm of the eye vessels. Even after surgical interventions, it is spasm that leads to postoperative complications - during spasm, medications do not reach the damaged area, blood does not participate well in recovery, and metabolic processes that are so necessary at this moment are disrupted. Therefore, many ophthalmology clinics use leeches both during conservative treatment and after surgical interventions. For example, the Moscow Ophthalmological Hospital uses leeches with high effect.
Hirudotherapy is used after laser intervention: when intraocular pressure increases, leeches, along with spasm, remarkably relieve eye pressure.
Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases characterized by a constant or periodic increase in intraocular pressure with the subsequent development of typical visual field defects, decreased visual acuity and optic nerve atrophy. It is clear that it is unlikely that it will be possible to completely cure glaucoma with leeches, but significant relief and positive dynamics for such patients are also very important. Already 30–40 minutes after applying the leeches, severe pain radiating to the temple and eye, vomiting, nausea almost completely disappear, and visibility improves from “foggy” to more distinct. Hirudotherapy helps with all forms, types and stages of glaucoma.
Leeches will also help with corneal swelling and eye burns. They will stop inflammation and relieve spasm for the action of medications.
With iridocyclitis (inflammatory diseases of the anterior part of the choroid, which includes the iris and ciliary body), there is a decrease in eye pain and swelling of the iris. When purulent infections are attached, the leech promotes high-quality cleansing, since the leech saliva is bactericidal, antibacterial and increases phagocytosis.
With uveitis (inflammation of the choroid of the eye (uveal tract), inflammation and the formation of rough strands stop, which over time can cause retinal detachment.
Leeches will also help with many other eye diseases. Candidate of Medical Sciences, practicing physician, head of the Hirudotherapy Training Center in Moscow Konstantin Vasilievich Sukhov in the book “Treatment with Medical Leeches” writes: “An objective examination reveals an increase in visual acuity, a decrease in the area of the blind spot in most patients. The maximum reduction in intraocular pressure is observed three hours after hemorrhage using medicinal leeches. The use of medicinal leeches is especially effective in acute attacks of glaucoma. A decrease in intraocular pressure as a result of the use of medicinal leeches also occurs in the other eye, but to a lesser extent.”
Representatives from 19 countries attended the congress of hirudotherapists in Moscow in September 2014. Many of them talked about victories over eye diseases with the help of leeches.
Particularly impressive results were shown on video by Dr. Gina Nindor Janardhanan (Gina N.J.) - a practicing physician, associate professor, head. Department of Ophthalmology and ENT Diseases, Ayurvedic College, Kottakkal (Kerala) and member of the faculty of the University of Calcutta, India. Conducts practical work in the department of ophthalmology and ENT diseases of the State Ayurvedic College, Trivandrum. Experience in the practical application of hirudotherapy as a method of treating diseases in ophthalmology and ENT diseases - 10 years with a planned practical load of up to 70-100 patients per day. The main idea of Professor Gina N.J. was simple: leeches can cure a huge number of even complex and advanced eye diseases, but it’s even better to use them prophylactically and prevent these diseases.
It remains to add a few words for those who do not have serious diagnoses, but are concerned about decreased vision, eye fatigue, frequent bursting of eye vessels, swelling and other abnormalities. The medical leech will restore blood circulation in the eyeball and eye vessels, the removal of toxins and the delivery of necessary microelements will begin. By relieving spasm and intraocular pressure, blood transport will increase, congestion will gradually pass, and vision will begin to improve. Terrible diseases and diagnoses will be postponed for several years, and with constant annual diagnosis and a comprehensive health restoration system, they will not threaten to appear at all. For a faster effect of restoring vision, I can recommend Professor Zhdanov’s eye gymnastics - it is available on the Internet and, according to reviews, works wonders. If you don’t have time to search, then do at least the simplest exercises - it’s much better than a completely atrophied eye muscle.
1. Close your eyes and open your eyes wide 5-7 times.
2. Eye movements in a circle in both directions - 5 times, slowly.
3. Eye movements diagonally - in the corners of the room, down and up, 3-5 times.
4. Close your eyes and press your fingers onto the brow ridge and around the eyes.
5. Eye movements left-right, 5-7 times.
6. Select a far point (outside the window) and a near one (on a curtain or furniture) - move your eyes from one to the other 5-7 times.
7. Rub your palms thoroughly to warm them up.
8. Close your eyes and cover them with your palms for 1–2 minutes.
After a course of hirudotherapy, during particularly prolonged eye strain, I recommend using “Innox blue drops” at night - a wonderful natural remedy that relieves fatigue and irritation, as well as a vitamin and strengthening agent.
Application of leeches for eye diseases
If you need urgent help, place leeches immediately in the eye area - a little, 1 pc. on each side (per session – 2 pcs.). If time is of the essence, then it is better to start with the liver and the general course - in this case you will be fully protected from post-additional edema and swelling.
The eye area consists of the mastoid processes (the lower corner of the bone behind the ears), as well as the bones between the eye and temple. Don’t “miss” - if you place it close to the eye, the eye will swell a little. This is not dangerous, but an unnecessary experience for the patient.
Example.
Woman 57 years old. A year ago I felt that my right eye was seeing through some kind of spot. I went to the doctor and was diagnosed with “thrombosis of the branches of the venous trunk.” Bleeding in the eye. His vision is poor and blurry. I took injections, took pills, now I’m taking drops - everything that the doctor prescribes, but there are no results yet. The doctor recommended several applications of leeches, and then surgery. On visual examination, the eyes were swollen and red. In addition, there are almost constant headaches, constipation, slightly elevated blood pressure (he has been taking blood pressure pills for many years) and tachycardia. He doesn't drink water, only tea and coffee. He eats “like everyone else.” There is no excess weight.
I didn’t take any risks - the productions started from the general course. To “reach” the eye faster, they applied it twice a week. Immediately we included herbal medicine (hazel leaf, meadowsweet, chestnut blossom, fireweed tea are especially important), fungotherapy, first Duphalac for the intestines, then “green” cocktails. My blood pressure and pulse normalized, my constipation went away, the leeches began to fall off on their own after 45 minutes, and I started delivering them to the eye area. First - the mastoid processes, then - near both eyes, then returned to the neck, liver, mastoid processes and again directly near the eyes. Result: the redness has disappeared completely, there is no swelling, the foggy spot has decreased, and vision has improved. I recommended making further decisions with a doctor, and continuing the comprehensive system of restoring the body. The patient is satisfied and decided to talk to the doctor to wait with the operation and repeat the course of hirudotherapy after a break. He hopes that surgery will not be needed at all.
Chapter 16. Headache, migraine
No matter what diagnoses patients come to me with, rarely does any of them complain of a headache or migraine. Rare or frequent, strong or weak, but most people suffer from headaches. What’s interesting is that when I sum up the results at the end of the course and the patient and I do a “revision” of the initial complaints, most of them, when I ask: “Did you often have headaches before, how do you do now?”, they answer: “I don’t remember, I haven’t had a headache for a long time.” “I didn’t get sick during the course,” and after the course, the frequency and intensity of headaches and migraines drop, and after a year of regular work they practically disappear. Why this happens - let's figure it out.
A common headache, mild or moderate, according to scientists, occurs due to increased muscle tone in the head and neck area.
Most often, sudden headaches are caused by infection, colds, fever, inflammation of the paranasal sinuses, inflammation of the mucous membrane of the larynx, or inflammation of the middle ear. Headaches can also be caused by head trauma, stress, alcohol abuse and smoking (even passive smoking), irregular diet, and sleep disturbances. Sometimes they can even be caused by junk food (for example, sprats or smoked meats), general fatigue and even a change in weather.
Migraine, or severe headache, is caused by narrowing of the arteries of the brain or congenital vascular disorders in its areas. The concept of “migraine” is defined by attacks of intense headache of a pulsating nature and is more likely not a disease, but a functional disorder, which is based on a violation of the regulation of vascular tone. The pain recurs periodically, is localized mainly in one half of the head, mainly in the orbital-frontotemporal region, and may be accompanied by nausea, vomiting, poor tolerance of bright light and loud sounds. After passing the attack, the person feels exhausted and lethargic.
The reasons usually also include food (chocolate, some types of cheese, alcohol, foods containing yeast) or, conversely, hunger. Lack of sleep or excess sleep (“weekend migraine”), disturbance of the rhythm of sleep and wakefulness. More often than others - emotions - anxiety, stress, and the attack begins not when a stressful situation arises, but when it passes. It doesn’t matter whether it’s joy or worry. Migraine is a post-effect of an experience or overly emotional thoughts. Under stress, the brain seems to be focused on perceiving a threat and countering it. At the same time, to ensure the necessary activity, hormonal regulation is activated, which leads to an increase in muscle and vascular tone. In a situation of chronic stress, an “imbalance” of regulatory mechanisms occurs, which can also manifest itself in the form of vegetative crises - migraines become frequent and prolonged. Hormonal changes – in 35% of women suffering from migraines. An attack of pain can be caused by menstruation, menopause, pregnancy, or taking hormonal contraceptives (in 60–80% of patients, attacks become more severe). In 60–70% of patients, it is possible to establish the hereditary nature of migraine (as hereditary abnormalities or features of the vascular system of the brain).
Headaches, and especially migraines, can have complications, especially if a person is on painkillers and does not make any further efforts to heal. In this case, the development of the disease is possible - from chronicity of the process to epileptic seizures. Therefore, headaches and migraines must be treated in order to prevent relapses, especially if it is a hereditary factor, and gradually put the vascular and nervous system in order.
Leech saliva contains enzymes that strengthen the vascular wall - it becomes stronger and more resistant to irritants, does not narrow so quickly and does not react to such “trifles” as a change in weather or noise outside the window.
Treatment consists of two directions: stopping the attack and carrying out preventive therapy. It makes sense to use analgesics and antispasmodics at the very beginning, before severe pain appears. But, as a rule, taking any pills is carried out already at the peak of pain, which is ineffective. Therefore, prevention is of greater importance in the fight against migraine. It is hirudotherapy that will provide us with long-term and effective prevention.
“Local blood loss, which develops as a result of both blood extraction by the leech and subsequent bleeding, leads to some tissue anemia. As a compensatory reaction, blood flows into the attachment area. It is also impossible to exclude the effect of leech saliva secretion, which has a local vasodilator effect. In cases where this zone has a large passive venous capacity (sacrococcygeal and, to a slightly lesser extent, hepatic), blood is deposited in the veins. This is what determines the redistribution of circulating blood. If there are areas in the body with stagnant blood circulation, the above-described redistribution of blood leads to a decrease in stagnation in them” (GOU VPO MMA named after I.M. Sechenov).
“The biologically active substances produced by the leech have the ability to relieve vasospasm, increasing the supply of tissues with oxygen and other nutrients, expand them, reducing blood pressure, and have anti-edematous and analgesic effects. Leeches also have an anti-atherosclerotic effect due to the restoration of impaired blood circulation, increased blood circulation in the arteries, lymph vessels and venous system, improvement of fat metabolism, while reducing the tendency of the vascular wall to damage. An extremely important feature of hirudotherapy is the elimination of disrupted intersystem interactions in the body, which cannot be achieved by any means or methods of chemotherapy” (GOU VPO MMA named after I.M. Sechenov, Department of Normal Physiology).
Professor, Doctor of Medical Sciences, neurologist of the highest qualification category Naprienko Margarita Valentinovna, Moscow State Medical University named after. THEM. Sechenova, author of more than 55 scientific papers on the treatment of headaches, senior researcher at the Department of Non-Drug Treatment Methods and Clinical Physiology, in her article “Hirudotherapy in the treatment of chronic migraine” gives an example of a clinical study of the treatment of migraines and headaches using hirudotherapy:
“The majority of patients with chronic forms of primary headaches (headaches) are patients with “chronic tension headache” (CTH) (15.3%) and “chronic migraine” (CM) (78%) [Akarachkova E.S. et al., 2007].
Objective: to evaluate the effect of hirudotherapy on cerebral blood flow in patients with chronic migraine.
Material and methods. The objects of dynamic observation and research were 81 patients of the Headache Clinic of Academician A. Wayne. In all patients, the effect of therapy on the state of cerebral blood flow was assessed using Dopplerography of extracranial vessels before and after treatment. The study was carried out using the Companion apparatus using standard methods. Blood flow in the vertebrobasilar system was assessed: speed indicators (average and maximum systolic speed) of blood flow through the vertebral arteries in the V-3 segment, the presence of extravagant influences on blood flow through the vertebral arteries, as well as the presence and severity of venous discirculation in the vertebral plexuses.
The clinical effectiveness of hirudotherapy (HT+RT) in the complex treatment of patients was assessed and the results of treatment were compared with a control group receiving standard drug therapy (DT), which included the administration of the tricyclic antidepressant amitriptyline. For GT, 5–10 leeches were used, procedures were carried out 2–3 times a week, the course included 10 procedures.
Results. The results of ultrasonography of extracranial vessels in the therapeutic groups were as follows: in the CM subgroup (HT+LT) there was a significant increase in blood flow velocity. Indicators of venous discirculation during ultrasound examination in therapeutic groups reflected the positive effect of HT in the complex treatment of CM. The percentage of “severe” disorders in the CM subgroup (HT+RT) significantly decreased and amounted to 12% after treatment (before treatment – 44%).
Conclusions. Thus, the results of the study indicate a pronounced positive effect of hirudotherapy on all manifestations of the vascular factor, such as blood flow speed, peripheral resistance indices, vascular elasticity index, the presence of extravasal influence and the severity of venous discirculation in chronic migraine.”
Therefore, you shouldn’t wait for a new attack of headache or migraine - it’s time to start restoring the vascular system, at least to the extent possible. I usually do not undertake to guarantee the immediate and complete disappearance of attacks, but I can confidently predict positive dynamics. Before applying leeches, if possible, trace and eliminate the causes of migraines - this could be unacceptable employment, hormonal pills, stressful living conditions, etc. Remember that a migraine attack is completely relieved by short but deep sleep, and strong green tea often interrupts a migraine attack. Valerian drops and a warm bath with valerian and oregano provide immediate relief for many. Hot hand or foot baths also help. Herbal medicine, when used regularly, is very effective. Drink a decoction of dogwood fruits instead of tea. Try a cup of strong hot tea with the addition of mint, or even better - a mixture of mint, oregano, and thyme. It is useful to massage the head from the forehead to the back of the head, neck, adjacent neck muscles - remember gently with both hands at the same time. Prevention of migraines includes walking in the fresh air for at least an hour a day, eating well and sleeping, quitting smoking, spicy foods and chocolate. It is useful to sleep with access to fresh air. Be sure to check your back - if there are hernias and protrusions in the cervical spine, treatment will be less effective than it could be, and attacks will be more frequent. Sign up for a swimming pool, take a massage course and a course with an osteopath (these are different specialists with different goals and skills).
Application of leeches for headaches and migraines
Treatment areas for migraines and headaches (after the general course or alternately with the general course): mastoid processes behind the ears, coccyx, sacrum, neck and interscapular region of the spine, border of the scalp, angles of the lower jaw, thyroid gland, liver.
Example.
The patient is 51 years old. I suffer from constant headaches during the day, and during sleep the left half of my face goes numb. The ENT doctor found no abnormalities in the ear, the blood pressure was normal, and the MRI of the brain was normal. The neck often hurts, and the lymph nodes around the neck are inflamed. Sleeps poorly due to neck pain. Sometimes - constipation. Massage of the collar area did not help, I almost constantly take pentalgin, it helps less and less, and after it I feel sick for a long time. He doesn’t see any dependence on food or stress.
We started work with a general course twice a week. We agreed to immediately include herbal medicine, water and green smoothies. The constipation went away almost immediately and I began to sleep better. Thanks to the lymphatic phytotherapeutic collection, the swollen lymph nodes began to gradually decrease. They did an MRI of the cervical spine - protrusion and a small hernia. We immediately had four sessions with an osteopath and began doing special exercises to strengthen the neck muscles. My neck stopped hurting after the first osteopathic session. To correct hormonal levels, we drink Endonorm. What’s interesting is that everything ended in a classic way: to my question at the end of the course about headaches, she smiled and answered, like most patients: “I don’t remember the last time I was sick, I haven’t been sick for a long time, it doesn’t hurt at all, thank you.”
Where to put it?
Leeches are placed on the temple on the side of the affected eye, to the right and left of the 2nd cervical vertebra, behind the ear and in front of the ear in the area of the lymph nodes. Up to 5 worms are used in one session.
The first procedure lasts 30 minutes, after which the leeches are removed using an alcohol swab. Subsequent sessions are carried out until the worms are completely saturated. The duration of the course can be up to 10 procedures with an interval of 5 days.
Put:
- in the temple area on the side of the unhealthy eye;
- in the area of the second cervical vertebra on the right or left side;
- in the area of the lymph nodes behind or in front of the ear.
Five pieces are taken for one procedure. The first session lasts about half an hour. The following procedures should be carried out until completely filled. The entire course of treatment consists of 10 procedures with a five-day interval.
Performing the procedure: 3 to 5 worms are placed in the temple area on the side of the affected eye. Before this, the skin should be washed with boiled warm water. The use of alcohol is prohibited. Afterwards, the skin is wiped with sugar syrup or 40% glucose solution.
The worms are placed in a glass. The glass is turned over the desired area (temple or behind the ear) on the side of the unhealthy eye. It’s worth waiting until they start to stick and pour. Next, the glass is removed.
The leeches should suck blood and fall off on their own. They will leave small wounds on the skin that will bleed for a short period of time.
There are cases when all fall away, but one remains. You just need to sprinkle salt on it and it will fall off on its own. It is not recommended to tear off leeches by force. At the end of the procedure, a cotton-gauze bandage should be applied to the wound.
You need to sprinkle a small amount of salt on the used ones, wait until they release blood and immerse them in pure, settled water. Reuse of the same worms is allowed. There should be an interval of 5 days between procedures. The course can be repeated after one month.
For basic safety, leeches for glaucoma should only be placed by a highly qualified specialist in the field of hirudotherapy.
It is better to place leeches before meals in the first half of the day (for example, from 9 to 12 am), when the biological activity of the human body is at its peak. Usually, for glaucoma, one leech is placed on one place on the face.
As the leech “works out”, it will either by itself or by force (bring a cotton swab moistened with alcohol to the leech’s body) “fall off” from the bite site. Typically, the time of active “work” of a leech during hirudotherapy for glaucoma ranges from 20 to 40 minutes.
Apply cotton pads lightly moistened with alcohol to the bite site and press them firmly against the body. There must be a local pressure bandage in the area of the leech bite to avoid unnecessary excessive release of blood, more precisely, lymph with capillary blood.
In the area of the temporal zone of the eyes, droplets of blood after a leech bite can last from one to several hours. After applying leeches for 6–8 hours, it is advisable to lead a more passive lifestyle than usual and not physically strain.
Interesting
Leeches as a stable biological species formed on Earth several million years ago. Today, leeches have retained their individuality, characteristic of life on Earth millions of years ago.
Today, leeches, as before, produce in their bodies a whole complex of biological enzymes that are perfectly balanced for survival, which today have practically disappeared from living nature on Earth.
When a leech is placed and “worked” at the site of the bite, a unique balanced complex of biologically active substances is actively released into the human body with saliva, including a number (several dozen) of vital enzymes, which are the key to successful treatment of glaucoma.
Penetrating into the bloodstream, the enzymes in leech saliva enter into biochemical reactions with the liquid medium of the blood and perform their therapeutic functions. The most studied enzymes include:
- Hirudin – thrombin inhibitor (blocker)
Hirudin is a thrombin inhibitor (blocker) that affects the coagulation of the fibrinogen protein, which prevents platelet aggregation and the formation of blood clots. When a leech bites, the enzyme hirudin continuously enters the human body in large quantities with its saliva.
Hirudin causes local capillary bleeding, which eliminates venous stagnation and increases local and general blood flow. Hirudin temporarily prevents blood clotting; it literally flushes all the smallest blood vessels in and around the eye of toxins and microthrombi.
The general blood circulation in the body is activated, thus forcing the affected organs of vision to be cleansed of stagnant and infected blood. The blood itself is partially renewed throughout the body, the work of the hematopoietic organs is stimulated, and the body’s defenses are significantly increased.
- Destabilase
Destabilase – contains antistasin, decorzin, viburnum, eglin. Taken together, all these components have antithrombic (anti-clotting) and thrombolysis (dissolving blood clots) properties.
- Hyaluronidase
Hyaluronidase is an enzyme that breaks down hyaluronic acid, which is part of connective tissue. Hyaluronidase is also found in the secretions of human testes, male animals, and the venoms of some insects and snakes.
The dissolution of hyaluronic acid promotes more active penetration of various substances into the human body, including medicinal ones, and prevents the formation of rough scars from various types of wounds (for example, keloid scars). The drugs lidase and ronidase were created based on this enzyme.
- Orgelase
Orgelase is an enzyme that promotes the formation of new capillaries (small vessels), which accelerates the resorption of edema, smoothes the internal walls of blood vessels for normal fluid flow, which is very important for microcirculation in sick and healthy eye tissues.
- Eglins
Eglins are a group of polypeptides that help reduce inflammatory reactions in tissues.
- Kininase
Kininase – destroys kinins (the chemical “base” of pain).
- Histamine-like substances
Histamine-like substances are antispasmodic (vasodilator) agents.
To briefly summarize the effect of some biological components of leech saliva on the human body, we can say that the components of the leech salivary gland secretion have a hypotensive effect, reduce lymphostasis in the capillaries of the eyes, and improve the removal of toxins and waste from the bloodstream.
Contraindications for the treatment of glaucoma
Source: glaucomacentr.ru
Leeches are contraindicated in case of tumors, anemia, low blood pressure, pregnancy, 3 months after cesarean section.
Sometimes after a session, itching, redness, and body temperature appear at the site of the bite. Symptoms indicate activation of the immune system and disappear within 7 days. The more polluted the body, the brighter the “side effects”. After a week, treatment is resumed.
Hirudotherapy is a safe treatment method. However, it also has some contraindications.
Hirudotherapy cannot be performed in the following cases:
- the presence of cancer cells in the body (oncological diseases);
- with anemia;
- for hemophilia;
- with low blood pressure;
- pregnant women and women who have undergone a caesarean section;
- in case of individual intolerance to these worms: after the first procedure, the presence of elevated temperature, manifestation of allergies (sneezing, runny nose, lacrimation, swelling and redness in the area of the skin where the leech was, eye pain);
- for blood clotting disorders.
Sometimes after a session, itching, redness, and body temperature appear at the site of the bite. Symptoms indicate activation of the immune system and disappear within 7 days. The more polluted the body, the brighter the “side effects”. After a week, treatment is resumed.
Hirudotherapy is contraindicated in hemophilia (poor blood clotting). There are very rare cases of individual intolerance to leeches. In these cases, the temperature may rise and a general allergic reaction may occur with a runny nose, sneezing, and burning eyes.
And around the place where the leech was located, large swelling and local redness with a diameter of up to 10 cm may appear. Then hirudotherapy should be canceled and, perhaps, the patient should be offered to use medications based on leeches.
Unfortunately, in unfavorable environmental conditions, the number of people prone to drug and other allergies has increased. Therefore, such people should consult their doctor before being treated with leeches.
Note. In most older people, especially women, after the first sessions of placing leeches on the paratemporal area under the eye below, an impressively sized lesion of yellowish-red skin color appears.
After the fourth session of applying leeches, the color of the skin near the eyes is normalized (this indicates the normalization of capillary blood circulation in this area) and remains almost unchanged. In older people, small papillomas near the eyes may disappear, which also indicates a positive effect of hirudotherapy.
To consolidate the positive effect of getting rid of glaucoma, the course of hirudotherapy can be repeated after six months. And then conduct this course once a year. And you will forever forget that you were once tormented by glaucoma, threatening with blindness.