Arthritis is one of the disabling joint diseases that affects not only the physical body, but also the quality of life. Chronic joint arthritis can be harmful to a person, especially if it affects weight-bearing joints. There are many medications available to relieve pain and swelling, but sometimes this is not enough. Additionally, there are also many treatments available, such as heat treatments and therapy, to help with arthritis symptoms, but they don't actually reduce pain in the long term. One of the oldest and most therapeutic methods of treating this disease is treatment with leeches.
How are leeches useful for arthritis?
Treatment with leeches reduces inflammation at the site of the disease.
The saliva of medicinal leeches contains several useful enzymes that have a beneficial effect on the human body:
- apyrase – lowers cholesterol levels, has an anti-sclerotic effect;
- bdellin - proteins that reduce blood clotting;
- bradykinins – relieve inflammation;
- hirudin – prevents the formation of blood clots;
- destabilase – helps eliminate blood clots;
- hyaluronidase – prevents the formation of scar tissue;
- orgelase – relieves swelling, improves blood circulation;
- aeglins – have an anti-inflammatory effect;
- kininase – relieves pain.
When treated with leeches, the reduction of the inflammatory focus occurs due to the complex action of these biologically active substances. They act like full-fledged medications, but do not cause side effects such as addiction or decreased immune defense.
Order of conduct
In some cases, enzymes secreted by leeches can cause local allergic reactions, but the inflammatory process can still be eliminated. In such cases, it is recommended to increase the intervals between sessions. However, if systemic allergic reactions occur, the procedure must be stopped for at least 9 months. Before resuming hirudotherapy, the attending physician examines the knee to find out where exactly the leeches need to be applied.
For various joint diseases, different techniques are used. Basically, worms are placed on 4 points called knee eyes
When choosing a place to place leeches, the following factors are taken into account:
- It is necessary to use points that, when pressed, cause particularly severe pain.
- The search for active areas is carried out by palpation.
The effectiveness of hirudotherapy for arthritis depends on the position of the joint at the time of the procedure. It is necessary to find places with the most dense subcutaneous tissue. Only on these areas can leeches be placed. Gonarthrosis is often accompanied by the appearance of osteophytes. In such cases, the worms must stick to the skin located above these growths.
Why are more and more people resorting to hirudotherapy? The fact is that it is the most effective way to get rid of unpleasant sensations. Inflammatory processes after such treatment are less intense, and over time they completely disappear. The enzymes that make up leech saliva have a beneficial effect not only on the affected areas, but also on the entire body. One of the beneficial substances is called hyaluronidase. It is involved in the breakdown reactions of hyaluronic acid and its compounds. When the enzyme enters, tissue permeability increases and vital functions of the body are restored.
Leech saliva has a pronounced anti-inflammatory effect on the affected areas of cartilage. That is why the patients’ condition improves after just 1 session. Against the background of hirudotherapy, cell restoration processes are resumed, and the body rejuvenates. The enzymes secreted by leeches also have an analgesic effect. The pain becomes less intense or disappears altogether. After the course of treatment the following are restored:
- immune functions;
- blood supply to tissues improves.
Treatment of rheumatoid arthritis with leeches
The use of leeches for rheumatoid arthritis helps restore microcirculation
Having attached itself to the skin, the leech creates a special capillary shunt, through which not only blood is drawn out, but also a healing effect is transmitted. Leeches for arthritis have a targeted effect precisely on the lesion, which enhances the therapeutic effect.
The therapeutic effect of using leeches for rheumatoid arthritis is created thanks to the secretion released along with saliva - hirudin. This substance helps restore microcirculation and normalize nutrition of the damaged joint. It resolves blood clots, strengthens the walls of blood vessels and helps relieve pain, which forces a person to immobilize the affected limb, which leads to muscle atrophy.
How the disease develops
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease, that is, associated with a malfunction of the immune system. In arthritis, immune cells mistakenly mistake joint cells for foreign elements - viruses, bacteria - and try to destroy them. This process continues for years..
Often the disease begins with damage to the knee joint. At the beginning of the disease, the patient feels weak, unwell, loses appetite, loses weight, and the temperature can rise to 37-39 degrees. In this case, joint problems fade into the background or are completely absent. As the disease develops, more and more joints are involved in the process, and after treatment of exacerbations, the joints become less mobile and deformed.
Over time, symptoms associated with damage to internal organs and systems appear: lungs, heart, blood vessels, kidneys, eyes, salivary glands. With rheumatoid polyarthritis, dense subcutaneous nodules often form.
Indications
Leeches are used both for arthritis of large joints and inflammation of small joints
Hirudotherapy is used to treat a wide range of pathologies of the musculoskeletal system:
- rheumatoid arthritis;
- gout;
- reactive arthritis;
- psoriatic arthritis;
- Bechterew's disease (ankylosing spondylitis);
- scleroderma;
- osteochondrosis;
- rheumatism;
- septic arthritis;
- arthrosis;
- osteoporosis;
Leeches are used both for arthritis of large joints: knee, hip, shoulder and ankle, and for inflammation of small joints of the fingers and toes.
What joint diseases are treated with leeches?
Hirudotherapy treats the following joint problems:
- arthrosis (knee, hip, elbow, shoulder), (treatment of arthrosis with leeches)
- arthritis, (treatment of arthritis with leeches)
- deformation of joints due to gout,
- polyarthritis.
You can sign up for a hirudotherapy session in Odintsovo by calling us by phone or sending an application online.
Contraindications
It is recommended to undergo hirudotherapy only under the supervision of a physician.
Hirudotherapy for arthritis has a number of contraindications:
- pregnancy and lactation;
- exhaustion;
- hypotension;
- anemia;
- allergy to leech saliva enzymes;
- poor blood clotting;
- pathologies that increase the risk of bleeding.
Despite the fact that medicinal leeches can be purchased and used independently, it is recommended to undergo a course of hirudotherapy only under the supervision of a physician.
Leeches and arthritis
Our joints need synovial fluid to move freely and painlessly. The articular surfaces of the bones that make up the joint are lined with lubricating membranes. Small membraneous sacs, or bursae, are found in the space between the bones of most joints. These membranes lining joints are known as synovial membranes because they secrete synovial lubricating fluid. People with arthritis have less synovial fluid, causing pain when moving. The edges of the bones as well as the cartilage also deteriorate, adding fragility to the painful joint. This causes inflammation due to tissue damage, and long-term, untreated arthritis can lead to deformities.
Methodology of procedures
The effectiveness of the procedure depends on compliance with the rules for placing leeches
Hirudotherapy for rheumatoid arthritis and other forms of joint inflammation begins with diagnosis: the doctor examines the affected joint, determining the points where leeches should be placed. As a rule, experts use four main points - “knee eyes”. When choosing the most suitable places for placing a leech, the doctor first of all focuses on the points where the pain syndrome is especially strong and is detected by palpation.
When treating gout with leeches, the specialist looks for places where the subcutaneous tissue is thick enough. And in people with arthrosis, leeches are usually placed on the characteristic protruding bones on the joints.
There are two main methods of using medicinal leeches:
- Aspiration method or hemorrhage. This technique involves the use of a small number of leeches, which are allowed to drink their fill of human blood. This is an old treatment developed over 3000 years ago.
- The second method was developed just sixty years ago by Dr. Abduladze. Its essence lies in the fact that the leeches are taken away from the damaged area immediately after the bite, when its body begins to make characteristic movements. The effectiveness of the technique is explained by the fact that the release of medicinal substances occurs at the moment of the bite. The method is convenient in that it allows therapy with a large number of leeches - up to 20 at a time.
The effectiveness and invasiveness of the procedure directly depends on compliance with the rules for placing leeches. Their landing must be carried out at strictly defined points. To solve this problem, a test-tube shrinkage method is used, directing the leech to the desired area without causing anxiety and reflexive movements in it, which can harm the accuracy of shrinkage. After the leech has attached itself, a small piece of sterile cotton wool is placed under its body. This is necessary to get rid of excess fluid that may cause discomfort to the patient, and also to prevent the leech from touching the skin with the suction cup.
To obtain the desired therapeutic effect, the leech must absorb a certain volume of blood, after which it falls off the skin on its own. If during the procedure she stops sucking blood, the process is stimulated by gently touching her back with a cotton swab. If this does not help and the leech falls off ahead of time, a new one is put in its place.
Each leech is used only once on one patient.
The number of leeches installed and the duration of the procedure are determined individually by the specialist, based on the form and severity of the disease, as well as the individual characteristics of the patient’s body.
Indications and contraindications
Hirudotherapy for arthrosis is carried out only according to medical indications. Treatment with leeches is prescribed to patients with arthrosis of degrees 1, 2, 3 without exacerbation, because in an acute form any non-drug interventions, including physiotherapy, are contraindicated.
Hirudotherapy for arthrosis is contraindicated if the patient is diagnosed with:
- malignant tumors;
- tuberculosis infection in the active phase;
- mental disorders, epilepsy;
- chronic arterial hyponetia;
- acute cardiac, hepatic, renal failure;
- severe form of iron deficiency anemia;
- diabetes;
- diseases of the hematopoietic system;
- childhood.
Prices for hirudotherapy
The price of treatment is affected by the number of sessions and leeches
The price of medicinal leeches used in the process of hirudotherapy is relatively low, which makes this service quite affordable. The main factor influencing the final price is the number of sessions and the number of leeches used. All this is determined by a specialist individually, after analyzing the patient’s condition.
Causes and signs of arthrosis
Arthrosis can occur in the presence of the following factors:
- phlebeurysm;
- overweight;
- genetic predisposition to the disease;
- past viral infections;
- injuries;
- circulatory and hormonal disorders;
- rheumatoid arthritis.
For whatever reason, the disease must be treated. Over time, the disease can lead to deformation of the knee joint, the person will be limited in movement or completely unable to move. Therefore, when the first signs of illness appear, it is imperative to contact a specialist at the clinic. Osteoarthritis of the knee joint is much easier to treat in the initial stages than to start therapy for an advanced form of the disease.
Signs of arthrosis of the knee joint:
- periodic painful sensations when walking, if the disease is advanced, the pain becomes regular;
- crunch in the knee;
- tumors in the knee joint.
The diagnosis of “arthrosis” can only be made by a rheumatologist, since the same symptoms occur with arthritis. With rheumatoid arthritis, joint deformities are possible. Treatment of knee arthritis should only be carried out by a specialist. Self-medication will not give results and will worsen the situation.
Course duration and results
The duration of the course of hirudotherapy for arthritis directly depends on the degree of joint damage, however, to achieve a noticeable effect, at least 7-8 procedures must be completed. Between sessions there are always breaks of 5-7 days, and at least a month should pass between courses of treatment with leeches.
As a rule, patients feel noticeable relief after the first procedure. The use of leeches allows you to relieve stiffness in the initial stages of arthritis and ease the pain syndrome, restoring mobility to the joints in case of noticeable tissue damage with the formation of erosions. An important role in hirudotherapy is played by restoring normal blood flow so that diseased areas receive sufficient oxygen and nutrients.
One of the benefits of the analgesic properties of leech saliva is that it allows the patient to avoid consuming large quantities of medications that have dangerous side effects and cause systemic reactions with long-term use. Many patients respond positively to hirudotherapy, noting a decrease in pain after the first sessions.
What is leech therapy?
The use of leeches is one of the ways to treat many diseases. Leeches have found their niche in the medical world and serve many purposes and are commonly used as a remedy for blood clotting problems and are effective in many areas. Their saliva secretes substances and chemicals that can help reduce the inflammation process, thereby reducing the pain felt in the inflamed joint. Leech therapy also provides additional benefits for patients, including increased energy and concentration during the day, and restful, deep sleep at night.
Patient reviews
Elena, 26 years old My mother has arthritis of the knee joint - because of the pain in her leg, she could barely walk, she was on pills, but this, apparently, was not enough. We read a lot about different treatment methods and decided to try leeches - the method was highly praised, although I was skeptical about it at first. But it helped my mother - the pain began to go away, and she was able to walk normally, although small scars remained on the skin of her knee after the leeches.
Artem, 34 years old I tried to put leeches on my knee at home myself, six at a time. After I removed it, the blood continued to flow for quite a long time, and the bite site somehow swelled. Then my blood pressure began to drop significantly from them, and I stopped the procedures, especially since I didn’t notice any particular effect from them.
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Setting points
Before the doctor prescribes a treatment regimen and also decides on the starting points, he will conduct an initial examination, study the medical history, and give a referral for additional diagnostics that will help eliminate contraindications. For hirudotherapy, sterile leeches grown in special nurseries are used. Worms are only used once. After the leech has sucked blood, it falls off, and if this does not happen, the doctor carefully removes it and then disposes of it. This eliminates the risk of the patient's blood becoming infected with a fatal infection.
Placement points are selected taking into account where the sore spot is located. After this, the doctor places the bloodsuckers around the affected joint, and they, intuitively finding biologically active points, immediately stick to them. Activation of acupuncture points triggers the mechanism of restoration and regeneration of affected areas.