Leech therapy: A holistic treatment

Abstract

Leech therapy is a complimentary and integrative treatment approach in which blood has been withdrawn from deeper tissues with use of medicinal leeches (Hirudo medicinalis). Leeches remove blood from their host and also releases some of the bioactive substances with their saliva into the site which will be beneficial for some diseases and prevention of infection. This is most important and widely used method of treatment in an ancient Egypt and Greece during middle age to relieve venous congestion, especially in transplant surgeries. Now, in modern medicine medicinal leeches are also used in the treatment of other venous diseases such as thrombophlebitis, as well as angina pectoris, arthritis, hematomas, and even tinnitus.