Leech Therapy Aftercare

Posted by Tsetsi Stoyanova on

  • For three days after leech therapy, do not drink any alcohol and do not eat any meat. If you decide to do so, you might get a severe itching reaction and you could get a fever. Limit your proteins altogether, to prevent itching. If you get itching, you may pop the bubbles of the wounds and squeeze out the water, until the itching stops. It is perfectly OK to do this. The bites turn into something similar to zits, which you can squeeze out periodically.

  • Drink “Epsom Salt” solution every day (Magnesium Sulfate) first thing in the morning or just before bed, to increase detox and minimize itching. This will also speed-up the healing process.

  • It is not advisable to take a shower for about 12 hours (1 day) after leech therapy. If you do, the blood may start flowing again.

  • Do not panic if the bleeding continues for several hours or even all day or night. Your blood is not used to the thinning enzymes of the leech and will keep oozing for quite some time, the first few sessions. Your blood will get used to the therapy overtime, and you will bleed only ~ 30 minutes in the future. You’ll also notice that you no longer bruise and your hands and feet stay warm in winter.

  • You will notice a very relaxed state of mind, after the therapy. This calming affect is due to the fact that people have too much blood in their veins and as a result, pressure builds up in the body, which makes the person pervious and upset, and sometimes angry or agitated. Leech therapy calms the nerves perfectly and relaxes the person. Enjoy it. This nervous relaxation lasts about a week.

  • Leech therapy is conducted 4-5 days apart, to allow proper healing. If you wish to go faster, that is perfectly fine. It’s believed each disease is cured if ½ kilo (500 grams) of blood has been let. Each leech consumes 15ml blood, so you need 33 leeches total.