Information About a Session

Information about a hirudotherapy session

Before Your Session: How you can prepare

Leeches are very sensitive to strong scents. You can help your leeches want to attach onto you by taking the following steps:

Do not wash with soap that contains scents.
Do not apply any creams or perfume or any products with scents.
Do not wear clothing with a strong "laundry" smell.
If leeches need to be attached on the scalp, do not use any shampoo or other hair products 2 days prior to your session.
Avoid smoking cigarettes that day.
Try to avoid becoming very sweaty.
Keep warm.

On the day of your session, do these things to prepare:

Wear loose fitting comfortable clothing that can get blood on it.
Eat a hearty meal, make sure you are not fasting.
Drink plenty of fluids.
Do not drink any alcohol.

During you session:

Leeches are applied to the appropriate area of the body, usually between 4-6 leeches are applied to one area of the body at a time. During the first few minutes, the leeches are inputting their salivary gland secretions, then they start to take some blood for themselves. As they start to engorge with blood, they will secrete a liquid. The longer the leech stays attached, the more blood it will take and the more secretions will be put into the tissues.

When the leech is full of blood, it will un-attach it's self and fall off. Leeches will not try to reattach once full.

During a session, there are possible side effects that someone will experience:

Common side effects:

Mild pain during treatment
Prolonged after bleeding (bleeding from the leech bite)
Itching and reddening of skin around the leech bite (histamine-like reaction)

Rare side effects:
Infection (skin infection)
Temporary enlargement of lymph nodes
Pigmentation disorders/scarring at the side of leech bite
Temporary swelling of treated part of the body, arm or leg

Some side effects require treatment (compression bandages for bleeding, antibiotics for infection, antihistamines for allergies, etc).

After Your Session:

When the leeches have all fallen off, the area will ooze blood for a number of hours, typically 6-12 hours. The after-bleeding is not only blood. It is about 30% blood, as well as blood plasma, lymphatic fluid and impurities draining out of the bite holes.

The bleeding happens for a prolonged time period because of the blood thinner named hirudin that is injected deeply into the tissues.

A bandage applied should be large enough to contain most of the after bleeding, a change of the bandage may be necessary. You do not need to apply and special substances to the area. Bathing in the shower can resume the following day when the wounds have become a scab, avoiding a bath for an extra day. When you first remove your bandage, the scab may have formed with the bandage and a small amount of bleeding may happen after removing your bandages.

The area or close by areas may become itchy like a mosquito bite. You can take Benadryl or apply a past of baking soda and water or cold water with lemon juice. Ice can also be used to calm down the area if it becomes hot and itchy.