Raktamokshan ( Therapeutic Blood Letting ) –
Part
3 on 3 Dec 15, Thursday
Leech Application
•
Leech (Herudo medicinalis) is a blood-
sucker.
•
Leech lives in water hence named Jalauka, but
can survive out of water if proper moisture is provided.
•
It has following body parts
•
Mouth – contains suckers with the help of
which it sucks the blood
•
Body – it is shiny with transverse line on
the body surface
•
Base – it is a circular part which sticks to
the surface for the support
•
Length of the leech is variable (from 1 and
half cm to 45 cm) but 6 -10 cm length is the best for Raktamokshna.
•
Skin is shiny and moist due to secretion
secreted by the skin.
•
This moistness is necessary for the
respiration. Respiration of leech takes place through the skin.
•
Difference between male and female
•
Female leech – narrow mouth, broad body, skin
soft shiny
•
Male leech – half circular shape, broad
mouth, narrow body
•
Types of leech
•
Leech is of two types
1. Poisonous
(Savisha)
2. Non-poisonous
(Nirvisha)
•
Always use non-poisonous leach for
bloodletting. If poisonous leech is applied on the body, it will cause oedema,
itching, fever, vomiting, body ache, fainting etc.
•
Now days, leaches are available in the market
for raktamokshana.
The cost is about 40-60 Rs per leech
•
Storage of leech
•
Leeches are stored in glass jar filled with
water or fish ponds or aquarium.
•
Water
should be changed after every 2-3 days for proper oxygen supply.
•
Water should not be chlorinated, this can be
harmful to leeches.
•
They can live without any food material for
4-6 months.
•
Benefits of leech application
•
Painless method of Raktamokshna
•
Very easy to apply, cheap and short
•
Pre-surgery processes like anesthesia are not
necessary prior to leech application
•
Do not result in any harmful effects.
•
It shows result instantly. So it is counted
as a emergency treatment also.
•
Leech application
•
Clean the body surface at which leach should
be applied.
•
But do not use an aromatic substance for
cleaning like soap, dettol, spirit etc. because of this smell leech will not
suck blood from that surface.
•
Apply honey at that surface or do the
Prachhana karma (Scraping) so as some drops of blood collect at that surface.
•
Leech quickly sticks to that surface and
start sucking.
•
Keep the leach always moist by placing cotton
mesh pierced in water. Water should be poured on the cotton mesh at regular
intervals.
•
After sucking (as much as it can), the leech
itself leaves the body surface
•
It sucks impure blood first.
•
While sucking of blood leech discharges
certain chemicals through saliva.
•
Hirudin : anticoagulant, prohibits blood
clotting
•
Prasaran :which destructs minute bacilli
•
Himatin : disolves the clots in the blood
•
Sandnyahar
•
While sucking impure blood, there will be no
feeling like pain.
•
But when it begins to suck the pure blood, it
will cause pain, itching etc. in that case, one should make efforts to remove
the leech from the body surface.
•
For that turmeric powder is applied at the
mouth of leech, or any aromatic substance like spirit, dettol can be used.
•
After removal of leech, turmeric powder is
applied at the mouth of leech. It causes the leech to vomit the sucked blood.
All the impure blood should be removed; otherwise the leech will not survive
for longer time.
•
The wound of the body surface at which the
leech was applied, contains anticoagulant hirudin. It causes bloodletting for
longer time. Hence do not apply bandage.
•
Firstly clean the wound by cotton swab
repeatedly. This causes decrease in hirudin level.
•
Afterwards turmeric powder should be applied
on the wound. It causes clotting. Then apply pressure bandage on the wound.
•
Kindly note ,even before Leech application
BT ,CT ,PT test must be done to rule out Blood Dyscrasias
•
Some modern Doctors recommend Inj
TT ,to the patient ,before applying Leeches
•
Prof.Dr.R.R.Deshpande
--- 9226810630
•
Dr.Sachin
Sarpotdar -------- 9822795363
•
Dr,Mayura
Shinde ---------- 7276866831
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