Leeches – great for venous congestion, and as pets?
Patients are often startled to learn that leech therapy is used in modern medicine — and that, oddly, they’re listed with regulatory authorities as ‘medical devices’.
Live blood-suckers are deployed to benefit patients undergoing reconstructive surgery to ease venous congestion, while alternative medicine practitioners tout them for a variety of indications.
Published studies include leech therapy for improving arterial function, and alleviating eczema and cancer pain.
There is of course a lingering ‘yuk’ factor at the thought of applying leeches to the body.