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As people get older, the knee injuries they suffered as youngsters become problematic. Traditional medicines suggest surgery, major injuries suggest knee replacement, but there may be an Alternative Medicine in leeches that can provide relief from stiffness and knee pain.
Some might be turned off by the thought of leeches being attached to the body, but leeches have been used for thousands of years on a wide variety of aches and pains including knee osteoarthritis.
Osteoarthritis is the breakdown of the cartilage between the joints in the knees, and tends to reduce the range of motion, especially as people get older. So where do leeches come in?
Leeches have long been known to secrete a pain killer called Morphinea. Within their secretion is an agent that improves blood flow to the injured area. It is because of these two agents that Leeches are viewed as an Alternative Medicine for those with knee injuries and especially those with Osteoarthritis.
Sounds pretty wild crazy to apply leeches to an injured area, but the U.S. Food and Drug Administration classifies leeches as a medical device and in European countries; the use of leeches to reduce swelling and improve circulation to injured areas has long been viewed as an Alternative Medicine.
While traditional treatments for knee injuries offer expensive surgeries and long rehabilitation programs, sometimes lasting months, using leeches in this Alternative Medicine manner is in comparison much more affordable, without effects of long-term recovery.
There have been many studies done on the effectiveness of leeches to reduce pain and increase mobility. The studies suggest that patients found significant release from these oozing , kind of creepy little critters.
If you have knee pain that has been bothering you for years, it might be time to look into Alternative Medicine like leeches as a means of improving your quality of life.
