What Has More Balls, Brains and Teeth Than You?

Are you one of those people, like me, who hates anything that crawls, creeps, or slides?

If so, this article is for you.

What if you combined your phobia with a creature that has 32 brains, 300 teeth, 10 stomachs, and 9 pairs of testicles? You would have something out of your worst horror movie.

Introducing the leech!

Most people cringe at the word ‘leech.’ The thought of one attached to your skin is repulsive. With over 500 species worldwide and found on every continent except Antarctica, you will likely encounter them at some stage.

S(t)uck on you!

If you go hiking or camping in forests, you will almost certainly encounter a leech of some description.

Stay away from the Amazon; the leeches there can grow up to 28 inches and live for 20 years. They stick their 6-inch proboscis (a straw-like tongue) into a host, drink their fill, and then drop off.

Here is another scary fact about these ‘bloodsuckers.’ They can consume up to 25 milliliters of blood (that is ten times their body weight) in a single meal.

Thanks to an entourage of 200 enzymes to keep blood flowing, a bite can keep bleeding for as long as 7 days (especially if you get one of those Amazon giants on you!).

It can take up to three months to digest a meal, so they do not need to feed often.

A long heritage; it is not all bad.

For thousands of years, humans have interacted with these squirmy, slimy, stretchy creatures. They have been part of the forest ecosystem for millions of years. Just about every language has a word for leeches.

Ancient Greeks and Egyptians used them to suck blood from patients. They believed it could cure diseases and infections.

Their early use in medicine started in India some 5,000 years ago. In the mid-19th century, it was not uncommon for practitioners to carry a jar of leeches in their bag. Doctors used them to boost blood flow to amputated or severely damaged limbs.

Later medical uses aimed to relieve congestion in tiny blood vessels. After microsurgery, these blood vessels often clog. If the blood is not removed, it can cause tissue death.

Now a recognized part of surgery

I am sure people would freak out at the thought of leeches on their skin as part of their medical care. But it is for real.

In 2004, the U.S. FDA approved the use of leeches for localized venous congestion after surgery. They are now seen as living, breathing medical devices.

Leach farms breed special types of leeches for medical use. The medical staff sanitizes them before using them. They use them only once. Surgeons use them as mini-vacuums to clean up blood. They also stimulate blood flow and relieve congestion after microsurgery.

After the leeches have fed on the patient, they are anesthetized and disposed of as medical waste.

A dedicated company in Wales breeds leeches for use worldwide. Feeding on black pudding, it takes two years to develop a medicinal leech.

In a 2002 survey of 50 plastic surgery units, 80% had used leech therapy in the previous five years. Surgeons in the US use over 40,000 leeches in surgery each year.

As they say on the TV — “Don’t try this at home!”

For my money, I would need to be pretty sick to let any doctor loose with a jar full of leeches. It is also another good reason to avoid plastic surgery.

You can also use leeches as fishing bait. (Getting them on the hook can be tricky though!)

Till next time,

Calvin