Leech Therapy- A Unique Concept Of Ayurveda - A review

Ayurveda speaks about many modes of healing art, even surgery and para-surgical techniques. Among the para-surgical measures, Raktamokshana or blood letting enjoys a pride of place from the dawn of medical history. Earliest references of blood letting are found in the basic works of all systems of medicine. The oldest civilization of the world too used this method to bestow health on its subjects from time immemorial. Raktamokshana is a technical term employed to denote a para-surgical procedure to expel out the vitiated blood from selected areas of the body, by specific methods. Sushruta Samhita, the oldest available manual on surgery has devoted an entire chapter for the description of Jalaukas, and a chapter on Jalaukavacharaniya for the purpose of blood letting. Jalaukavacharana is claimed to be the supreme therapy because of its safety and high efficacy in the disorders involving the vitiation of blood. It is safely indicated even for the king, rich, old, fearful, weak, women and the people of tender nature.