I'm not trying to offend any maggot or leech or their fans by calling them gross but, well, maggots aren't my thing and I find them, well, gross.
However, they actually have some legitimate medical purposes. A new study has shown that maggots can do a great job of healing ulcers of the leg - a condition generally hard to deal with.
The researchers of this study took 267 patients with these leg ulcers and had some treated with the traditional method of chemically treated wound dressings and some using live maggots. Those who used the live maggots did just as well as those using chemicals.
Using the maggots did cause some more pain than using the chemicals but leg ulcers are a painful and very long lasting condition. Researchers found that patients were so eager to rid themselves of these ulcers that the 'ick' factor of using live maggots was less than the relief of ridding themselves of the ulcers.
The results of this study were published on line last month in the BMJ (formerly the British Medical Journal).
Leeches have been used since before biblical times, to stop blood clots, to numb, to draw blood or to reduce swelling. It is still used to this day although not widely.
Tell Us
Would you consider these treatments? Do you (or have you) ever used 'unusual' treatments for you health or healing that really worked for you? What were they?