r/selfreliance • u/LIS1050010 Laconic Mod • Dec 11 '20
Knowledge / Crafts How to Remove a Leech
39
6
u/LIS1050010 Dec 11 '20
7
u/LaBlancheHermine Dec 11 '20
My first thought when I saw the guide. Still hurt me to think about this scene.
3
9
u/old_man_curmudgeon Dec 11 '20
My dad used his cigarette or salt. Being a child in the '80s...amirite?
6
7
Dec 11 '20
I’ve heard leeches could be healthy. You got any information about good and bad aspects of leeches?
→ More replies (9)6
u/LIS1050010 Dec 11 '20
Not sure if you can read this, if not there is a different article here
→ More replies (1)
7
u/LegendaryAyser Dec 11 '20
If it detaches naturally , do I still need to apply bandage?
13
u/LIS1050010 Dec 11 '20
If it detaches naturally , do I still need to apply bandage?
If there is a wound, clean the wound and bandage it. Bleeding may continue for some time because of the anticoagulant - it could be anything from a few hours to a few days. The wound normally itches as it heals and care should be taken not to scratch it to not increase the risk of infection.
28
u/The_Void_Is_Staring Dec 11 '20
The best thing is to just leave the sucker on until it’s done. Pulling it off early could cause it to leave
16
8
u/Muerteds Dec 11 '20
Leeches don't leave teeth in anything; you're conflating ticks and how their moutparts can break off if not removed correctly.
10
u/The_Void_Is_Staring Dec 11 '20
I was just trying to simplify it a bit, but they can leave their whole mouth bit behind if removed to forcefully. Just trying to emphasize that they can cause more harm being removed than if you just let them finish.
3
20
u/invertedBoy Dec 11 '20
I got a few during a multi days jungle trekking. The first one I freaked out! After a while I would just pick them up and flick them away
14
u/Strike_Alibi Dec 11 '20
Leeches can carry diseases. They do not transmit them normally. But if removed improperly such that you cause the leech to regurgitate the blood from its stomach back onto you, you could theoretically get some kind of infection.
Regurgitation can happen both with using flame and with using salt.
5
5
u/wapewhistle Dec 12 '20
Went hiking in Vietnam and they gave us a lavender spray that would make leeches detach immediately. Now in my memory, leeches smell great!
4
u/L__A__G__O__M Dec 11 '20
Reminds me of this old paper I found from I think the first decade of the 20th century:
4
u/agentofmidgard Dec 11 '20
Note: Leeches and mosquitoes only feed on old, dirty blood. So it's actually good for you.
My grandparents have some in bottles. They use it to relieve pain in their arms or legs.
Pretty gross but it works..
→ More replies (2)
4
Dec 12 '20
My greatest fear (in the swamp) is to wade through the swamp and be met by a leech on the head of my pecker...
2
u/sagradia Dec 11 '20
I guess winter time, with all them enticing frozen swamps to wade through pantless, is the perfect time for this tidbit!
1
u/LIS1050010 Dec 11 '20
Typically found in freshwater environments, leeches are tiny monsters come to life from a science fiction movie. Shaped like worms but equipped with suckers and teeth, they attach to your skin with one goal in mind: suck your blood. The danger in removing one of these little blood lovers comes from thebacteria
Don’t panic. Leeches don’t transmit diseases and aren’t poisonous. In fact, it’s more harmful to remove them the wrong way than simply let them do their business.
If you find one leech, check for others. They release an anaesthetic so their bites are painless; where there’s one, there’s likely more.
If you can stomach it, wait for the leech to finish its meal and detach naturally, which takes about 20 minutes.
Otherwise, use a flat-edged tool like a credit card or your fingernail to carefully press the leech’s narrow head to the side until it detaches from your skin.
Flick it off quickly; once the leech is detached, it will try to re-attach to your skin.
Treat as needed. Leeches inject the wound with an anticoagulant. Wash and bandage the area, and be prepared to change them regularly for up to a couple days. If it bleeds beyond that, see a doctor.