New 'medical device' for healing wounds

Ok, I know they might help and they're saying it's medically sound...but YUCK! http://www.cnn.com/2004/HEALTH/08/02/maggot.medicine.ap/index.html

After seeing them wiggle around in my garbage can (outside) and on dead animals...I don't know...just gives me the creeps :)

This message was edited Aug 3, 2004 7:59 AM

This sounds so yucky and also gives me the creeps. Just thinking about it makes me want to run screaming.

I supposed that is better than having an arm cut off or taking antibiotics all the time. But still, imagine the patient having wiggly things in his/her wound for two or three days.

Not that I am not willing to give this a try if I were to have a gaping wound on me, but someone needs to knock me out first.

It was a bit hard to stomach this morning as I was munching on toast and coffee ;o)

Maggots are sure not my list of preferences, No Way. Donna

*burp*.

;>)

I would be ok with it if it was the only thing that would work...and they gave me someting to make me so silly that I didn't feel those critters milling around in under a bandage. Still gives me the creeps thinking about it. Yuck

I read that too, and the first thing that crossed my mind was the Brown Recluse spider bite! If I ever got bitten I think I would START with Maggots. It would probably save a lot of flesh.
Pati

shuddering...don't know which is worse - the symptoms or the cure.

Hmmm, at least the maggots die fat and happy. :P If I had a bad wound that defied traditional healing, I'd be open to trying this. I'd have to be really drugged up for the days they were in residence, though!

I heard they were back to using leeches too. Jeanette

I can't look. I knew what you were gonna say and post though. LOL If it would save a limb, I'd let them do it, but you can bet your buns they'd have to knock me out and wake me when it was over! ICK!!!

That's been going on for a while. My friend's dad nearly lost his finger when he was fixing her wheelchair. A wire snapped and cut almost all the way through it. They reattached it, but the circulation was not good. So, they used leech therapy. He said there was no pain because leeches secrete and anesthetic in their saliva. Their saliva is also an anticoagulant, so they not only pulled blood into his finger, but thinned it so it flowed more freely in and out of the injured digit. Amazing, huh?

To me, that's not new at all! My mom and a couple of neighbours were 'treated by that method' by an ayurvedic doctor who lived on our street. It was for some other problem in the knee. They were feeling a lot better after the leeches sucked out 'bad blood' from them. They have to sit there for a couple of hours till it gets fat and detaches.

In wetlands these elastic creatures cling on to feet and they are not felt by the person until they are fat enough to make a sensation. By that time, the wound is already there.