EFFECT OF LEECH APPLICATION IN THE MANAGEMENT OF BURGER’S DISEASE:- A CASE STUDY

Abstract

The inflammatory response in the arterial wall that involves the surrounding veins and nerves and results in thrombosis of the artery is known as Burger’s disease. Smoker’s disease, also known as TAO (thrombangitis obliterans), primarily affects young males between the ages of 20 and 40. Early on, it affects just one limb, but eventually, both limbs are affected. As far as the genesis of this illness is concerned, there is a strong correlation between smoking, frequent small foot injuries, poor hygiene, and altered autonomic functions. In contrast to surgical intervention, which includes lumbar sympathectomy, omentoplasty, and amputation as the only option if gangrenous stage is present, allopathic management involves conservative treatment with the use of vasodilators, pentoxifylline, and low-dose aspirin.The aforementioned procedure is expensive and has drawbacks. Although the disease is not mentioned in Ayurveda, its symptoms can be linked to strotas dushti lakshana, such as sanga and siranam granthi. Additionally, because rakta is vitiated, raktavaha strotasa dushti is also involved; therefore, leech application was planned based on these two references into account all three factors. Before using leeches and performing the scheduled leech therapy, poorva pradhan paschat karma is conducted. Leech therapy was found to be helpful with fewer problems in a total of 6 sittings.