The most unusual methods of treatment. The strangest treatment methods in the history of medicine Methods of treatment in which there were

Bleeding

The opinion that diseases could be treated by pumping liters of blood out of the patient was based on humoral pathology - a speculative theory according to which the causes of all diseases were a disorder of the body's juices. According to Hippocrates, the body contained blood, mucus, yellow and black bile in equal proportions. The cause of numerous diseases was considered to be an excess of blood, which is why they resorted to using a knife - and patients rarely survived such a procedure.

In other cases, not only blood, but also other juices could be released. For example, the mentally ill poet Friedrich Hölderlin had his forehead burned with fire, inflicting “healing” wounds. The pus flowing from the wounds was revered as yellow bile, which, according to Hölderlin’s diagnosis, was in abundance in his body.

Mercury against syphilis

Modern antibiotics help much better than mercury against the formerly common “disease of sensualists,” that is, syphilis. However, doctors of that time had no choice and resorted to the help of toxic metal. It was assumed that mercury should eliminate excess “mucus,” but if the patient did not tolerate treatment with the poisonous metal, this only proved that the “medicine” was working. Internal and external use of mercury, of course, had no effect on the symptoms of syphilis, but led to death due to intoxication. One way or another, even without resorting to radical treatment, patients with syphilis suffered from ulcers and scars that remained for life, and many developed dementia in the late stages, leading later to death.

Trepanation

It is unknown what the doctors were trying to achieve by drilling a hole in the skull: to add something to its contents, or, on the contrary, to subtract from it. What is clear is that the ancients had a specific purpose for drilling into the skulls of their neighbors. Archaeologists report the discovery of more than 450 trepanned Stone Age skulls in Europe. Obviously, trepanning a skull using a flint tool was not that difficult. In most cases, the operation was successful and the patient remained alive. One can only guess about the true meaning of such treatment. Perhaps this was used to treat headaches or brain damage. It is possible that trepanation was one of the religious practices. Scientists have not yet found a definite answer.

Anti-masturbation corset

In the 18th century, you didn't have to be sick to become familiar with dubious medical theories or unreliable therapeutic practices. European medicine at that time created real hysteria regarding self-satisfaction, which was widespread among both sexes. In addition to promiscuity, hair loss and brain liquefaction, masturbation threatened humanity with all possible dangers. Strict educational measures, such as additional prayers and refusal of tight clothing, were supposed to help cope with the “disease,” however, such methods did not always lead to the desired result. For this reason, many parents carefully dressed their offspring in special corsets that blocked the possibility of touching their own genitals. It was more economical and effective than tying a daughter or son’s hands at night.

Rectal smoking

Tobacco smoke, according to doctors of the 18th century, was also supposed to awaken vital forces, so tobacco enemas were used as first aid for victims of shipwrecks. Those who were caught unconscious from the water were promptly pumped full of smoke - rectally, orally, or from both sides at once, for greater reliability.

Joseph Cox swing

The swing, invented by the English neurologist Joseph Mason Cox, was used to rotate the mentally ill around its axis. The Cox apparatus differed from previous models in that the patient sat with his back leaning back. This situation caused dizziness, nausea and vomiting in patients. Another effect of using such a swing was the fear of repeating the procedure. The swing was supposed to make patients controllable or, on the contrary, open to dialogue - this was also the goal of many other methods of neuroscience in the 19th century, creating in a person the feeling that he was drowning or choking.

Lobotomy

In the last century, the craze for lobotomizing the mentally ill reached unexpected proportions. American physician Walter Freeman discovered that an incision in the frontal lobes of the brain helps patients with schizophrenia with a relatively minimal degree of surgical intervention. He drilled a hole under the patients' eyelids using an ice pick, and then, when making an incision, he navigated by touch, which often made the patients "vegetables." In his Lobomobile, a specially equipped car, Freeman traveled all over America to cure as many patients as possible. However, he was not the only lobotomist. In the 20th century, more than 50,000 people underwent this dubious procedure.

There are no treatment methods available in the modern world. Here you have acupuncture (acupuncture) along with acupressure, magnetotherapy and mushroom treatment, eating lizard soups (helps with colds), and “torture” with cold.

There is even so-called image therapy. At first glance, a strange name that has nothing to do with the treatment method. However, image therapy is nothing more than therapy with mental images. This section of classical Chinese medicine includes reading a mantra, listening to special music, patting the body and “plucking out” bad, long-wasted energy from the human body.

But I won’t go into details, but will present to your attention 6 more unusual treatment methods in the world:

Treatment with bee venom

Do you suffer from rheumatic diseases? It's OK. The most common bees will help you in the fight against this disease.

This method is considered an alternative treatment. And in ordinary hospitals such services are not provided. Most often, bee venom treatment (apitherapy) is used in China. However, by searching on the Internet, you can find such medical centers in Kyiv.

Despite the fact that bee stings are very painful, they perfectly relieve joint inflammation in diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, and help with radiculitis, intercostal neuralgia, and polyneuritis.

Apitherapy is also indicated for people with varicose veins, bronchial asthma, chronic bronchitis, migraine and other diseases.

Snake massage

And here is one of the most unusual types of massage that was mastered in Israel.

The technique of its execution is very simple: six snakes are placed on the patient’s back. Moreover, reptiles must be of different species. Large snakes relieve deep muscle cramps and pain, but smaller ones create the effect of light vibration.

Not everyone can decide on such a procedure, and for some it can become a real horror movie. There will be no time for relaxation here.

There are several establishments that are ready to offer this kind of service in Kyiv.

Urine therapy

Few people would dare to be treated with urine, much less risk drinking it. But this is the so-called urine therapy.

There are many supporters of this type of treatment and its opponents. However, there is no scientific evidence of the health benefits of urine therapy. Proponents claim that drinking your own urine literally works wonders. Heals malignant tumors, heart disease, allergies, diabetes, asthma and many other diseases. Just a cure for all diseases.

Beer SPA

This method of treatment will certainly be of interest to beer lovers. But in order to enjoy such an unusual spa treatment, you will have to go to the Czech Republic, Austria or Germany.

In these countries, many places have appeared where tourists are invited to soak in a bath filled with special dark beer.

Thus, last year a new beer spa opened in the Czech Republic, which houses five baths (each with a volume of 200 liters) made of wood. The baths are filled with dark beer, mineral water from our own well, and other useful ingredients are also added. You cannot drink this beer, but near each bath there is a wooden barrel from which you can safely pour yourself delicious beer.

The beer procedure itself lasts an hour, and its cost is about 28 euros.

According to doctors, bathing in beer has a beneficial effect on the musculoskeletal system, relaxes the body and saturates the body with vitamins.

Hirudotherapy

Many people have probably heard about hirudotherapy, or more simply put, treatment with leeches.

This treatment method was used 2.5 thousand years ago. Now it is actively used in our country.

As doctors note, the use of leeches for bloodletting is very effective in the treatment of hypertension, migraines, coronary heart disease, vascular thrombosis, in some eye diseases (glaucoma, otitis, sinusitis), as well as in the treatment of varicose veins.

Muslim banks

In many Muslim countries, for the treatment of headaches, rheumatism, eczema and some other diseases, a type of treatment called “Itsata” is used. It combines the use of special cupping and bloodletting.

The mechanism of action is simple: when it comes into contact with the patient’s body, the jar sucks his skin inside. Then, small incisions are made on the diseased areas and cupping is applied again.

Thanks to these manipulations, bad blood is removed from the body, blood circulation is stimulated, cell renewal of the body is stimulated, and metabolism is improved.

Man is a weak creature, he is susceptible to physical diseases, which often cause a lot of trouble. However, despite all the difficulties, “homo sapiens” still learned to overcome them. Today we will tell you about ailments invented by mankind...

In those years when nothing was known about such a science as pharmacology, people acted exclusively empirically when treating diseases; before finding the right medicine, traditional healers “killed” more than one hundred people. Today, some of the methods of treating our ancestors are, to put it mildly, shocking, however, you should not negatively perceive the information that you will now become the owner of.

Syrup for children with added morphine

Hundreds of years ago, children were treated with morphine syrup; if a child suffered from an illness that caused severe pain, doctors “treated” him with narcotic syrup, and for a while the baby returned to normal, plunging into a state of sleep. If he died, and this happened quite often, it was believed that this was the result of an illness incompatible with life, and not of treatment at all.

Heroin used to treat cough

Do you remember what remedies are used to treat coughs today? Quite pleasant potions and herbs, but meanwhile, our ancestors “thought out” to get rid of this illness with the help of heroin; it was enough to take a certain amount of the narcotic substance, and the cough would go away. Naturally, no one suspected the consequences!

Treating depression with an awl driven into the head

In 1949, the scientist who developed such a strange method of treating depression was awarded the Nobel Prize. Almost 70 thousand people agreed to craniotomy to get rid of psychological problems. Of course, after they hit your head, it is unlikely that you will find the time and desire to discuss far-fetched problems. By the way, this method of treatment was commonly called lobotomy.

Urine therapy

The method of treating diseases of the human body with the help of urine is used to this day, many people really believe that they can get rid of ailments by drinking a glass of urine on an empty stomach, well, that’s their right...

Treatment of female hysteria with vaginal massage

A disease such as female hysteria is rarely discussed in medical circles today, but in the old days it was common and treated with vaginal massage. The doctor used his hands to help the woman relax and get rid of irritability and aggression.

Treatment with poisonous mushrooms

Using the poisonous fly agaric mushroom is still a mystery, but the fact remains that this method is really effective! However, you should not experiment and eat cut into pieces and fried fly agaric, it must be prepared according to a special recipe, only in this case there will be no consequences!!!

The number of treatment methods offered by both traditional medicine and all kinds of traditional healers (and often ordinary charlatans) will amaze you. Shocking and unusual, but noteworthy methods of alternative therapy, as well as dubious methods of treatment, will be discussed below.

The cutest therapy

Animal-assisted treatment

This zootherapy has not lost its popularity in our time. For example, dolphin therapy helps in the treatment of severe psychological trauma, hippotherapy (riding and communicating with horses) neutralizes, and quite successfully, the consequences of childhood cerebral palsy, polio, arthritis, and apitherapy, that is, treatment with bee venom, eliminates the symptoms of varicose veins and multiple sclerosis.

If you have a cat at home, you can try the so-called feline therapy. Fluffy therapists can warm up inflamed areas with the warmth of their bodies, the vibration from their purring improves immunity, and the electrostatic field of cat fur helps normalize the nervous system.

Treatment of psoriasis with fish

At many resorts, fish foot massage (ichthyomassage) is also becoming popular - the same Garra Rufa crumbs eat away the rough skin of the feet. Those who have experienced this massage themselves claim that the sensations are quite pleasant, perhaps a little ticklish.

The most disgusting types of treatment

Larval therapy

Small white worms are planted on the infected wound, and they, liquefying the flesh with special enzymes, begin to eat the rotten tissue. They are not interested in healthy flesh. Creepy method? Definitely, but since 2004 it has been recognized as effective and officially approved in the United States.

Urine therapy and coprotherapy

Naturally, it is recommended to consume these “products” orally. The effectiveness of these methods has not been officially proven, which does not prevent these therapies from existing for many millennia. Kalotherapy has its roots in ancient times - the benefits of absorbing excrement were spoken of in the ancient Indian Vedas, because, as the Vedic sages claimed, vitality leaves the body along with feces, and it can only be returned by reabsorbing what is released.

Perhaps the adherents of this disgusting method of treating diseases are right in some way, because many doctors recognize the benefits of mumiyo, but this is nothing more than the waste of bees or rodents.

Treatment with leeches

There are many celebrities among fans of this method. They cleanse the blood and rejuvenate themselves at the same time, for example, Demi Moore and Natasha Koroleva.

Weight correction with bovine tapeworm

Cruel treatment methods

Treatment method for the ancient Britons

Treatment of rabies among the Saxons

Treatment for stuttering

Lobotomy

The popularity of lobotomy grew rapidly, despite the fact that many scientists signaled that lobotomy was not a therapy at all, but a brain injury leading to irreversible personality degradation. However, Moniz's method was even awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1949.

In the United States, lobotomy became popular due to its economic feasibility. During the country's economic recovery after the Great Depression, it was cheaper to “treat” violent patients in this way than to keep them in mental hospitals. In 1941, the frontal lobe of the brain was removed from the sister of future President Kennedy at the request of her father; she remained a vegetable until the end of her life in 2005. This inhumane method of treatment also flourished in other seemingly progressive countries: the USSR, Japan, Great Britain, and the Scandinavian countries.

The truth about lobotomy

Only in the 50s did more and more doctors begin to listen to the voice of reason, and the number of operations gradually decreased, but in exceptional cases a lobotomy could still be performed. In the USSR, lobotomy was banned much earlier - in 1950.

The most unusual therapy to date

When Canavero announced his willingness to perform a human head transplant, he received thousands of applications from patients all over the world. But the choice of the scientist fell on our compatriot for two reasons. Firstly, Valery was ready to go to the end, because he understood that every year he was getting worse and that his future fate was unenviable if he did not dare to undergo surgery. Secondly, Canavero was struck by Spiridonov’s scientific knowledge - the man read all the available literature on this issue. It was reported that the scientist plans to take the body from a car accident victim or from a criminal sentenced to death. The operation, according to Canavero's calculations, will last at least 36 hours and cost €7.5 million.

We sincerely wish Valery that the operation ends successfully, and we invite readers of the site to familiarize themselves with the interesting rating of the rarest diseases.
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Spanking on the buttocks, as established at the Novosibirsk Research Institute of Hygiene, is the most important remedy. Siberian scientists made such a sensational statement at the international conference “New methods of influence and rehabilitation in narcology.” The meaning of this, so to speak, “physiotherapy” is as follows - alcoholism, drug addiction, neuroses and an obsessive desire to commit suicide - these are all attempts to get away from problems, loss of interest in existence. The reason, according to researchers, is a decrease in the body’s production of so-called “happiness hormones” - endorphins. And if such a person is properly beaten, of course, without causing injury, then he will develop a taste for life. The teachings came to the healing effect of flogging therapy after familiarizing themselves with ancient treatises, when “all kinds of nonsense” was beaten out with a whip and rods - from illegal behavior and bad thoughts to psychosis and pneumonia. The discoverer of this method, S. Speransky, by self-flagellation, saved himself from depression, as well as from the consequences of two heart attacks.

WHEN URINE ATTACKS YOUR HEAD

It is believed that what leaves the body as waste cannot be re-ingested, at least not immediately. Urine and feces are good fertilizers. Every agronomist will tell you this. But none of the summer residents will risk using them internally. Even our cosmonauts categorically refused a device that would process their urine into sterile drinking water on the space station. Disgust and disgust were the main reason for the refusal. Nevertheless, supporters of urine therapy believe that drinking your own urine cures malignant tumors, heart disease, allergies, diabetes, asthma and a dozen other diseases. In their conviction, they refer to the ancient medical treatise of India - the notorious Ayurveda...

But there is an even more extreme type of treatment - calotherapy, which, according to its supporters, helps against many diseases. The origins of this are also found in Indian manuscripts. In India, for example, it is still believed that a cow patty pressed onto a non-healing ulcer is the best medicine, since the cow is a sacred animal. They use the therapeutic properties of their own feces. For example, the following recommendation from modern calotherapists is touching: “Do not under any circumstances consume liquid stool, since the acid-base balance is disturbed in them, use exclusively your morning stool for oral consumption, which can be frozen in reserve, and heated in the microwave before eating.” ..."

RIDING DISEASES WITH FISH AND INSECTS

Maggots are fly larvae that develop in rotting waste. These creatures evoke instinctive disgust in everyone, except fishermen, for whom maggots are the best bait. In addition, it is not the maggot itself that smells, but its habitat...

It has been known since ancient times that fly larvae are able to clean purulent wounds, as they eat dead tissue. This method was forgotten, but recently interest in maggot therapy has revived, since pathogenic bacteria have appeared that are resistant to antibiotics, which voracious maggots eat with pleasure. In addition, the method itself is “simple and cheap.” Since 2004, the treatment of infected wounds with fly larvae has been officially permitted in the United States and a number of other countries, but for our country this is still exotic.

Fundamentally loved ones The curation method is spa-fish. This is the name for the therapy of skin diseases with the help of small fish, like guppies, that eat dead tissue on the surface of human skin. The method has been used for centuries in Southeast Asia, and only in the last decade has it begun to spread throughout the world. A person comes to a special salon, puts his feet in a pond or completely immerses himself in it, and small garra rufa fish begin to gently bite his body. This procedure is pleasant and completely painless. In addition to the cosmetic effect, these fish help fight diseases such as psoriasis, eczema and athlete's foot. The fish do not have teeth, and they eat only the topmost, already keratinized, layer of skin, without touching healthy tissue.

SOLITER FOR WEIGHT LOSS

LAUGHTER THERAPY

This unusual method is gradually gaining more and more supporters. In India, for example, today there are several hundred special clubs where people come for the sole purpose of having fun from the heart. In our country, this role is played by various television shows, comedian performances, comedy films, etc.

Today it has been scientifically proven that any laughter, from a stupid giggle from tickling to laughter from some intellectual joke, prevents and neutralizes stress, improves the functioning of the heart and blood vessels, activates metabolism and, in general, prolongs life. During laughter, regardless of its reasons, a person produces endorphins, which improve mood and vitality. It has been proven that cheerful and cheerful people live longer and suffer less from infectious diseases. This was noted by Hippocrates, but modern medicine, more focused on taking various chemical drugs, has almost forgotten about it.

A classic example of the healing role of laughter is the medical story of the American Norman Cousins, who was diagnosed with spondyloarthritis in 1972. This disease in 100% of cases led to complete immobility due to dysfunction of the joints. However, Cousins ​​was optimistic. Having read somewhere that bad thoughts lead to illness, he began to strive with all his might to eliminate and prevent them from occurring in himself. All day long he watched comedies and humorous programs on TV. Gradually, the pain stopped tormenting him, and his mood began to improve. Moreover, the inflammatory process in the body has subsided. Some more time passed, and he began to truly enjoy life, stopping the use of medications.

This is how a new discipline arose - gelotology (from the Greek “gelos” - laughter), and clowns began to appear in serious medical institutions. In 1998, in the USA, based on these events, which led to the creation of a new therapeutic technique, the film “Healer Adams” was created.

THERAPY WITH HEROIN AND MERCURY

In the 19th century, syrup for children was widespread, eliminating cough and pain. The medicine turned out to be so effective that it almost replaced all other methods of treatment, until they noticed something was wrong - many children who were given this “syrup” for some reason died. When the contents of the drug were subjected to detailed testing, it turned out that it contained morphine, chloroform, codeine, heroin, opium and hashish. Naturally, the method was immediately banned...

Today everyone knows that mercury is poison. But in the old days, pure mercury was used to treat volvulus, syphilis, tuberculosis, rheumatism and a dozen other diseases. To do this, you had to drink about a glass of mercury. It is known that in the 4th millennium BC. e. Mercury was also used in China to treat leprosy. And Taoist monks used cinnabar (a mercury compound) in their elixir of longevity. At the same time, they understood the symptoms of mercury poisoning - such as a crawling sensation (paresthesia), trembling of the fingertips and sweating - as an indicator of the effectiveness of the drug. It is not surprising that many of the wards soon died. The problem, as they say, disappeared with the death of the patient.

ORIGINAL WAYS TO GET RID OF SNORING

Everyone knows what snoring is and how it complicates the lives of all those who sleep with a snorer in the same or even in the next room. Here we will not touch upon the specific reasons why a particular person snores. Let us dwell only on the most unusual methods of getting rid of snoring. For example, it was noted that a person snores more often when sleeping on his back, and therefore it was proposed to attach a hard ball between his shoulder blades to avoid this position.

Laughter prevents and neutralizes stress, improves the functioning of the heart and blood vessels, activates metabolism and, in general, prolongs life.

Special suction cups were also proposed for the tongue so that it would not fall back and act like the reed of a clarinet, causing snoring with its vibration, etc. For the same purpose, they tried to use various, first electrical, and then electronic devices. One of the most interesting devices was a combination of a microphone and amplifier with headphones, placed on the snorer's head before going to bed. For this purpose, a hearing aid was used for the hard of hearing - the person woke up from his own snoring, the sounds of which, amplified many times over, were transmitted to his ears.

FROST TREATMENT

Many people know about treatment with warming and heat. An example is saunas and Russian baths, with the help of which they get rid, for example, of radiculitis. As for the healing properties of cold, many are hearing about it for the first time. And yet such a technique exists. It was first used in the Czech Republic, in the resort town of Teplice nad Bečvou, creating a special refrigerator for people, or cryochamber, with a temperature of minus 160 degrees. The patient is placed in this freezer stripped naked and for only 2-3 minutes. During this short time, he does not even get mild frostbite, but as a result of repeated stays in artificial frost, it is possible to relieve him of allergies, hypertension, skin diseases, neurosis, sinusitis, depression and a number of joint and muscle ailments. Similar “anti-sauna” treatment is available in some clinics in our country.