Doctor pulls leech from 3-year-old girl’s nose after 4 days of nosebleed
A doctor in Chiang Mai Province, Thailand, removed a full-sized leech from a three-year-old girl’s nostril after she suffered unexplained nosebleeds for days, reports Thairath.
The incident occurred after the child washed her face in a creek.
On the night of Saturday (5 April), she was transferred from Omkoi Hospital to Nakornping Hospital due to persistent bleeding from her right nostril that had lasted four days.
Leech found firmly attached to girl’s nasal cavity
Upon examining her with a nasal endoscope, doctors found a leech firmly attached inside her nasal cavity.
Dr Chaiyawat Songsompanyakun (name transliterated from Thai) used suction equipment to safely extract the parasite.
After removing the leech, the doctor prescribed antibiotics and allowed the girl to return home. She has since shown no further symptoms.
Leeches can slip into body in natural water sources, doctor warns
The doctor explained that leeches and other creatures can enter the body through openings like the nose, ears, genitals, or urinary tract, particularly in rural areas where people bathe in untreated water such as streams, ponds, or waterfalls.
They often go unnoticed until symptoms like frequent nosebleeds, nasal congestion, sneezing, or a tickling sensation in the nasal passage begin to appear.
Source: Nation Thailand
In some cases, patients may also experience fatigue or headaches due to blood loss, as leeches feed while inside the body.
Doctor urges against removing leech on one’s own
Dr Chaiyawat stressed that leech removal should always be handled by a medical professional, as pulling it out incorrectly can cause serious bleeding.
Doctors typically use local anaesthetics or lubricants to ease the removal process, followed by antibiotics or medication to stop any bleeding.
Recently, a woman in Vietnam had a 6 cm-long live leech removed from her nose after returning from a fishing trip.
She also had a nosebleed that lasted for several days before undergoing surgery.
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Featured image adapted from Nation Thailand.
