前苏联共合国乔治亚这一阵子流行用水蛭治疗疾病,以往欧洲人会用水蛭治疗痔疮,乔治亚人把这项疗法发扬光大,用来治疗其他疾病。 , Y7 n- y w8 d1 O6 e $ G- P* W/ m+ Q1 Brs238848.rs.hosteurope.de 乔治亚很多诊所都提供水蛭疗法,病人得先跟诊所买一只水蛭,更年期妇女先把水蛭放在脖子上,经过一、二十分钟,水蛭吸完血,身体膨胀4倍,就可以取下,接着医师再把另外2只水蛭放在这名妇女上下牙龈上,等吸完血再取出,医师在患者伤口上贴上绷带,就算完成治疗。接受过治疗的妇女说,她们在更年期会出现的潮红和盗汗都有明显改善。rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de8 W! C& Z k( Q+ `4 z) i( Q
% w4 _3 i: ]% ? d 另外,有一些高血压或是经常性头痛病人,也会用水蛭疗法降低血压,或是治疗头痛。一名医师说,不但乔治亚人用水蛭治病,乌克兰、波兰、甚至德国,也有不少人接受这种疗法。 9 l+ @0 v0 h% ~2 W; Grs238848.rs.hosteurope.de人在德国 社区& C: e' y5 b! c& A ; e& @7 A7 j; w% l5 J人在德国 社区 / {) I( I9 Y1 O& | . v$ T g/ O) T& @0 |$ Q3 m. @人在德国 社区 * g0 g( p, h) Y+ n/ G2 lrs238848.rs.hosteurope.deWomen turn to leeches in Tbilisi 22 June 2011 5 _6 @5 Q' T& K" `. J6 a, K. Y0 Q8 V$ E( Y. F5 e
Leeches have been used in medicine for thousands of years. By attaching themselves to the body, and sucking blood from a patient, they were thought to bring health benefits." Z8 _% O, ~8 f3 _7 Y: a
2 R4 ]: q* e9 m9 f! i ]' d' g" e' VThe idea being that disease could be banished by releasing the infected blood. 3 y( [# q4 L& J# u ! x4 s; ?! t: HThat idea fell out of fashion during the 20th century, with the discovery of modern drugs. But today, as interest in traditional medicine grows, they are making a comeback - particularly in the former Soviet State of Georgia. ; g/ }. J, l7 Y; u' prs238848.rs.hosteurope.de, N3 n/ J' T/ I- r
Damien McGuinness in the capital Tbilisi has been finding out why.