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。: `6 n$ ]7 w; J. q4 e4 g2 y. d
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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。9 K U2 k2 ~. Q# h T' b" ^1 I
8 l! @8 Q6 H5 X( Z8 _人在德国 社区 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。, }5 K: s! w* n, g! h+ h
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Women turn to leeches in Tbilisi 22 June 2011 c# F9 L6 R/ j ^% p 7 w* s. k( H" G1 g% ~3 qLeeches 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. ) j" s' d3 q0 f- @rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de人在德国 社区' H, B% |) ^: D8 k
The idea being that disease could be banished by releasing the infected blood.人在德国 社区7 Z! Y9 F! m# U2 t9 _, M7 }, x
2 G9 x1 N0 ~1 i% X/ e) Y, J4 C1 qrs238848.rs.hosteurope.deThat 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. I% w$ R% \3 D" ~9 L- z4 ` 9 k+ q3 t' z( {" h nDamien McGuinness in the capital Tbilisi has been finding out why.