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。% F2 t$ g v3 S L4 E/ Z' `7 Q- N
" r; ]5 ]. h n2 I5 _* y2 V+ D B 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。 ' H- d0 j; E- L/ f% c% C P( D$ g' @5 F) o4 b' Z
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。2 S- @$ e6 s! R8 y) B& ?
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+ A! {6 i1 h7 I/ @5 Q% J人在德国 社区/ ^9 U8 Z6 m0 x; L( O! r: x4 {5 n
Women turn to leeches in Tbilisi 22 June 20115 n9 v @2 z1 w
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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.人在德国 社区3 w- ]- g4 f2 O* \
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The idea being that disease could be banished by releasing the infected blood.; v& q0 A% }9 e2 X8 n
# A b) F9 U3 L: J8 E3 T1 CThat 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.8 |2 t5 I& [- b0 I- r
8 [3 |7 J2 i2 o7 Z8 Q- Xrs238848.rs.hosteurope.deDamien McGuinness in the capital Tbilisi has been finding out why.