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。& H( h) x. z* u& b/ o7 Y A
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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。8 [" V5 ]& T* `, \9 X2 Q
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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。 ( |( g$ `* x" j9 v e% n - i: T w. {) n* I2 u* Q& G# T) d# K. T. Z) g2 e- p
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; l# e5 s1 X0 {: W9 L; w8 E8 trs238848.rs.hosteurope.de 0 j- M0 D. j& |Women turn to leeches in Tbilisi 22 June 2011, A! _" @3 P! i, B% c0 g
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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. " W+ m' z% v. ~1 _; u" \5 m: U人在德国 社区 & Z9 r3 D4 Z' N) W, z5 mThe idea being that disease could be banished by releasing the infected blood. : e; w2 A8 U( }$ V" Z- q 9 p% o% E+ j% ^; d7 ?) r; 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.) o3 @. D& H; [+ v3 u
1 q6 O- |! ]9 ~, f( F& [- yDamien McGuinness in the capital Tbilisi has been finding out why.