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。 4 Q; }: j4 V- H2 |" b * V1 G* A; k: T7 P1 y8 O人在德国 社区 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。 1 c& y, I8 O( N" F + P9 T4 Z$ `+ T/ N/ q# @% H 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。 - L/ ^& y/ ]2 G, y( N+ n9 W" C人在德国 社区# p, ?* u. |$ d- f : _* R9 M8 K/ x5 \1 z. j
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Women turn to leeches in Tbilisi 22 June 2011人在德国 社区0 f8 E: u% J" ^
" I) X; Q1 u2 w1 k5 zLeeches 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. ! \; B' e' `4 [" }' }# W( k+ n- t* ?4 k" K
The idea being that disease could be banished by releasing the infected blood. & o; D- V0 E4 u, s% F 1 x9 `) I4 C/ d) ?2 T' W* U* jThat 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. 7 ~, d8 `7 q# J O1 g6 `6 y: `3 @3 }* N6 J2 z
Damien McGuinness in the capital Tbilisi has been finding out why.