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。 \7 V6 }. p. x) v0 y& z. Q$ D j人在德国 社区 0 X, h+ V* D% xrs238848.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.de# M; Y* X+ i# x7 [
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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。 : e; D( a) C3 L& [4 s. c2 A8 E+ z: F% a) G4 { 9 d# x. O4 M4 A$ o7 ?rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de ; d$ J( L( _$ d* X + ~" t+ ]: ^2 n5 r! V$ g* r8 z( ?8 y2 U/ @) U. y9 W
Women turn to leeches in Tbilisi 22 June 20116 X% A! b1 {3 W5 q2 a e9 a: U1 |( J
1 S$ ~9 r! A& w8 H/ ]5 k6 b) Srs238848.rs.hosteurope.deLeeches 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. }! \8 _% b. ?2 {
) x9 Y8 c3 k: \人在德国 社区The idea being that disease could be banished by releasing the infected blood. 9 _/ {2 C: t, l S1 h: F0 D t( E* K) B2 }
That 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. , ~ n& A- a$ ^! z1 E/ Q+ a- Q; `/ c; L
Damien McGuinness in the capital Tbilisi has been finding out why.