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。' D' U0 X/ k; Q* s( R
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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 n6 ^+ L3 f" @$ f! O) d / m, H4 A% D" {+ B+ a- 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。6 S8 Q. p# @+ i6 C6 ~
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l3 f) }6 L7 a! h7 ?* KWomen turn to leeches in Tbilisi 22 June 2011 5 p) }1 F& x6 _* {. f人在德国 社区rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de+ |+ Z" g) {% p8 o& E
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5 I% q$ {# Y$ p4 d! v
/ b' @2 o7 m( D" }: d0 v7 eThe idea being that disease could be banished by releasing the infected blood. ( C: p; z' C. H% e% B% W5 c" u# d; H6 R
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. ; Z: T& e- C8 Qrs238848.rs.hosteurope.de & b: X. p$ }2 h" q' f3 irs238848.rs.hosteurope.deDamien McGuinness in the capital Tbilisi has been finding out why.