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。 $ M/ ~$ I$ I! U2 Y; Q+ u4 ~人在德国 社区+ j& K5 I# f; W1 X1 Z) e
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。 & x" f- [7 g2 E @' u人在德国 社区 % _+ ], S- C2 F! n; [ C3 P& e人在德国 社区 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。 , S* i! M! ]( _* e2 i A 0 A- R, W c0 a- q+ j; v ~ 6 C9 l/ O/ P4 Q$ _人在德国 社区) H4 J# p; J4 D
# Z' x0 N8 D2 Z! b6 V6 {/ N人在德国 社区 & i" ]; y5 e. D* jWomen turn to leeches in Tbilisi 22 June 2011 " _6 T6 X2 z) C5 R9 v 4 d: r/ Y% u( J& tLeeches 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.% u1 k( h0 n( R$ v: w
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The idea being that disease could be banished by releasing the infected blood., B) F' L7 H) W. ^. }8 W' B# @; `7 x- y
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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.+ F* y/ Q( t; v+ S5 ~# v; ?
! Q0 p& P5 x% H, O3 K, F: t* H$ s" W7 crs238848.rs.hosteurope.deDamien McGuinness in the capital Tbilisi has been finding out why.