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。/ W. j! g$ B8 Z$ W2 e5 H
( Z1 ~9 J0 K; v4 f6 W% R 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.de2 }, V/ e @) N. u) u! H
+ t Z4 d2 t. h1 j4 e' t1 [4 T/ B 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。 $ c5 b% U8 z* L- S+ q2 ]- Z+ A2 | / P1 q4 `. s3 ?$ s; ? ! E. |3 v' _ q3 Q- D) D8 Grs238848.rs.hosteurope.de人在德国 社区. ~. ]* f. M- A' r
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Women turn to leeches in Tbilisi 22 June 2011 & ~& \$ m$ M5 X+ y- F' ^rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de, Z5 U. x" r! t! \! J
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. 7 Z. t2 r% _: b9 J3 a( N4 ~$ N
The idea being that disease could be banished by releasing the infected blood. 6 Q( \* b# }7 O! Z5 ]; srs238848.rs.hosteurope.ders238848.rs.hosteurope.de1 c3 J- V ?2 v4 |% @
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.人在德国 社区7 c2 }0 i0 g( }
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Damien McGuinness in the capital Tbilisi has been finding out why.