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。3 X- B- d- x4 S: d* E$ O* 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。rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de8 u _! Z7 \) Q
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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。 5 H1 {/ |$ \. I/ e; ^" f0 ]4 [5 E# F5 m% z4 J& V 9 h/ J; m; `5 ?& g6 t人在德国 社区 ; K% n. p5 O+ r% K( \. u7 x6 |* r" \) T! grs238848.rs.hosteurope.ders238848.rs.hosteurope.de" Y& k g) L0 E9 d( H3 `
, Y) m3 {) r7 l2 l4 Zrs238848.rs.hosteurope.deWomen turn to leeches in Tbilisi 22 June 2011& ]4 a8 d1 V% ^$ z! g% ]) E
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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. ) {: `& J( p0 s! R6 H1 n 3 R, z4 G. |; N L" U% OThe idea being that disease could be banished by releasing the infected blood. ( v( l. }9 K+ U8 H 1 z$ p5 Z" _" ~7 K" @' }: X, tThat 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; P0 u7 }* e5 U$ \" j3 M) A / J1 c% S6 K1 D# o! srs238848.rs.hosteurope.deDamien McGuinness in the capital Tbilisi has been finding out why.