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。 1 D" [& Z. x4 u7 g0 Z# D9 m; D人在德国 社区 6 U; E! W+ y5 j" D* @ 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。 . N9 |# m# q2 |5 q3 Drs238848.rs.hosteurope.de 9 O4 d- ] _) [$ s) E2 z 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。 - ^+ U2 D; e7 L9 l+ h , H2 i. S! a1 g! [9 w4 t人在德国 社区* O1 Y2 f- `' U& G4 H
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Women turn to leeches in Tbilisi 22 June 2011( R" K0 n: e1 O" L4 Q, E/ t+ X
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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.) [0 g, W1 S- I: H# K/ u
$ ]+ G D( z1 h: w+ lrs238848.rs.hosteurope.deThe idea being that disease could be banished by releasing the infected blood.rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de5 N. ?' c& a* \8 E2 o
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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. % q+ V# i! U! F K3 s; O& S% p( w
Damien McGuinness in the capital Tbilisi has been finding out why.