[社会新闻] 乔治亚流行水蛭疗法

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。rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de$ N, h2 s6 q. S$ J
9 R; ^0 S, G8 `" N; x/ w
　　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.de( L$ i! Z: \; k
　　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。

rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de! s6 x2 f  w. k
" p. G1 i( }& n+ [1 Q5 Q
人在德国社区4 x7 Y% Y! I% d: J
; O0 s' ]' J  S% `
Women turn to leeches in Tbilisi    22 June 2011rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de, {# @" w$ ]$ F( p, r1 J+ ?8 X

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.
; I' a# b$ v6 Q8 d. v  I% F. }
The idea being that disease could be banished by releasing the infected blood.
4 U, g4 ?5 {+ q& u
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.0 I+ i1 [+ j9 r( D( a
! o4 V/ N" n1 ]- K: y
Damien McGuinness in the capital Tbilisi has been finding out why.