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。 ' a: q7 L2 g6 Y( V# L; R# v2 G; a, e/ h# i* c- Q
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。 6 L7 @+ Y' G; C* g" @4 e$ n2 A人在德国 社区+ j; i# s" f4 h/ T4 H$ \6 L. h
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。 3 ?0 T( n' _' u% K+ i L1 frs238848.rs.hosteurope.de - g) e; m* E4 D8 V- l. |. s7 w+ k: d9 v; ]/ O+ e* e
+ i6 m9 R+ C( k" E. r 1 v( Y" R# F7 w& j0 }& { * D- {2 q. W- [" ]- g5 @4 `Women turn to leeches in Tbilisi 22 June 20115 t$ _# N# O" M0 W
; j$ y5 D; |! LLeeches 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. $ f& [" u4 X4 p) n+ v* x3 e6 ?1 m- ~, j5 _, N; V
The idea being that disease could be banished by releasing the infected blood.9 h$ O- l$ ]+ W$ ^7 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. ) u& b! O2 a3 ]8 e( K1 Q; n/ \# zrs238848.rs.hosteurope.de & Q( r K9 e. _4 I: Wrs238848.rs.hosteurope.deDamien McGuinness in the capital Tbilisi has been finding out why.