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。 % R. l$ ^$ R8 j1 a1 z+ c- O: `! P7 U+ J2 Y5 [: L+ J
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。! X. ]3 d/ o1 }3 f6 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。- c, q( [; v* q, `4 z8 b1 g
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Women turn to leeches in Tbilisi 22 June 2011 ' ?5 l( h4 A+ B5 I& V 4 E! I" \) {3 b* ]人在德国 社区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.; P* `" q% v, U% r
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The idea being that disease could be banished by releasing the infected blood. ; ?! p3 }- d( z9 N3 R$ l8 Y : e8 |' @9 e7 z) L' \/ U& d+ ?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. 6 S8 U d$ G" U8 A" j1 D : i7 x% c0 S, D# J) J" y- ADamien McGuinness in the capital Tbilisi has been finding out why.