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。! ?( Y- u& h4 _8 [( { h3 I
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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。 % W; j" y0 k U2 N+ {人在德国 社区 7 v6 _2 C$ b) X, E- ?5 x' R+ 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.de7 l# C: V: B5 k' Q9 j
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1 }, F8 I2 X$ r& P! P" ~ 4 P9 ^) ^/ B; H1 o0 \人在德国 社区Women turn to leeches in Tbilisi 22 June 20112 g1 h( K- ]$ o% K2 a5 Z
* l0 D; H9 D5 ?0 S+ p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.1 } i/ Q, R6 ?- d/ K
/ O% } H1 Q5 Q" \- DThe idea being that disease could be banished by releasing the infected blood.0 J% V1 Z6 S, C$ y# o) Y* E
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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.% w+ t/ T5 H2 E, }- }- |2 T6 {
" y0 a5 \( V K$ @# \: r; |& `3 D# YDamien McGuinness in the capital Tbilisi has been finding out why.