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 ]& C3 u1 q: ]' G* V) q/ p% G0 h9 b
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。人在德国 社区 d- {2 P# e( ~7 w! D* [
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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。 . A- C' \( c) u+ p2 F' n* a人在德国 社区" q& x6 J! B# u - }% J. u; W1 C6 R人在德国 社区$ o6 \; r% c+ b& V2 ` m$ H% S( P
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Women turn to leeches in Tbilisi 22 June 2011 1 T8 V: x7 X! q6 u6 e. C' D& i& T3 c+ z4 R% s
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 w$ _2 Y+ x9 Q; I3 y J & T/ s# P$ A, x8 c6 _2 v7 a. m人在德国 社区The idea being that disease could be banished by releasing the infected blood.人在德国 社区* U2 ]3 ?" \0 O, T
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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. 9 K, K1 y: D" f人在德国 社区9 H, ~7 K- o! G) ]1 U4 E) q2 ^
Damien McGuinness in the capital Tbilisi has been finding out why.