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。" u/ P' Z- p' r) \! r2 e
7 Z, d4 h) h" H8 @ 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。 + O' M$ D4 I4 M$ {3 j1 J8 `! {' z9 ]. M' @9 b5 V+ 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。 ' o; f, V) e" k. y2 Q0 f! g+ M& E9 L/ z4 U( U 人在德国 社区. a/ n' M# D) q- O" Y
# n. Y) R0 b6 j. N4 e0 w ( \4 _" h, r4 x人在德国 社区 ( L; t5 I6 O5 ~Women turn to leeches in Tbilisi 22 June 2011 K% W& I/ s5 k8 O2 i 4 o) y9 D8 W3 ^4 x* ?. D8 p: r! F: DLeeches 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.rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de" P/ H7 q+ W- E7 H- p8 N6 S' T
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The idea being that disease could be banished by releasing the infected blood.rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de( u" }6 N: ^# f: G F+ u" k5 z
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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.5 u8 f' R: [' D2 c V% _
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Damien McGuinness in the capital Tbilisi has been finding out why.