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。, D$ v4 h# U6 |1 g+ V: y. c
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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。! {: j+ U( ^ a# ~% Q; Z
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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。 6 G8 N. C- b9 Y) }2 Z, b3 b人在德国 社区# a3 \5 V/ v6 G# V( v ( ^3 j2 w, b3 q, X( M; B
. M2 r }; v! i1 X; M1 ] $ S" N, I/ m* [ 1 x- R& _0 a% }% X+ h1 jrs238848.rs.hosteurope.deWomen turn to leeches in Tbilisi 22 June 2011) q1 T6 X- g8 A0 N& \6 j9 q- Y
' U$ {& K( q T" |7 s. [0 L/ FLeeches 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. & X P9 m( U0 g: d/ H. z ' P) @4 D7 |1 `4 t. A) B( S3 e4 |The idea being that disease could be banished by releasing the infected blood. ( w; g/ o2 ?5 F/ U+ J人在德国 社区5 O q/ h. n' V2 g1 E, j
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. : Z! c7 ]8 n, o: X$ p+ Q+ c$ `1 J3 Z: P" G4 s
Damien McGuinness in the capital Tbilisi has been finding out why.