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。rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de- |% U: g V4 f+ |4 T. F B8 f
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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。0 v; L" {9 r9 B% @
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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。 9 `) b' Y4 }: K 8 E) s8 ?2 Y& |3 z( | : @& }$ _8 V) G ' `: C7 y3 f K5 R5 w3 G8 q人在德国 社区+ m8 J, X) K* a, J1 g
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Women turn to leeches in Tbilisi 22 June 20119 b8 \& A2 [' q. b! y2 o
5 a- j! m6 t1 |- d. [rs238848.rs.hosteurope.deLeeches 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. $ W- G) v+ V" j" C3 h. B& X: q: K 7 G1 r- g( H6 ^ [2 Jrs238848.rs.hosteurope.deThe idea being that disease could be banished by releasing the infected blood. , [; i, K0 `3 o, }, i 4 Q! N# L7 I, b3 t+ r( K- crs238848.rs.hosteurope.deThat 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. C+ f0 q* I6 V; q1 g( n
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Damien McGuinness in the capital Tbilisi has been finding out why.