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。9 o7 h* `4 |' ?3 i# a/ L2 S( T
; h2 m& [ H# l3 k! N' U
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。; T% @' M9 J" p8 D% S8 [& r
; v, B7 l( M( Q
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。7 y0 @) g8 I) W( \# N7 O
2 y: c; k, D/ X. | * M0 k: d& K9 o5 w+ ~ ~* K ) E) }$ V: K3 E# {0 y& o e+ p. H人在德国 社区 x7 R! w, w) e6 ^3 n: c: s! s0 T7 `* H. t" R, N
Women turn to leeches in Tbilisi 22 June 20113 q' |, K; k3 m) t: I2 ^2 d/ m/ U
9 |4 L | e) z4 F+ U( j, T9 Q: r& hrs238848.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. , W5 U( @9 Q" I% K' X; U& r: e b/ s0 }8 w8 Q3 N1 u
The idea being that disease could be banished by releasing the infected blood.8 t( r# }( {8 {9 `+ u7 i1 @- c1 t
' B8 j% _. z+ t- s. z: h! u9 M' T. XThat 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. + L/ u. x- P6 t" _# N5 J y, `- p 6 L2 L: O5 F: |3 oDamien McGuinness in the capital Tbilisi has been finding out why.