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。 4 h5 `; V% o* p6 M5 d: V# A$ C$ B4 L2 |* p3 K
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。" F3 f. {1 d8 y7 g
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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。! J: O- L, T1 s; K" }8 Y( i
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) W5 J& l" u$ E' a7 n. p* E, mrs238848.rs.hosteurope.deWomen turn to leeches in Tbilisi 22 June 2011; \, I0 ?7 y! ?
8 ~7 i1 g8 Q5 M0 G VLeeches 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. # d+ V# t; G, z! ers238848.rs.hosteurope.de( J! ]* E& {+ y! o5 [
The idea being that disease could be banished by releasing the infected blood. % H# n$ l9 t( U7 a- m9 x( p0 k8 O) e! s- h3 ]
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. ' h* Q- n/ l3 `' F @) G" J/ E7 Drs238848.rs.hosteurope.de 3 `: E# ?* z; k* p- {+ [9 k0 xDamien McGuinness in the capital Tbilisi has been finding out why.