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。. s: |& g4 T: G) x' x3 \6 x1 a
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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。 7 I: x6 W5 j9 a1 L# x0 j! ^4 n! c - K' e6 P0 M9 _( `9 \0 n 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。 . H: y; w- W* Q* v& K( y人在德国 社区$ Q- I' a9 F# l) k g. c - q0 b7 V7 l2 W! N' c+ h7 j0 G( T+ A' f8 q3 x/ H3 ?
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Women turn to leeches in Tbilisi 22 June 2011rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de$ \/ d/ H7 u7 O& i+ w1 t Z8 h8 B6 X
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Leeches 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.& B, M* I' ?5 Q8 y* X3 j0 ?9 `
% @% s, b. p$ Z) h) ~; h( R人在德国 社区The idea being that disease could be banished by releasing the infected blood. , J0 t/ f7 L6 R1 H' A& q / V- [1 A; P- O a4 @' irs238848.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.7 F/ U2 ~+ M5 t% @1 H0 ]
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Damien McGuinness in the capital Tbilisi has been finding out why.