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。 6 V2 U/ m. _( b8 Y人在德国 社区0 N% b0 h) H( \! d: R1 L3 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。 + \3 [ B0 y+ \9 U' N( T* n q ( ]( @* r/ J6 `) d4 M: O 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。 / z. n0 }+ ~; ]6 ?% Q! g/ P5 b- w& w6 @! F4 B6 y+ ` 6 g6 ~- {7 p- M9 P$ ~& _ 2 j% @5 l+ d2 q! Y6 C# N! M9 D " t6 F! x' M* g9 G* y! K0 g人在德国 社区) n |0 [( L" X, ^0 y
Women turn to leeches in Tbilisi 22 June 2011 2 }- F, N! z6 o- M 7 o) `* C3 A. ?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.; n1 X. R( ^3 b1 k9 N7 F3 h
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The idea being that disease could be banished by releasing the infected blood.+ ]7 N+ C$ v- G D; M
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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.: @( L; \5 @ E4 e& x2 |7 q1 [1 [8 z% ^
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Damien McGuinness in the capital Tbilisi has been finding out why.