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 J, r$ I* G7 z, g : o9 h1 Y6 ]8 l/ P. a. X! W& z. @ 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。) X( S; P0 Z5 ^; ^- E0 E; [' D
+ {0 l+ u/ j! n; _) G$ w5 t2 u 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。 * k! c2 e% M* H) A" ^, F4 N9 ^人在德国 社区 2 D/ v* j* h) B% b5 s9 F: @0 I$ K N, j: a' [# c; _/ O
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Women turn to leeches in Tbilisi 22 June 2011 6 I" K/ e, q4 L$ {人在德国 社区; k. |$ l; `% x& H. f% d
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.; a9 @ I' d$ Y) n8 _4 K
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The idea being that disease could be banished by releasing the infected blood.4 n* h: ^# z& R0 u d
/ V3 z. z$ g' P9 v% F: ]9 h- u& o9 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. ~1 W+ H/ j! V: }rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de 5 |" J: y" J2 A: Z: |# C: L& c& _Damien McGuinness in the capital Tbilisi has been finding out why.