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。 & V2 G1 q4 _! t- i1 D/ j& N- S( j7 D+ c8 m6 y& k' Q9 h
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。1 A+ B& ^4 h$ y9 i* T/ t
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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。 & C9 w& e) o. i* u2 x' I9 e人在德国 社区 / C. m. C7 Q+ B, H6 J( M $ U6 z M9 [+ A w: T4 h- M$ S2 E- u1 D% [. r# R& D3 E9 r1 e2 Y$ I
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Women turn to leeches in Tbilisi 22 June 2011人在德国 社区) p+ T7 `5 F- B ^6 S1 H
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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.' M+ o* [3 C8 e* z6 Q; \6 V
6 q, ~7 A3 I) V& X# sThe idea being that disease could be banished by releasing the infected blood. . z8 Y2 X- Y- @) z- W: m人在德国 社区! a; n% C* Y V7 p
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. 8 e1 O1 t1 h' U! b* y" q 0 |' B. u1 M: C6 e2 ?- l; U0 `0 q5 mrs238848.rs.hosteurope.deDamien McGuinness in the capital Tbilisi has been finding out why.