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。 ' ?! C' }0 O. x" y% k人在德国 社区 * F& M; `& X& w% L4 e 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。5 ]+ U j4 |& a* |8 j% d
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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。# L# s7 a- f, m* d5 @, p+ n8 W
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Women turn to leeches in Tbilisi 22 June 2011! H- t3 L) ^% K7 b3 h2 n
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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.# D" I! B0 _5 f b0 O
: k& e- a1 ^! }; {+ |% C! N3 GThe idea being that disease could be banished by releasing the infected blood.) q* A5 u8 P# m4 |2 ~
. P+ S# N2 K5 u) t2 E; |# W6 A9 V人在德国 社区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. 0 n/ m1 j! @1 e) ]$ [9 z5 ~ . A5 u# _) s w$ `3 v. J m# R人在德国 社区Damien McGuinness in the capital Tbilisi has been finding out why.