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。0 W! e% C* U5 }4 R* P e9 e# d$ s
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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。rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de- u' \9 K! z4 w/ F
0 V7 `8 V2 n+ w% n( U! y 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。+ O6 {# M% E# R: `( S$ P5 o
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; ?9 B) ~7 S) S+ g g8 f5 D; g1 S人在德国 社区Women turn to leeches in Tbilisi 22 June 2011 3 S3 A2 |0 [5 irs238848.rs.hosteurope.de9 i& Y% v$ ?$ S' f, d! V
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.人在德国 社区% j" Q' y# q- C
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The idea being that disease could be banished by releasing the infected blood./ k7 l5 i6 N3 Y
v F# I0 u- z0 ]! g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.7 Y/ D) A0 h0 H/ y
' C! ^4 k Q1 v/ o+ d$ i- b" N! h人在德国 社区Damien McGuinness in the capital Tbilisi has been finding out why.