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。( r3 O- l E, w4 r
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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。5 r- g" q& p/ L# H4 C
% }( c0 j3 Z' P1 S人在德国 社区 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。 7 Z7 I7 o* R+ J( e人在德国 社区# C% g: w' d/ k9 k( @ 3 d' v7 s( K- k% c L5 U& b4 L M: h# J8 {( j6 L; a4 D5 c2 z' h$ M ( X7 U$ e5 F( U/ G+ o7 n $ m: g0 i- K: v, DWomen turn to leeches in Tbilisi 22 June 2011rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de9 R0 I! i# Q# j# c5 }$ h
4 y7 Q+ z0 x3 I! MLeeches 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. 8 F/ @& J/ H: X# m8 z- ?% W& @ 0 L. ` Q) R0 I. ~rs238848.rs.hosteurope.deThe idea being that disease could be banished by releasing the infected blood. 6 [+ a- N) \% _6 E, \) H $ F7 y: N) j) o3 d' w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 p7 P, {/ |9 V" ?# {4 W4 X
. R. ^1 C( v& v, I: KDamien McGuinness in the capital Tbilisi has been finding out why.