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' m0 E3 h' Y5 K, R- \2 n9 N7 [( B3 x4 n/ \; T0 g, b1 [
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 N+ P8 I2 p9 e' S7 K人在德国 社区6 `5 S+ q+ @ m0 o. p
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。9 H; V8 p. e+ f3 R- h6 d
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0 b4 ^0 T2 A9 g* b+ C) S) MWomen turn to leeches in Tbilisi 22 June 2011 ' m1 a. g( a. b) L9 lrs238848.rs.hosteurope.de ) t z& Y8 e9 N k1 rrs238848.rs.hosteurope.deLeeches 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." h# {# O. |1 Q! G v8 m
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The idea being that disease could be banished by releasing the infected blood. ' ]2 h z3 w' L4 J! ^2 G/ i5 K7 n- D' N. B. o
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. u2 y' V- W( O3 o+ c0 yrs238848.rs.hosteurope.de6 R2 F. Q8 I Y1 b
Damien McGuinness in the capital Tbilisi has been finding out why.