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。 + n N$ M( [) f! _% V人在德国 社区人在德国 社区9 `$ v8 u: R- C# o' y6 y
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。 # x" Y6 j' y& R# Ers238848.rs.hosteurope.de5 R7 n4 k4 r* z ]1 Z1 |. @( u
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。: Y1 D0 C5 ]3 v( Q% U1 k
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Women turn to leeches in Tbilisi 22 June 20112 \5 w$ ]$ i- }9 ~1 {! B, a: C
' d5 d: I- X# ~& n! F# eLeeches 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.3 s8 G( s, }& C0 Q. E
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The idea being that disease could be banished by releasing the infected blood. / a% ^1 J6 X X5 o4 P/ d$ ]5 B7 t% o, x4 u Q4 u% q* a
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. . R. v+ X+ `8 ~' q1 B2 n9 N' k) f% |" I1 y6 @* h3 p
Damien McGuinness in the capital Tbilisi has been finding out why.