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。 6 L; c/ N, m# S0 G% n) y5 x7 C2 {" `- B+ [
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。 [7 J" O& [" {( b# d% g, }( ` 3 [4 I# q: s# b; I 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。" h2 S0 H3 Y# Q* g; A" A" i* |
rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de. i% J6 a* Y- E1 U# p* L! F! v! g" L 4 }# T! y: ^' |, `& K2 ]0 {+ k
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Women turn to leeches in Tbilisi 22 June 20114 R/ i( h9 f$ @* }8 c: l
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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. 2 ^6 g% H* I B 9 n4 ?& H/ G4 k* m$ b3 fThe idea being that disease could be banished by releasing the infected blood. ' a; t- n. v+ ]3 {& ?; E: Jrs238848.rs.hosteurope.de . T0 r P8 w6 G. r2 \. LThat 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.人在德国 社区% T; C" C& P) x6 O- M2 [/ H
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Damien McGuinness in the capital Tbilisi has been finding out why.