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。* V- f- R6 ~3 u! X1 |! D6 \% c
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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。 + r$ c: v" y/ w$ i; ^$ f人在德国 社区# D' j: x6 `) C X5 S1 T
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。人在德国 社区/ G& k3 Q7 v& X$ P" L& _2 {
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0 g1 B1 A9 O! ?Women turn to leeches in Tbilisi 22 June 2011( R2 Z1 M5 e- _' L' l! k
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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.6 |4 M4 Q+ T$ A# x$ ]
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The idea being that disease could be banished by releasing the infected blood.rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de5 @4 P/ }! R' m7 y7 S
2 s$ t+ @( a& D6 HThat 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. . \! W [% w, f9 r" g% i$ S , _) j" Z5 N8 C* \Damien McGuinness in the capital Tbilisi has been finding out why.