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。* B8 m2 v5 Z5 j+ F4 a% l
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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。 4 f! G+ @% P1 X* T* I& m . x* z# `, Z( G3 L! E 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。rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de; M" r, c/ n: L9 H! G
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* L: w2 b: m# i2 s / D r! w: X: f4 z; ~" K 1 @! f# a; e% c' d8 q! @3 \& eWomen turn to leeches in Tbilisi 22 June 2011 - i* G/ Q2 `5 ?, d3 O6 d9 r5 l& z8 Q' a, n8 U
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./ r V2 e' t, M" Q0 C) ^
0 G9 ?- J$ [' N9 J$ W y; xThe idea being that disease could be banished by releasing the infected blood. 6 q8 c; R* y* t+ T人在德国 社区 5 m/ v* S; Q7 V* I! l0 A! @# 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. 5 L- c! o8 @( l. s/ Y" v 5 w! f7 W# K* ^8 j3 w* K% iDamien McGuinness in the capital Tbilisi has been finding out why.