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。 ( k5 A+ I: d( R3 r) X2 w7 e7 A. G/ ~4 P3 x' ~& Z' N, V% `
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。rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de" X8 q$ P! K8 ]! j* T: h# f n
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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。 . w3 h/ T- V) S, C' rrs238848.rs.hosteurope.de) t0 m& b+ v& h# ` ! Y7 k* h& s5 K) w
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1 Y! O# M. }- o, o7 ^- ars238848.rs.hosteurope.de J3 i& b3 }5 J8 q/ ZWomen turn to leeches in Tbilisi 22 June 2011rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de% n5 U8 R6 ^8 T, \
! ]1 Q5 O# |( M/ c! ~. gLeeches 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.1 }( F7 [( |; @2 d. h# ?) T
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The idea being that disease could be banished by releasing the infected blood., A) }& b# F1 w; d* Y" B
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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.$ J- r7 h6 }6 R4 j5 P
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Damien McGuinness in the capital Tbilisi has been finding out why.