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。" S! | Z/ @8 `6 j4 i- _
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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。 + a1 n. h% m/ z9 c0 V2 i人在德国 社区8 U+ e U, r9 k$ g' n
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。 + M( K3 ` k. c 2 ]/ z$ k& b# @, i1 H9 J2 a% t人在德国 社区" V! q* v: ~2 r" l4 d6 N
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9 e7 @' y( ^3 `" G& d% z5 s1 ^人在德国 社区 7 }/ W2 \0 O1 F" _! kWomen turn to leeches in Tbilisi 22 June 2011' y( n6 Q( r7 h6 O& d4 ^# N- U
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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.人在德国 社区5 E5 [0 ], y7 r
, x+ f9 J) C3 u. c; C' l0 \The idea being that disease could be banished by releasing the infected blood.人在德国 社区) r% }8 E+ g4 |2 ?2 P/ L P
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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. : u' d! c! u0 i7 }; q人在德国 社区# g! c! R2 W7 s4 j: F
Damien McGuinness in the capital Tbilisi has been finding out why.