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。 p: ?; R+ I) D1 q ' Z: m! z; h m0 [: P* M! o3 h/ { 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。 1 h0 K# [, d! R2 Q# x1 ^rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de0 Q8 ?% z8 @- U
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。 r& t+ L u: |& e人在德国 社区) T. t5 f, Q/ i ) D* X' U5 V* T2 F' e, d
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% h# v6 S* j- |4 ]" K/ uWomen turn to leeches in Tbilisi 22 June 20113 [& C9 U9 E" _$ w3 `
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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. + ~# @, B; }8 h- j8 m# W人在德国 社区 ; u+ P8 t8 V- P0 ^5 H* k1 ?The idea being that disease could be banished by releasing the infected blood., ]% L6 S3 q U- ?7 K2 v
8 h. a" h/ H4 j1 F2 Q* ?% v( y/ W$ 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.* ?( `, ~& D* K
+ J% k( h3 l( ?+ ] Y: k7 l人在德国 社区Damien McGuinness in the capital Tbilisi has been finding out why.