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。9 Q+ c; i; F& b' f
5 j) T; U; a: [ |! C人在德国 社区 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。+ p1 Z; f5 M6 J) V8 c6 e: U" a, T
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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。 / e, h$ W# u8 m% b! {rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de 6 W3 s$ u3 n1 j% _+ [/ a/ r/ W1 b 2 g. A4 `' R* y7 R # n: X/ X" |7 h2 P; X. U, {# s! F: G! J
9 S1 Y' Q# e6 f" I1 v" o$ {rs238848.rs.hosteurope.deWomen turn to leeches in Tbilisi 22 June 2011 o9 [" P" t S. |, B3 ?. ]( \3 s+ V( ^( l* [) F, D# g
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 y6 s; G2 \% E) J( I& V! D& g) H. hrs238848.rs.hosteurope.de 0 r! W4 n1 J0 O5 I9 |; {人在德国 社区The idea being that disease could be banished by releasing the infected blood. . C0 o5 F0 X9 n. o- ]+ z人在德国 社区 ?- R& r4 _1 U0 [* E# }
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+ a2 l: v+ @/ }) }$ h D1 R1 H! }
Damien McGuinness in the capital Tbilisi has been finding out why.