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。 / |4 Z# k$ @) a) V- b4 w8 {* ?6 w人在德国 社区 " o9 T2 q8 u$ M* Y 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。8 R2 d/ S3 c( m7 G7 B/ ~
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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。人在德国 社区) V3 n1 P* m: x. {5 m! L* H2 ]* i
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Women turn to leeches in Tbilisi 22 June 2011 , |4 H+ w& W. t5 A6 }rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de人在德国 社区- j R, W( v$ R
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 i* N3 ~2 h$ o4 ?& T8 a- z
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The idea being that disease could be banished by releasing the infected blood.( |) W1 _& k# C
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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.9 S8 G/ W5 b8 O* Y- P- }
& Z) g$ E+ A7 E) e6 N5 K+ pDamien McGuinness in the capital Tbilisi has been finding out why.