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。. b: r2 O& E$ {$ k
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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。7 l# K- a7 k! R# M8 [8 @
7 K* T; z9 [5 r 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。 * z5 ]- Y" t) U3 K; k) c" n人在德国 社区* |5 b' N( ~, ^! n6 A; G $ G, S& `" v }( o* l" _ 2 U1 r p% F- d " i2 o) V0 k3 ~: W+ u. \8 s9 Q& a& f2 o( L
Women turn to leeches in Tbilisi 22 June 2011 % T/ u# } `& ^4 t2 P. i人在德国 社区: f2 y1 `9 f/ m4 n: q
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. 3 X, m5 L1 s- g- C * Z$ Y9 u5 I% ~The idea being that disease could be banished by releasing the infected blood.rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de' D! J7 a9 M# Z: M
5 U: h% Z2 x9 G; d; MThat 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. 5 z5 n6 O2 i; Q+ X& A人在德国 社区 ' f; p9 D( H- o6 D人在德国 社区Damien McGuinness in the capital Tbilisi has been finding out why.