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。( C& Q o: Y( K V& u7 H& ^
* O9 m0 [! z! D7 \7 i, }, L' n 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。3 l! q9 n- E- Y% {. u& {, i2 t4 p% O7 x
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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。rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de# ~2 L* L5 x! N) O( _+ L
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+ a- @. m4 r0 M( L7 y% U0 d: \Women turn to leeches in Tbilisi 22 June 2011人在德国 社区& l" }3 a2 S0 B/ |& |0 W; E( e; i
7 e# L* V' |6 t! [+ dLeeches 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& L* C0 I6 n7 V o$ O. u
0 } j3 ^: D1 n1 F( t; ~The idea being that disease could be banished by releasing the infected blood.) M1 a U2 ?+ y
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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.rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de! K' p% Q; E) V/ E# {5 @/ Z
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Damien McGuinness in the capital Tbilisi has been finding out why.