[社会新闻] 乔治亚流行水蛭疗法

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 M5 ?) h( p. w* ~. V/ y6 |3 f

　　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。6 O3 o5 q% o; `( x* R0 e

　　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# z4 q$ D; z- O
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Women turn to leeches in Tbilisi 22 June 2011' I/ p& X( ?" W) B$ S/ }

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.5 _) L% A% z% d! o9 @

The idea being that disease could be banished by releasing the infected blood.
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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 D1 g: M& j

Damien McGuinness in the capital Tbilisi has been finding out why.