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。 % m+ f- J, J7 F. t/ R; c+ s1 s( x$ R5 U- c- }
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。 $ U; M0 O# b ^8 g5 H" U9 R $ ]. G3 c5 D2 ~ t, 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。 ! g6 E* y, M9 c8 J5 }人在德国 社区 4 n# W: W: z/ Y" \ B& `人在德国 社区 x$ Q5 S ]) K
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Women turn to leeches in Tbilisi 22 June 2011 . [" W( Q. q+ B3 J' \rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de人在德国 社区$ ~& m% ~* @1 I4 p
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. $ K. F( }) }+ L0 P / _% Q; P) z& g: U; E" ~The idea being that disease could be banished by releasing the infected blood.人在德国 社区 m: b# f9 s8 _ i# j& W6 V
" E7 `0 x' ]$ E1 ^* \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. 2 u6 }; i# e+ x- W ) d9 V" X6 p# P- \; UDamien McGuinness in the capital Tbilisi has been finding out why.