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。! F8 o. z) |" v
3 J: L( j6 {6 L 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。( }/ F+ @& b, N @
6 Z2 |& E1 {1 j( @+ u) w * ~( B. f8 d/ H3 {/ v- \( F1 I , {4 r1 j' G) O+ W. Urs238848.rs.hosteurope.deWomen turn to leeches in Tbilisi 22 June 20118 N: q' ?6 T5 {
/ b- B! k' E- Z. q: e* m' ULeeches 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. ' a1 {5 [. {' p% n8 F, _& }1 ^# r1 ]- I
The idea being that disease could be banished by releasing the infected blood. % G) m6 }- V& u, H. F+ l- r5 O人在德国 社区: ]: j; S* `; C, z! c* S
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. : A: P% k: o% b3 Y: N - h0 U1 s" V* V! Z( L+ P9 ?$ r1 prs238848.rs.hosteurope.deDamien McGuinness in the capital Tbilisi has been finding out why.