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。 |6 s7 |4 k/ \; M% y+ l人在德国 社区+ H& `& O: N1 g 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。/ r. a- U! `# H+ g* ^2 Y2 v) [! V
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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。 . |; {$ e9 A' R {9 v& V人在德国 社区 & T* ~' t- ^& Y v+ D) a B9 N . r* B( l5 {: Z" t0 S8 t) t2 A ( b' Z( x$ F; s2 E0 ]' C人在德国 社区; u) l3 |$ t, Z( h9 \
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Women turn to leeches in Tbilisi 22 June 2011人在德国 社区8 Z! z% X7 d& s& w
/ W% j0 [ r( ?' W' p' h& fLeeches 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.% o% U3 R& I/ s5 w8 ^: m
) p# |: l, G$ ?. O! _rs238848.rs.hosteurope.deThe idea being that disease could be banished by releasing the infected blood.% W. c: `3 s0 J$ S
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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.& V! q6 K2 G: N! K" T. @
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Damien McGuinness in the capital Tbilisi has been finding out why.