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。) ^- R3 d/ u- C
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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。人在德国 社区5 |, @% u. P' }
% T1 X: R" a* N 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。3 e( [$ ]! R4 i( k2 ~6 L$ X. i
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Women turn to leeches in Tbilisi 22 June 2011 & \* R9 l4 t! ?8 r* b' N8 X + [, z# U/ `5 J2 p: K$ t' hLeeches 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.人在德国 社区+ ]" ?8 f1 Z9 F
4 T- u; _, P0 Q4 N* ~2 b人在德国 社区The idea being that disease could be banished by releasing the infected blood.; |$ n* s. ~7 A: W; }
) d [+ @# d; i$ W# J6 cThat 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. ! o& o+ Y- W8 m7 F3 L. j5 j2 ?3 h' v- [3 K" F9 Z( _1 M: [, z0 e
Damien McGuinness in the capital Tbilisi has been finding out why.