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。1 N# H* U$ H9 Z
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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。3 ]" T& Q5 s( I, m! O8 N" g
: K+ E- N% T0 o/ d 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。 7 d- o1 X7 \; e n; ?" n) i4 xrs238848.rs.hosteurope.de1 n& U8 s$ e" A/ r; E) I rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de+ a. Z* Q+ c/ `. |, q
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6 B# v$ [- g1 C% D人在德国 社区Women turn to leeches in Tbilisi 22 June 2011 . o: n% x5 J" K+ M. T5 L. O 1 s: P6 W2 e) H6 q' srs238848.rs.hosteurope.deLeeches 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. 9 `8 u6 C% ~& b ] + [! ]. A1 G0 [7 v0 ?6 u人在德国 社区The idea being that disease could be banished by releasing the infected blood.& }5 e+ `3 O* ] x
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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. , W$ \; K1 g% \* K* x2 ^6 |# Y* S9 `9 P5 R. ]
Damien McGuinness in the capital Tbilisi has been finding out why.