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。, K; q% @6 x2 J& j( P
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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。2 o) V2 U, b# v4 [& B9 v% R+ u2 Q+ M
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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。 # o; q3 Y- {) \( u( A" Z7 y人在德国 社区1 A4 H4 }1 [" N/ i 4 _% J# Q" x4 w% b) _9 W/ Z4 L, R
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Women turn to leeches in Tbilisi 22 June 2011人在德国 社区2 T# x; H$ R2 |9 s/ P3 m
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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. 4 q3 O Z( n, }9 `人在德国 社区4 @( W' i+ t9 I* y
The idea being that disease could be banished by releasing the infected blood. # n( ^6 F: c9 _$ e ?8 U ; X: E/ `& f5 K" ~) k5 g人在德国 社区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. 1 i. v ~$ i2 U2 P4 s4 C/ o2 b 3 G* t- m7 N: o4 s" FDamien McGuinness in the capital Tbilisi has been finding out why.