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。. q( P+ r" n+ J" g/ f
人在德国 社区0 G7 J& V$ Q' Q, k
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。 8 |4 [, N$ \9 e( h0 Y: B3 q/ O人在德国 社区 " M) g" u3 h8 Z! I5 h$ {4 c* f 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+ } g' d ~5 t% Y $ i9 h" a( m, M) h人在德国 社区 q0 v( Z$ I6 ~2 V, `
6 |/ {9 r2 X7 q V; \
; K0 \9 w9 @1 k3 g6 r/ x9 A$ w2 `+ W7 n. Q. x) J
Women turn to leeches in Tbilisi 22 June 2011 6 J) F4 y" }$ i5 V7 H2 y ; H/ E+ p M( qLeeches 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.rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de# j6 q7 R& ?& K
2 P( |7 ^1 Z* ~8 P' ~7 [; |人在德国 社区The idea being that disease could be banished by releasing the infected blood. - k9 B0 l! m- L% d人在德国 社区/ D5 C9 K% e \ q G. j$ T6 U
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. 2 k' V1 ]! f, {6 ]* G, K- C5 [- O" m6 C! g4 ]. U0 L/ M4 Q
Damien McGuinness in the capital Tbilisi has been finding out why.