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。9 P' l. g1 S$ o: s5 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。 - I/ x, {$ I& p4 ] : `1 V# o" g7 I) j' T 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。9 B' U: j& \$ T4 @! c7 Q
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4 Z' l8 L( B$ v9 \人在德国 社区 ( N1 z, z, W9 \; ^5 ` z, w: y$ W( K: [Women turn to leeches in Tbilisi 22 June 2011 5 J8 u5 A) s6 O8 ~% t人在德国 社区 & ?9 F" x. u W4 @- c% Hcsuchen.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.; X7 F3 G, C! D3 i6 w6 \% T
$ u0 k. [( B$ C. ^& A人在德国 社区The idea being that disease could be banished by releasing the infected blood.2 {5 Z! a+ h* c, U8 P
3 \# w% ^6 ~6 X% G% G5 R, WThat 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. 5 z/ K2 K _% v ) C8 C: s# g5 {: c+ o7 qDamien McGuinness in the capital Tbilisi has been finding out why.