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。 0 } A2 a, P* G p! _: j) F! r' B( I0 t, f
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。 ' Z1 V) H) U* |2 t" T6 s9 \9 ]' L4 ~' b' x
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。 j9 H8 e1 x) _5 ~) m" R$ ?4 q: G; F, U1 D0 D) Y
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Women turn to leeches in Tbilisi 22 June 20112 U0 W+ [' @1 b
( O" n" N( s! O0 ELeeches 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. 6 F; ~8 F @1 N5 Y! A+ @, M人在德国 社区 ) ]( q, r4 t8 b# K; L& H ^# R4 ]csuchen.deThe idea being that disease could be banished by releasing the infected blood.& g" A. D, K S* r# H+ Q0 R
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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. 3 O# ]" K. R& F 9 U$ d2 o+ V8 p! `8 X1 S# I jDamien McGuinness in the capital Tbilisi has been finding out why.