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。4 l4 M$ ]2 t. m: N' |
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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。 - k& g! e; [+ p+ _ M) y' g8 M人在德国 社区 / u) l J. Q; ~0 c0 P人在德国 社区 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。人在德国 社区" q1 k6 j. q: g( R; [
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Women turn to leeches in Tbilisi 22 June 2011 # f9 q) j) J: z# e+ {1 O人在德国 社区 5 \/ J$ P* N( u' D. 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. " x+ z' |8 I7 ]/ ] I4 V/ l7 ?$ ^9 c' d$ |
The idea being that disease could be banished by releasing the infected blood.8 a2 o! E$ u0 P* `4 A! b
) F R, C/ g+ O8 ]! i) U. qcsuchen.deThat 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.$ ?) I+ R/ S2 `% v" M+ w$ i
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Damien McGuinness in the capital Tbilisi has been finding out why.