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。5.35.249.643 {" g0 j9 R* g, H, j5 C0 p
6 I) X' z: H5 m" H 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。! D9 d1 ]) y* m: {& e8 Z
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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。 + R5 Q$ K& p( q, W* k& n ' i. i8 ?6 c5 E( M. @5.35.249.649 y( P' p/ h8 D) U7 U
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5 ]( g3 z/ T# a# _# V7 n' l9 G ) Q8 e& U1 S+ K4 CWomen turn to leeches in Tbilisi 22 June 2011人在德国 社区* C! G& `- A+ X) L4 `' Y
4 i( W8 z! r/ n* a3 K/ j/ t' @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. $ M3 I9 E9 _, S/ h6 i& B5 w7 a6 o) K3 b
The idea being that disease could be banished by releasing the infected blood. - _8 Y1 J) g* U) R! V人在德国 社区人在德国 社区- f) i; b/ T% a
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. * F. b( I% M% Z! w9 ], L9 r# J5.35.249.64 3 V: i7 E# H5 O7 l, }( M8 qDamien McGuinness in the capital Tbilisi has been finding out why.