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。5.35.249.64/ ~, E; S1 ^; i3 |8 ]' a) r
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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。( [' u: ^+ X+ o! p0 m- \5 c, ~
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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。- |* v4 N% `6 A0 L
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4 @/ |+ x p5 d) l( J0 k( Q5.35.249.64 U1 T0 r/ v1 Y+ O5 b9 p 4 |0 a$ O0 @) vWomen turn to leeches in Tbilisi 22 June 20115 L- B' `- |; `) F1 y
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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. 2 D* T! X1 C% a2 n! b人在德国 社区' G) ]) t4 ~ s2 n$ t5 L
The idea being that disease could be banished by releasing the infected blood. ( @& i; ^1 \! d: g0 `人在德国 社区7 Q- V3 `8 e ^" D% k
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. 8 e/ ]5 n3 Z- S. {, ~# V * ~8 ?3 w- i# e9 M0 [3 nDamien McGuinness in the capital Tbilisi has been finding out why.