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。1 `; P e9 Y8 E4 V8 `
: Q _: O0 T% } 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。人在德国 社区- x0 n$ I" w: A h) O# 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。人在德国 社区5 j: s$ E7 G& M/ u4 o$ d
: Y( z. ^2 X0 m2 S2 k, c% b( l人在德国 社区 $ t; S. j+ J% D% K- G5 Jwww.csuchen.de : X7 t- }% s3 d G 4 D& z+ w1 F5 ]( J2 s1 W - t2 v5 t9 |8 G( k2 e( PWomen turn to leeches in Tbilisi 22 June 20111 p8 }) r- H% p( k* _. _
3 U. [- g" g9 J1 C# Y2 ]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 j+ w c; x0 Q人在德国 社区. `* p K% L) U _; r
The idea being that disease could be banished by releasing the infected blood.0 t" ]3 _5 Z P) I+ w. g
: ~* @, C7 v9 s) [: Y! s+ k- Fwww.csuchen.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. 6 c$ Y4 {' S+ P2 Q $ M! t( l/ K- x/ b2 A. KDamien McGuinness in the capital Tbilisi has been finding out why.