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。) o. u, w# }- A; s. t2 _8 w) n
: d) z; ]3 X. R8 b4 R0 s 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。 0 N3 s$ M) ~5 o2 y2 s5 A( p3 A7 a2 \- q) P
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。 3 ^: g, p/ R7 M8 q _" A * X( Z) \0 j4 _www.csuchen.de 9 P, \" z# E2 `& B% o J$ ^- J4 H) O' T) u7 ^3 u/ ]" V# c! m3 E2 [& P
' v% J* z% ~. |, h2 K) \www.csuchen.deWomen turn to leeches in Tbilisi 22 June 2011 C+ B6 ^8 J9 T' {: S* G& w* R; q: y$ m2 D* v) d( H
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.人在德国 社区0 k3 j8 [' ^8 p! R6 C
( l3 r' D; }8 Q6 CThe idea being that disease could be banished by releasing the infected blood.www.csuchen.de0 S# ^$ a" k/ s f0 ?# }% h
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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. * C, I3 J$ g# Z9 k% E& }9 ~; e! qwww.csuchen.de人在德国 社区* R( s7 A F" N F
Damien McGuinness in the capital Tbilisi has been finding out why.