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。 : {+ _/ w6 R3 y% O$ J) f, G# L% E: M- e& ~- o" \: R
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。- F1 L2 A S% D8 H& O
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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。 & O+ |+ S" N q9 I人在德国 社区 y1 C& U6 G u; O人在德国 社区 ' A8 i! y1 k; c# S3 C3 ^人在德国 社区 |( k& Y Q8 k8 d" r
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7 v/ U6 n) x; N- _+ Q8 g; P5 bWomen turn to leeches in Tbilisi 22 June 2011 : h3 c% ]; ]: v人在德国 社区 1 V; Z' Y" E! O) Y$ g人在德国 社区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. ; M9 t5 u7 H! \ o" z+ s% y1 iwww.csuchen.de! d4 I+ U% |9 b" @. Z
The idea being that disease could be banished by releasing the infected blood.* i, F: _) U6 X' W7 m. Z
* v d. e9 Q- j6 s c# s5 aThat 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. : r% S5 p) k3 W pwww.csuchen.de3 G6 ]; N% \9 [* W' s, |& r
Damien McGuinness in the capital Tbilisi has been finding out why.