The Evidence For Hijama In US

By Brenda Kelly


As long ago as 3000 BC, there are records of people benefiting from a type of ancient medicine called cupping. It is a very simple technique that involves placing cups on the skin under suction in order to improve blood flow to the skin. This approach was used in China and the Middle East. Cups have been made out of earthenware, glass, or bamboo. Another name for the therapy is Hijama in US.

The prophet Muhammad claimed that hijama was the best therapy a person could have. Although it has been slow to be taken up by western practitioners, it is gradually being used to help people with viral infections, facial paralysis, skin problems and spinal disc degeneration. Other patients use it just because it makes them feel better.

The underlying mechanism proposed to be involved in its observed efficacy is that it removes toxic substances from the body. In the United Kingdom, people with an autoimmune disorder called Fibromyalgia are starting to request it. FM is a life-limiting condition and anything that relieves the suffering is worth a shot. It is also used in asthma, depression, anxiety, and migraine headaches.

In the USA practitioners use it to cleanse the liver, heart, lungs and other areas. They are also trying it in people with lethargy, chronic pain, fuzzy-headedness (also known as brain fog), and shoulder pain.

There is as yet limited scientific evidence in the form of clinical trials to back up the treatment, although it does exist. A clinical trial was conducted in Iran and reported in 2009 that wet-cupping was effective in patients with nonspecific low back pain. In a different study, 70 patients with chronic migraine and tension experienced up to 66 percent reduction in severity of headache pain following wet cup therapy.

There are two different types of cupping technique, wet and dry. In both procedures, the cups are treated with something flammable, say, herbs, paper or alcohol. The substance is ignited and the flames allowed to die down. The cup is then placed upside down on the surface of the patient's skin. As the cup cools, a vaccum is formed between the inside of the cup and the skin. This causes the skin to redden and swell as the blood vessels become dilated.

In some cases, a rubber pump is used to achieve the vacuum. Cups made from medical grade silicon may be moved around on the patient's skin. This has a massaging effect.

While dry cupping is simply the application of suction, wet cupping involves making superficial incisions using a specially designed blade. The cups are removed and the skin is gently scratched in several places. Once the incisions have been made, the cups are put back on the skin and left in place for a few minutes. During this time, blood collects inside the overturned cups, which the clinician blots away with a soft cloth. Although the seepage of blood stops as soon as the vacuum pressure is removed, the area is wiped with a gentle antiseptic. The procedure looks somewhat brutal and uncomfortable, but patients swear by it, claiming that it relaxes them and helps them to sleep. Consult your regular medical doctor before trying anything like cupping.




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