The Evidence For Hijama In US

By Brenda Kelly


Cupping therapy is a form of alternative medicine in which cups are placed on the skin to promote blood flow. A form of ancient medicine from China, Egypt and the Middle East, hijama in US is experiencing increased popularity. The use of cupping therapy has been traced back to 1550 BC, centuries before Moses' time. There is some evidence the practice began as early as 3000 BC. The cups may be made from bamboo, glass, or earthenware.

Considering this treatment has been around for more than five thousand years, western doctors are slow to embrace it. That said, the Prophet Muhammad is reported to have spoken highly of it. Today, it has been tried in a variety of conditions, including facial paralysis, cervical disk degeneration, and refractory viral infections.

Proponents of the technique say that it promotes healing by removing toxins from the body. In Britain, the practice is used to treat a variety of conditions, among them blood disorders such as hemophilia, rheumatoid conditions like fibromyalgia, skin conditions, migraines, varicose veins, respiratory conditions, and affective disorders such as depression and anxiety.

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.

Evidence is beginning to accumulate showing the technique's effectiveness. In 2009, a study conducted in Iran concluded that wet cupping had beneficial effects in patients with chronic low back pain. In another study involving seventy subjects with chronic migraine, a 66 percent reduction in the severity of the pain was noted.

The process begins with the application and ignition of a flammable substance to the inside of the cups. After the flames die down, the cups are turned upside down and applied to the surface of the patient's skin. The substance is usually alcohol, paper or specific herbs. A vacuum is established when the cups cool down, drawing a shallow dome of skin into the cups. As this happens, the blood vessels increase in caliber.

Some practitioners use a more modern technique of using a rubber or silicon pump to create the vacuum. Medical grade silicon cups are pliable enough that they can be moved around on the patient's skin to simulate a massage effect.

In wet cupping, a further step is added. When the cup is removed, the practitioner uses a specially designed scalpel to apply a several rows of minute scratches to the engorged skin. Once the incisions have been made, the cups are put back onto the skin in the same place. After a few minutes, blood begins to leach out of the open scratches and collects inside the cups. As the clinician removes the cups, he mops up the blood with a soft cloth. The cups are used once and then thrown away in the interest of health and safety. When they cups are taken off the skin and the pooled blood wiped away, the skin is treated with an antiseptic solution to remove all traces of blood and protect the skin from infection. The skin stops bleeding as soon as the cups are taken off. As gruesome as the procedure sounds, and looks to the casual observer, the patient feels very little discomfort and ends up feeling very relaxed and ready for a good nap.




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