Hijama In US Cupping Therapy

By Brenda Kelly


The process of cupping is an ancient form of medicine from China and the Middle East in which cups are placed on a patient's skin under vacuum to encourage blood flow. Records of its use to back to 3000 BC. Hijama in US is becoming increasingly popular as an alternative form of medicine. The cups are made from glass, earthenware or bamboo.

Typically, western medical practitioners are skeptical of this ancient practice, although the prophet Muhammad himself was said to be highly in favor of it. Today, it is applied for a number of ailments, among them, Herpes zoster, paralysis of the face, acne, and spondylosis of the neck. Some patients request it to improve general health and wellness.

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 United States, patients request cupping therapy for cleansing of the heart, lungs, liver, digestive system and other areas. Practitioners also administer the therapy to people with chronic back, neck, and shoulder pain, as well as lethargy, fatigue, brain fog, and stress.

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.

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.

Sometimes, a rubber pump is used to form the vacuum. In other cases, high grade silicon cups, which are supple enough to manipulated around to massage the skin. When the procedure ends with removal of the cups, the technique is referred to as dry cupping.

Dry cupping relies on the use of suction only. In wet cupping, the patient's bleeding is carefully manipulated. Here, the cup is removed after a few minutes and a series of superficial scratches are made in the skin using a special cupping scalpel. The whole process looks really weird and painful, but patients report only mild discomfort. After the scratches, the cups are replaced and left for several minutes. Blood rises out of the scratches and pools inside the cups. Once the cups come off, the practitioner gently collects the pooled blood using soft, absorbent toweling. The cups are disposed of and the area of the skin underneath them is cleaned gently with antiseptic solution. With the upward pressure off, the bleeding ceases right away. Patients often report feeling relaxed and like they want to sleep.




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