The ancient treatment of cupping is a well known form of complementary medicine practiced throughout the old world. Here, in the Middle East, it has taken on added significance since it was fully embraced and recommended by Prophet Mohammed (PBUH).
Cupping has been used in the treatment and cure of a broad range of conditions such as blood related disorders; haemophilia and hypertension for example, rheumatic conditions ranging from arthritis, sciatica, back pain and migraines through to psycho-social applications in the treatment of anxiety and general physical and mental well-being. Traditional theories advocate that the primary aim of Cupping is to extract blood, or toxins, that are believed to be harmful from the body which in turn rids the body of potential harm from symptoms leading to a reduction in well-being.
The Arabic name for Cupping Therapy is Al-Hijamah which means to reduce in size i.e. to return the body back to its natural state. The practice of Al-Hijamah has been part of Middle-Eastern cultural practice for thousands of years with citations dating back to the time of Hippocrates (400 BC). Cupping Therapy can be divided into two broad categories: Dry Cupping and Wet Cupping. Dry Cupping Therapy tends to be practiced more commonly in the Far-East whereas Wet Cupping is favoured in the Middle East and Eastern Europe.
Doctor Osama Ahmed Hassan is a fully qualified GP and leading practitioner of cupping therapy. He sat down with Fujairah Observer to shed more light on the merits of cupping as a form of treatment and we began by asking how, and why, he became an advocate of this practice?
Dr Osama Hassan: I’ve long had a curious interest in complementary medicine, and that only grew when I began studying medicine back home in Sudan. My interest grew even more when I had the chance to work in the same clinic with a doctor specializing in acupuncture, two years ago; I began to study cupping therapy more seriously and learnt the techniques and methods. I feel that my medical background helps me to utilize what I know of Hijamah to provide patients with the best possible treatment.
Fujairah Observer: How is cupping therapy viewed by the medical establishment? Does it have substantiated benefits or is it viewed as unproven and unnecessary?
O.H: In medicine, there is a moving away from the term ‘alternative medicine’ in favour of ‘complementary’ because there can never be an alternative to modern medicine. Before the advent of modern medicine ancient cultures and civilizations relied on methods and treatments which were also based on trial and error and expertise. Modern medicine acknowledges the effectiveness of various ancient therapies such as acupuncture and cupping when used for certain applications such as relief of pain or improving blood circulation. What is missing for something like Hijamah, is more serious research to ascertain the full medical benefits and best application methods. This is called evidence-based medical research and although some research has been done in the past, there is still a long way to go. What I can say, as a practicing doctor who had the chance to see first-hand the effect of cupping therapy on my patients, is that the benefits overall are very positive and, in some cases, can be described as highly significant.
F.O: Can you give us examples of these cases?
O.H: I find that Hijamah works best for relief of pain, such as from migraines and lower back, but
it also has numerous preventative benefits such as boosting the immune system, help prevent clotting of blood cells, stimulate the growth of enzymes and hormones. Cupping therapy is also known for its psychological benefits as it helps relief tension and stress. In the case of migraine, I would say Hijamah is more effective than modern medicine because after treatment a patient may be free from the symptoms of migraine for months on end; something modern medical treatment cannot offer.
F.O: What type of treatment is given in a session?
O.H: It varies according to the case. Cupping therapy has various forms such as dry cupping, wet or blood cupping, rolling cupping, and magnetic cupping. After we determine the points of cupping (these are the locations on the body where the treatment will be carried out) we place the cup on the point and create localized pressure vacuum so the skin is sucked up and blood then collects under that skin. After that we make very small incisions on the pressurized skin and repeat the suction on the same area to draw out the blood. The process is pain free because the incisions are so small and superficial. The blood that comes out is often dark; an indication of the collection of toxins and bio waste extracted from the body.
F.O: What are your hopes for this type of therapy and what do you say to sceptics?
O.H: Hijamah or cupping therapy has been around for millennia and people still swear by it. I would say to any sceptic ask someone who had the treatment or try it yourself; it is completely harmless and has untold benefits. As for the future of the practice; I’m optimistic that more medical research can be carried out to establish the application of Hijamah as evidence based medicine and for me as a doctor, I’ve seen the positive impact it can have on the health of patients and how it changed the sceptical views of medical colleagues and I’m sure it will always be part of my life whatever happens.
Fuad Mohamed Ali
Disclaimer: This information is in no way intended to be a substitute for modern medical care.
Comments on this article:
Posted by Dr. Wala Elmamoun :
I would like to thank you for this promssing article and the idea of introducing Hijamah as evidence based medicine will make a huge defferance in the lines of managment for those who are the candidate of treatment by Hijamah .
Posted by DR Mohammed Soghaier:
This is a very interesting, being Muslims we believe on the curative effect of cupping, since we have many literature related to our prophet (Sala Allah Alaih Wasalam). We need to conduct several modern clinical trials to assess the efficacy of this method on different symptoms so as to advocate for this unique art , skill and knowledge. Dr Osama Hassan is one of the dedicated medical doctors who are investing on this method, I recommend more support and advocacy and even upgrading of his center to produce more.
Posted by Dr.Sami Alamin:
Thanks for this intersting article. I consider my self as a very lucky person since Dr.Osama and I,are friends and even more than that. I used to share him interst in the ( complementory medicine) also I visited him in his clinic and I saw the great job he is doing. My point is that he needs the way to improve the practice throw more researches and evidance-based practice and I am completely sure he will sail throw