THIS LECTURE WAS DELIVER IN GULBARGA , KARNATAKA.

1. Presented by
Dr Mohd Shahid
National Institute
of Unani
Medicine, Bangalore

2. Objectives
 Historical Background of Hijama
 What is Hijama ?
 Principles to follow while performing hijama
 Mode of action of Hijama
 Research studies on cupping therapy
 Conclusion

3. Historical Background of
Hijama (Cupping)
 Oldest document of Cupping was in Macedonia
mentioned in 3300 B.C
 In 2600 BC after 700 years of Macedonia this art entered
into China
 Ancient Papyrus 2200 B.C also describes about the
common practice of Hijama in the world
 Hippocrates described both dry and wet cupping in his
treatise “Guide to Clinical Treatment” which has been
widely employed for the cure of broad range of conditions
and gaining popularity worldwide.

4. Cont…
 Avicenna in his book “Al Qanoon” has mentioned
Hijama as a medical pillar for management of over
37 kinds of diseases. (Dearlove,Verguei, Birkin, &
Latham, 1981)
 In Arabic this method of therapy was popularised by
our Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alaiyhi
wassallam) as stated in many Hadith

5. Hijama is Sunnah (the
best of remedies)

 Anas Ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased upon
him) reported that the Prophet ( S.A.W)
said, “Indeed the best of remedies you have is
cupping (hijama)…” [Saheeh al-Bukhaari (5371)].
“Sunnah” means Practices of the Prophet
Muhammad (Peace be Upon Him) and his
recommendations/guidance

6. There is cure in three
things
 Narrated Ibn Abbas: The Prophet Mohammad
(S.A.W) said “healing is in three things:
1. Cupping
2. A gulp of honey
3. Cauterization (branding with fire). But I forbid my
followers to use cauterization
Best time of hijama: 17th, 19th, or 21st day (of the lunar
month)

7. Application of cup
by an Arab
A traditional
hajjam sucking
a horn as
muhajima
applied on
Muhajim near
the shoulder

8. What is Hijama (Cupping) ?
 It is an Arabic word derived form the term “Hajam” -
Volume
 Literally stands for “ to restore” “ to minimize”
 It is of two types
 Hijama Bil Shart (Wet cupping)
 Hijama Bila Shart (Dry cupping)
 Hijama or Cupping is a method used for local
evacuation or diversion of morbid humours in which a
horn (Singhi) is attached to the surface of the skin of the
diseased part through negative pressure created by
vacuum. The vacuum is created by the introduction of heat
or suction

9. Dry Cupping

10. Wet Cupping

11. Indication of cupping
 Hypertension
 Sciatica
 Back pain
 Migraine
 Gynecological disorders
 Gout
 Knee pain
 Diseases of the
liver, spleen
 Heaviness of head
 Asthma
 Dyspnoea
 Migraine
 Palpitation
 Headache
 Haemorrhoids
 Psoriasis

12. Types of cups used
 Animal Horns
 Bamboo
 Pottery
 Fire (cups)
 Metal Cups
 Glass cups / Glasses

13. Animal horns

14. Bamboo cups

15. Pottery cups

16. Metal Cups
The traditional
Hajjam applied
one metal cup
by creating the
vacuum with
sucking and
applying second
cup

17. The patient’s
blood in a
bowel for the
patient to see
before
discarding

18. Glass cup with Suction
pipe

19. Modern Cups

20. Apparatus used for cupping
(OLD)
• Bull horn
• Scissor
• Blade
• Anti Septic and
Wound healing
Powders
• Dressing Material

21. Apparatus used for
cupping(Modern)
• Hand Gloves
• Anti septic lotions
• Cupping instrmnt.
• Surgical Blade
• Sterile dressing
cloth

23. Dry Cupping
 It is the application of a suction cup over an area of
intact skin
 The idea is to draw underlying blood and fluid away
from the area of inflammation to the surface of the
skin
 This method relieves the congestion from the
inflamed area, but do not remove fluid from the body.

24. Application of Modern
Suction Cups

25. Inflammation or
swelling like skin
protrusion occurs inside
the dry cups, indicates
the drawing of the body
fluids and blood over
the surface of the skin.

27. Wet Cupping
 Wet cupping is the application of a suction
cup over an area of incised skin
 Wet cupping works according to the principle
of Tanqiya –e-mavad, i.e. evacuation of morbid
matters from the affected area.

28. Procedure
 Wet cupping or Hijama is the same as fixed cupping
but involves administering small incisions on the
superficial layer of skin

29. Cont…

30. Principles to follow
while performing hijama
 Men and women are allowed to have the treatments and it
is recommended for all ages and all ailments (except very
few)
 It is recommended that wet cupping be practiced on the
17th, 19th and 21st days of the month
 It should be performed on an empty stomach, Or After
two hours of meals.
 The person should be given muqawwi meda (stomachic)
and daf’iah mawad (eliminating matter) sharbat like
sharbat anar, santra, kasni, sirka, shikanjabeen prior to
hijamat (Al Qanoon)

31. Contraindications of
Hijama :
 Age: Infants <2 yrs & adults>65 yrs.
 At the beginning and end of lunar month.
 Extremely cold or hot weather.
 After eating, bathing, coitus and vigorous exercise.
 Over areas of skin with
dermatitis, ulceration, swelling; or over DVT, an
artery or the heart.
 On chest and abdomen specially in pregnant women
during the first trimester.
 Patients with bleeding disorders ( Al Qanoon)
 Patient with cancer, bone fracture, muscle spasm.

32. Mode of Action of hijama
(cupping)
 Effects of wet-cupping can be divided into several
components, neural, hematological, immune and
psychological effects.
 In particular, the „„pain suppression‟‟ mechanism of wet-
cupping might be through influence on neurological
system.
 When wet-cupping is done at diseased parts, blood
circulation increases at that site
 So improving the local temperature.
 Once the local temperature is maintained the spastic
condition gets rectified and the stiffness goes away or
comes down.

33. Cont…
In Unani medicine
Recent advances in
cupping
 The tissues beneath the cup
drawn up and swell
 Enhance the blood flow to
the affected area.
 Tanqia Mawad Draws
Sammi Mawad( impurities
and toxins) away from
nearby tissues and organs
to the skin, from where
they are expelled out
 Lift connective tissue &
loosens the adhesions
 Increases blood circulation
in general and specially to
the area treated.
 Removes toxins and
inflammatory products
from the body & moves it
from important organs
such as (liver & kidney))
to less important organ
such as (skin)

34. Cont…
 Allow "fresh" blood to
replace it.
 Thus result in tanqia
badan (Al qanoon)
 Improves blood & fluid
circulation
 Thus cleanses blood &
tissues

35. The research by Dr. David Parker ND on the
effects and benefits of Hijama (Cupping)
therapy
 He wanted to explore its efficacy scientifically
 The blood extracted in the cup from different areas &
analyzed this blood under ;
Dark & light field microscopy
Findings
 Dry layered blood sample shows in light fields
High concentrations of toxic metals and
chemical,as well as evidence of bacterial and
parasitic activity

36. Cont…
Live blood under dark field
 High concentrations of acids and
inflammatory proteins referred as fibrin
(When the blood was removed from an area where
the patient was experiencing pain and
inflammation).

37. Conclusion of his study
 Area of pain appears to act like a magnet for
acids, toxins and pathogens
 So removal of these from the local area will bring
about symptomatic relief
 While encouraging fresh circulating
blood, nutrients and oxygen to effected area thus
providing healing and resolution.

38. Clinical Research studies
on cupping therapy
 Efficacy of unani regimen- hijama ma’a shurt (wet
cupping therapy) with oral unani formulation in
the management of ziabetus shakri (type-2
diabetes mellitus)”- A clinical study (Shaikh
Nikhat et al. December 09-11, 2013 )
Result
It has been observed that there was remarkable
improvement in polyuria, polyphagia &
polydipsia in test group comparatively in the
control group.

39. Cont…
 Efficacy of Hijamat Bila shurt (dry cupping ) on
Intensity of pain in Dysmenorrhoea – A
prelimenary study (Arshiya Sultana et al. in
NIUM)
Conclusion.
Hijama bila shurt was efficacious in reducing the pain
intensity in dysmenorrhoea

40. Cont…
 A comparative clinical study on the effects of
Mehjama Nariya (fire cupping) and Hijamat Bila
Shurt (dry cupping) in Irqunnasa (sciatica)
Mohammed Sheeraz et al. 2013
Procedure
 Both the groups received the procedure over
lumbosacral region along the course of sciatic nerve
with 4 cups of 45 mm diameterfor 20 minutes in the
affected limb.

41. Conclusion
 The study has revealed that both the regimens are
equally effective in ameliorating the symptoms of
Irqunnasa.

42. Site of Applications and
Uses
Applications Uses
1. Nape of the neck
2. Calf muscles
3. Over the loins
4. Extremeties
1. Fetor of the
mouth, headache, meningitis,
diphtheria, stomatitis, conjunc
tivitis.
2. Renal
colic, metritis, amenorrhea
3. Inflammatory swellings in
upper part of
thigh, scabies, pustules, eleph
antiasis, hemorrhoids.
4.
Headache, meningitis, hyperp
yrexia

43. Applications Use
1. Between the shoulder
blades.
2. Umbilicus
3. Below mammary gland
4. Under the chin
5. In front of thigh
1. Hemoptysis, pain in upper arms
and throat pain
2. Abdominal colic, gastralgia
and metritis.
3. Menorrhagia and perpeural
diseases.
4. Cleanses head and jaws
5. Orchitis, leg ulcers

44. Conclusion
 Cupping is not a new treatment; it can be traced back from
5000 yrs. Definitely there has to be millions of satisfied
patients from such a long period.
 Efficacy and safety of the therapy in different diseases as
indicated by the Unani physicians can be evaluated on
modern parameters , and can be used single or as an
adjuvant with other therapies, so that the therapy becomes
more commonly used for the treatment of various
diseases.
 Now science has proved the benefits of cupping therapy in
treating numerous diseases.

45. Take Home Message
 Cupping therapy is a wonderful & a blessed treatment
on earth which activates the natural healing powers of
the body
 It is a treatment that shows immediate and long lasting
results
 Cupping technique is very useful, safe, effective, free
from side effects and can be easily learned & applied.
The best solution for detoxifying our body
↓
CUPPING THERAPY.