HIJAMA THERAPY ( Blood Cupping )

 What is Hijama?

                            Hijama therapy is distinctive from the well-known practice of ‘cupping’ as it is governed by specific times when it should be done as well as specific points on the body that enhances health, detoxifies the body and builds up immunity. Hijama is an Arabic word meaning ‘sucking or vacuum’. Originally Hijama was known as ‘cupping’ because of the use of cups as therapeutic tools. The horn or cup was heated to create a negative pressure and this was mostly used to draw out blood and pus, but later, it was found to be effective in treating other diseases and over time developed into a therapeutic method.

 Benefits of Hijama Therapy

The strengthening and stimulating effects of Hijama therapy make it successful in treating the following conditions: cellulite, weight loss, fatigue, period pain, constipation and diarrhoea, headaches, back pain, arthritis, injuries, asthma, anaemia, depression and emotional problems, atrophy, sciatica, common cold and flu, skin problems, emotional problems, depression and much more.

 Hijama and Cancer

Although there is no documented evidence that hijama cures cancer, it is known to dramatically improve the condition of the patient. Some practitioners use it to rebalance energy in the body that has been blocked by certain tumours. Hijama is effective for undoing the damage done to patients by conventional therapies of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. During chemotherapy the immune system is depleted and Hijama helps repair the immune system and strengthens it to withstand further attack. 

Immunity, detox, muscles spasms

Traditional medicine tells us that all pain is due to stagnation of blood and Qi. The cups used in Hijama create a wonderful pulling power that reduces pain and enhances the mobilization of the immune system, stagnated blood and Qi. Hijama therapy is effective in treating some clinical manifestations of external pathogens that are fighting at the level of the skin. Symptoms like high fever, a cough with thin yellow phlegm, wheezing and thirst are helped with Hijama. It also relieves the symptoms associated with stagnation of body systems and fluids that can be the result of lack of movement, injury, stress, lack of blood, Qi or the invasion of cold into the body and joints. Hijama can be applied to specific dysfunctional points of the body like what is done in acupuncture. After a short time the patient will feel warmth and pain will be reduced.Hijama treatment releases toxins with minimal additional stress to internal organs and it directly de-acidifies tissues, enhances blood circulation, stimulates the immune system and reduces stress as it releases chemicals in the brain that reduce stress and depression. It also facilitates a sufficient flow of nutrition to the affected tissues and stimulates the flow of blood and lymph and so improves blood and lymph flow, and activates the function of the organs.
 Performing Hijama on the corresponding organ points is used to treat disorders such as liver and kidney problems, respiratory diseases, digestive disorders and some gynaecological disorders. It can also be used to treat muscle spasms especially in the back. It is useful in treating painful joints, stomach ache, vomiting and diarrhoea. Since Hijama stimulates the flow of blood it helps to treat blood stagnation, poor circulation, and asthmatic conditions.
Dr. Katase from Osaka University maintained that Hijama influences the composition of blood as it increases red and white blood cells and changes acid blood into alkaline or neutral blood thereby leading to the purification of blood. It also purifies the body of accumulated irritants that cause inflammation. Recent studies indicate that having Hijama done at specific points on the back increases immunity by increasing the white blood cell counts. In addition to enhancing the body’s defences, Hijama regulates blood circulation throughout the entire body. The pull of low pressure Hijama therapy activates the blood vessels within the muscles. The expansion of the blood vessels in the muscles facilitates the flow of blood and has a remarkable effect on stiff shoulder.

 Pain relief, intestinal disorders

Hijama relieves pain, especially that which is related to headache, menstrual cramps, dental pain, tennis elbow, muscle pain, low back pain and sciatica. Many rheumatic disorders simply disappear after just a few sessions. By supplying more oxygen, hormones and essential enzymes to local tissues and joints, Hijama keeps local tissues warm, thus increasing elasticity and flexibility in muscles and joints. It relieves muscle spasms and stiffness in muscular tissue and is effective for chronic joint rheumatism as it facilitates the flow of blood to the joints. It also removes congested blood and solves problems that can not be solved with acupuncture. It has been found that Hijama along with acupuncture is an effective treatment for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Hijama is also recommended for the treatment of lung diseases, especially chronic cough, pleurisy, bronchial congestion and asthma. Dry Hijama stimulates the insides of the stomach and spleen, facilitating their movement and secretion of digestive fluids and thus, strengthens the power of digestion, the absorption of nourishment and the power of secretion. It relieves chronic gastroenteritis and constipation.

               

 Beauty, hair loss, weight loss, anxiety

Hijama is beneficial in beauty therapy as it promotes the production of hormones, encourages blood flow and body fluid movement in the bowels and internal organs. In this way toxins are removed and this is important because toxins speed up the aging process and cause other negative conditions. Hijama therapy is also known to stimulate hair growth through direct physical stimuli on hair roots and the expansion of blood vessels of the skin through the pull of low pressure. Hijama therapy is like massage and is effective against anxiety and worry. Hence, insomnia is treated with Hijama in conjunction with massage.

 Healthy skin

Hijama therapy is known to treat stones, abscesses and urine retention. Cups can be applied to the lumber region to treat urine retention. The skin disorders that are well-known to be treated by Hijama are: boils, abscess, herpes, acne, cellulite and urticaria. Sometimes acupuncture is used in conjunction with Hijama. Hijama also improves skin respiration and promotes gaseous exchange within cells. It promotes metabolism within skin tissues and accelerates the functions of both sweat and sebaceous glands leading to the secretion of salts, sebaceous material and the excretion of sweat.

 How It Is Done

For thousands of years Hijama practitioners have distinguished two forms of Hijama; Dry and Wet. In Dry Hijama no blood is removed from the body. A cup is simply drained of air and applied to the skin causing the skin to swell. In Wet Hijama the process begins the same as for Dry Hijama and is followed by several light scratches on the surface of the skin so as to collect blood. Hijama can be applied to specific points of the body like what is done in acupuncture or to affected areas.

 Contraindications

Hijama should not be performed on open wounds or around skin ulcers as well as on irritated skin or over allergic skin or where any skin lesions are present. It should be avoided in elderly people with thin, delicate skin. It is best not to perform Hijama on great vessels, or on patients with serious heart disease.  It should never be done directly on the main varicose veins.

 Hijama In The Modern World

These days, people are looking to alternative therapies to deal with health problems. Public awareness and education have also changed which means that Hijama, is seen as a respectable alternative therapy. The education of the alternative therapist has taken on a new meaning in the modern world as many alternative therapy organizations have established self-regulatory bodies, ensuring high educational standards and enjoying better understanding and recognition of the health system and general public. It is clear that if Hijama therapy is taught and used properly on its own or along with various other therapies, it can have a positive influence and speed up the body’s natural healing process.

 Hijama Throughout History

Both ancient Egyptian papyri as well as in Hippocratic writings contain studies about Hijama. Hijama spread to the Greeks and Romans from Egypt and continued to be popular throughout the Middle Ages. It was a common practice among the indigenous populations of the Americas and Africa as well as traditional Asian healers. Hijama therapy reached its peak as a therapeutic tool during the beginning of the nineteenth century but by the end of that century it had virtually died out. Through thousands of years of clinical experience, the applications of Hijama have greatly widened and now it is used to treat a large assortment of diseases.
 Throughout European history most of the general population was treated by Hijama practitioners in the house and often rows of patients were treated simultaneously in special ‘bleeding houses’. In the 16th and 17th centuries Hijama therapy remerged with the rise of public steam baths and bath attendants were responsible for performing Hijama. It was mostly done in a sauna and was often preceded by massage. Despite the rise of scientific medicine, this rich tradition of healers and dependence on herbal medicine and simple equipment survives. Hijama was used consistently throughout Europe in hospitals from very early times and it was practiced by skilled doctors.

 Hijama in Religion

Muhammad Ibn Abdullah was born in Makkah in the year 570, during the period of history Europeans call the Middle Ages. He recommended the use of Hijama therapy as a means of preventive medicine and curing many ailments.  “Hijama is one of the best ways for human beings to cure themselves.”
He specified certain places on the body that should have this as a preventive treatment even if the individual is well. He specified the timing of this treatment and recommended it on the 17th, 19th, and 21st of the lunar calendar. It is these specific timings and places on the body that renders Hijama different from cupping. This is to do with the gravity of the moon to do with the body elimination of toxins.  He also mentioned that Hijama should be done at the back of the neck, and between the two shoulder blades as this is where toxins accumulate and this place connects the brain to the rest of the body bringing oxygen into the brain and helping the body to repair itself.

Benefits of Hijama Therapy The strengthening and stimulating effects of Hijama therapy make it successful in treating the following conditions: fatigue, period pain, constipation and diarrhea, headaches, back pain, arthritis, injuries, asthma, anemia, depression and emotional problems, atrophy, sciatica, common cold and flu, skin problems, emotional problems, depression and much more. Traditional medicine tells us that all pain is due to stagnation of blood and Qi (body energy) pronounced as "chee". The cups used in Hijama create a wonderful pulling power that reduces pain and enhances the mobilization of the immune system, stagnated blood and Qi. Hijama therapy is effective in treating some clinical manifestations of external pathogens that are fighting at the level of the skin. Hijama treatment releases toxins with minimal additional stress to internal organs and it directly de-acidifies tissues, enhances blood circulation, stimulates the immune system and reduces stress as it releases chemicals from the body that reduce stress and depression. It also facilitates a sufficient flow of nutrition to the affected tissues and stimulates the flow of blood and lymph and so improves blood and lymph flow, and activates the function of the organs. Performing Hijama on the corresponding organ points is used to treat disorders such as liver and kidney problems, respiratory diseases, digestive disorders and some gynecological disorders. It can also be used to treat muscle spasms especially in the back. It is useful in treating painful joints, stomach-ache, vomiting and diarrhea. Detoxification of the blood, stimulation of new blood formation. As we age, we suffer from increased accumulation of toxins, stemming from poor diet and lifestyle, pharmaceutical drugs, pesticides, insecticides and other chemicals in our fruits, vegetables and meat, environmental pollutants and chemicals. Hijama helps to remove these impurities and stimulate the bone marrow to produce new, healthier blood, increases blood circulation and pain reduction. Areas of chronic pain often have localized areas of blood stagnation. Both the action of drawing a vacuum on the skin as well as the drawing of blood helps to improve circulation. Cupping has been used successfully for numerous diseases including blood disorders, hemophilia, tumors, headaches, paralysis, cardio-vascular, hepatic, renal, genital, rheumatic, and ophthalmic diseases. It is important to have Hijama performed by someone who is trained by a self- regulating-body school. Unfortunately many Hijama practitioners are not well-trained and often perform Hijama incorrectly. Above all, it needs to be done in a clean environment with the practitioner wearing gloves and ensuring everything is kept as sterile as possible. Hijama is very safe, but a patient's medical and medication history is important to consider, which is often neglected by many practitioners. All equipment used is brand new and used only once and disposed of after session. Hijama is not just recommended to treat particular ailments, but there is reward if performed with the niyyah (intention) of reviving a Sunnah. In fact, many Muslims have Hijama performed regularly for this very reason. The Prophet ﷺ said "Whosoever has revived one of my Sunnah, has in fact loved me. And the one who has loved me, will be with me in Paradise." By having Hijama performed, and telling others, it can be changed from a forgotten Sunnah into a commonly practiced one. Not only does this have physical benefits, but strengthens one's love for the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ . Our aim inshAllah is to help revive this Sunnah, and see it alive in the lives of many Muslims in the coming years. Please contact us to get more information, or advice about treating particular conditions or just to have Hijama performed to revive a Sunnah and to maintain general well being in your lives.