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conferenceseries
.com
Volume 7
Journal of Traditional Medicine & Clinical Naturopathy
Traditional Medicine 2018
November 12-13, 2018
November 08-09, 2018 Auckland, New Zealand
8
th
International Conference and Exhibition on
Traditional & Alternative Medicine
J Tradit Med Clin Natur 2018, Volume 7
DOI: 10.4172/2573-4555-C3-009
Wet cupping therapy (Hijamah): Healing through suction
Iftikhar Ahmad Saifi
Ministry of Health, UAE
W
et cupping is a form of bloodletting that involves first making superficial incisions on the skin, then applying the suction
cups to suck out small amount of blood. It is the application performed to draw out stagnant, congested blood and vital
force as well as other stagnant or morbid humors. Cupping therapy is an incredibly ancient and universal practice that spans
both East and West. In the East, the Chinese have been practicing the art of cupping for at least 300 years. Cupping is applied
to the acupuncture points to relieve the stagnation of Qi and blood, both locally and in the organ(s) activated by the point.
In the West, cupping therapy had its birth in Egypt. The Ebers Papyrus, written around 1550 B.C.E., states that bleeding by
wet cupping removes foreign matter from the body. The ancient Egyptians passed the art of cupping on to the ancient Greeks.
Both Hippocrates and Galen were staunch advocates and users of cupping therapy. From the ancient Greeks and Romans
through the Alexandrians and Byzantines, cupping therapy was passed on to the Muslim Arabs and Persians. Cupping is now
an important and popular therapeutic modality of Unani (Greek) Medicine. In the West, wet cupping therapy remained an
important part of medicine and therapy conventional, alternative and folk-based, until the early 20th century. After falling out
of favor with medicine in the modern era, cupping therapy is enjoying resurgence in popularity, promoted by acupuncturists,
Unani (Greek) medicine physicians and other holistic healthcare practitioners. New and exciting variations on this ancient
technique like cupping massage are also being developed. One secret of cupping's perennial popularity is its great ability to
promote a state of deep pleasure and profound relaxation. Hopefully, cupping is here to stay.
driasaifi@gmail.com