Journal of - International Society for the History of Islamic Medicine

Hijamat (Cupping therapy) and Gynaecological Diseases- a Review
Arshiya SULTANA, Khaleeq ur RAHMAN
pressure, but they find release at the surface. Cupping can
even be instrumental in mitigating or relieving fevers in the
acute crisis stage, and reducing the putrefaction of blood and
other humors, a common cause of fevers.
Hijamat bila Shurt (dry cupping) shunts/diverts away
the morbid Akhlat responsible for disease from the affected
place. This process is a kind of Imalae Mawaad (shunting/
7, 15
diversion of morbid material).
Hijamat bil Shurt (wet cupping) gets rid of the morbid
matter from the affected side by letting down the sufficient
quantity of morbid Akhlat. This practice is a type of Tanqiyae
Mawaad thereby, relieving pain and inflammation and
stimulating the organs. 7
When dominant Khilt (humour) is on the external
body surface, this can be evacuated through Hijamat. If
dominant abnormal humour is in the internal body or both
internal and external, then it is removed through Fasd (venesection).
Alaq (Leech) is applied when morbid matter
is in between internal and external body. 10, 16 The use of
wet cupping serves as a substitute for Fasd in which larger
quantities of blood are let out. 11
Acupuncture and Acupressure utilize suction and stimulation
of points to attain the desired results. 6 Cupping
therapy also involves suction and blood letting, thereby the
principle of both is considered to be similar.
The innovation of Acupressure and Acupuncture analgesia
in Chinese Traditional Medicine has proved that they
can elicit the release of morphine like substances (endorphins),
serotonin or cortisol, which can ultimately lead to a
pain relief and alter the physiological status of the individual.
These procedures are being utilized and proven useful
in pain and addictive management. Acupuncture and acupressure
work at biological level by stimulating or activating
the immune system, encephalin secretion, neurotransmitter
release, vasoconstriction and dilatation. They also stimulate
the gates for pain in the CNS, which interprets pain sensation.
Acupoint stimulation can lead to the pain gates to be
overwhelmed by increasing frequency of impulses, thereby
ultimately leading to closure of the gates and hence, relieve
or reduces pain. 6 Cupping therapy is also proposed as an
effective treatment for pain and has been given similarities
with acupuncture and acupressure theory..
Types of Hijamat (Cupping)
On the basis of blood letting:
1. Hijamat bil Shurt (cupping with scarification or wet
cupping)
2. Hijamat bila Shurt (cupping without scarification or dry
cupping). 10, 17 It is further divided into Hijamat Nariya
(cupping with fire) and Hijamat Ghair Nariya (cupping
10, 16
without fire)
In wet cupping or scarification with application of cups,
involves first making an incision on the skin, then applying
the suction cups to suck out small amounts of blood,
whereas in dry cupping, cups are applied without incision
to pulls the local underlying tissue up into cups.
Indications of Hijamat bila Shurt
(Dry Cupping):
• To direct the flow of matter in the opposite direction,
e.g. cupping below the breast for checking menstrual
11, 16
bleeding.
• To draw inflammation away from deep parts towards
the surface and make it more accessible to medicine. 7,16,18
• To divert inflammation from an important organ to a
16, 18
less important one.
• To infuse warmth and blood into an affected organ and
16, 18
to dispel humours from it.
• To allay pain. e.g. applied over the umbilicus to relieves
violent colic and abdominal flatulence, congestive dysmenorrhoea
especially in young women etc.
16, 19
• It is beneficial for intestines and various menstrual disturbances.
16, 19
• Dry cupping is used for restoring organs to its original
16, 19
position for example in inguinal hernia.
• Dry cupping is used in various diseases like excessive
menstrual bleeding, removal of deep swelling, sciatica,
4, 16
piles, hydrocoele, gout, renal calculi, epistaxis, etc.
Method: In dry cupping, the classical method for creating
suction in the cups is with fire. Hold a cotton ball that
is soaked in olive oil with a forceps. Ignite the cotton ball
and whisk it quickly inside the cup right before placing it
on the skin at the desired location, which is to be cleaned
with spirit. It creates a powerful suction. The vacuum created
by the lack of oxygen anchors the cup to the skin and
pulls it upward inside of the glass jar as the air inside the
jar cools. The cups may be applied for 15 minutes or until
the site under the cups begins to appear reddish. After
15 minutes, press the skin around the edges of the cup to
remove it. When air enters from outside, the cup will fall
off by itself. 9 A piece of linen or sponge soaked in warm
water should be packed around it to reduce swelling and
easy removal. 18
ISHIM 2011-2012
129