Journal of - International Society for the History of Islamic Medicine

Arshiya SULTANA, Khaleeq ur RAHMAN
Hijamat (Cupping therapy) and Gynaecological Diseases- a Review
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for disease. These systems of medicine are based on
complex pathophysiological concepts and uses dietotherapy,
regimental therapy and herbo-mineral preparations to
treat different diseases. 25 Surveys show that approximately
one third of the UK’s population and slightly higher in the
USA have used CAM. 6
Ceo et al in their systemic review included 550 clinical
studies published on cupping therapy between 1959 and
2008, included 73 randomized controlled trials (RCTs), 22
clinical-controlled trials, 373 case series, and 82 case reports.
In 550 clinical studies, only 73 RCTs were published
in the last two decades, 78.1% of these RCTs were with high
risk of bias.
Niasari et al concluded that wet cupping may be an effective
method of reducing LDL cholesterol in men and
consequently may have a preventive effect against atherosclerosis.
Ludtke and his coworkers 28 suggested short-term effects
of a single wet cupping therapy for nocturnal brachialgia
paraesthetica.
Farhadi et al 29 found that in nonspecific low back pain,
traditional wet-cupping care was significantly more effective
in reducing body pain than usual care at 3-month follow-up
with satisfactory safety and acceptance by patients .
Michalsen et al 30 found that cupping therapy may be
effective in relieving pain and other symptoms related to
carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS); however, the efficacy of
cupping in the long-term management of CTS and related
mechanisms remains to be clarified.
Lee et al 31 in their systemic review included clinical
trials of cupping to treat hypertension in patients. They
reported that two control trials met all inclusion criteria.
In one RCT study, results suggested significant effect in
favour of cupping on vascular compliance and degree
of vascular filling in which effectiveness of dry cupping
on changes in cerebral vascular function compared with
drug therapy was assessed. One uncontrolled observational
study (UOS) tested wet cupping for acute hypertension
and found that a one-time treatment reduced blood
pressure.
Kim et al 32 in their systematic review observed seven
RCTs. Two RCTs suggested significant pain reduction for
cupping in low back pain compared with usual care and analgesia.
Another two RCTs also showed positive effects of
cupping in cancer pain and trigeminal neuralgia compared
with anticancer drugs and analgesics, respectively. Two
RCTs reported favorable effects of cupping on pain in brachialgia
compared with usual care or heat pad. The other
RCT failed to show superior effects of cupping on pain in
herpes zoster compared with anti-viral medication.
Anjum et al 33 reported in their RCT that both dry and
wet cupping were effective in reducing pain, stiffness, restriction
of movement, swelling in arthritis.
Bhikha 34 in pilot studies concluded that cupping showed
potential as adjuvant therapy in the active treatment of patients
with type 2 diabetes, hypertension or osteoarthritis.
Cupping was also associated with an improvement in the
patient’s quality of life. Further studies in a larger number
of patients are suggested by the results of this pilot study.
Conclusions
The above review shows that there are ample indications
of use of cupping in Gynaecological disorders in classical
literature and still in practice all over the world but till
date the efficacy of cupping in gynecological disorders have
not been proved. The diseases in which cupping was commonly
employed included pain conditions, herpes zoster,
cough or asthma etc. Wet cupping was used in the majority
of studies, followed by other types of cupping therapy.
No serious or adverse effects were reported in the studies
though long term effect of cupping therapy is not known.
Thus, it is high time to evaluate the clinical effect of cupping
therapy in gynaecological diseases in the light of classical
literature.
References
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