Cupping Therapy

Cupping Therapy

Introduction

Cupping therapy is among the most effective traditional forms of treatment for various medical conditions. There are several forms of approach. However, the most common ones are dry and wet methods. Despite the treatment method being a century-old practice, understanding its mechanism remains a challenge. It is due to this reason that the study of its mechanism has been a subject of intense research. Among the conditions that can be treated through the method include various skin diseases such as acne and eczema, pains and aches. High blood pressure, migraines, anxiety, and depression can also be treated through the approach. Cupping therapy has also received support from various religions and cultures. Among the leading religions that support the approach is Islam through Hijama. Overall, its application to modern medicine, effectiveness and cultural values forms the foundation of the study.

History

Chinese

Traditional Chinese medicine generally works on the basis that body ailments and weaknesses are as a result of energy imbalances. When the body’s vital or life-force energy experiences blockages, the natural flow that promotes health and wellness is disrupted. The Chinese refer to the life force energy as qi. Cupping therapy, especially combined with acupuncture, aligns the qi, which then releases the energy blocks and allows the free flow of the qi. When the qi flows freely, it nourishes ailing and deprived cells and organs in the body. The life force energy, therefore, brings relief of all ailments and pain. During cupping, toxins accumulated in the body are attracted to the skin and then released once the skin is punctured. Chinese traditional medicine encourages regular cupping to bring general wellness and detoxify the body.

Islam

The teachings of Muhammad in Hadeeth hail cupping as one of the ways to encourage the body to heal itself and achieve wellness. In an Islamic cultural practice called the Hijama, Muslims practice cupping therapy to relieve their bodies of aches, pains and illnesses. Hijama is considered a physical cleansing process. The Hijama is a six-step cupping method that involves two occasions of cupping in a session. According to research, the six-step process, also called Cupping-Puncture-Cupping (CPC) is more efficient in ridding the body of harmful micro-organisms, dysfunctional cells and cellular debris. Unlike the conventional cupping techniques that only have one cupping event, the CPC method used in Hijama is more thorough and has less bleeding. Hijama is further discussed in the paper.

Types of Cupping

Originally, cupping was divided into two major types, the dry and wet types. The dry cupping therapy draws the skin into the cup, without any scarifications effect. Conversely, wet cupping lacerates the skin and initiates blood flow into the cup. Over the years, and following research and experience of use, more categories of cupping methods have been added. Currently, the most up-to-date classification has cupping in six categories;

• The technical category includes dry and wet cupping, flash cupping and massage.
• Category according to the power of suction classifies cupping into the light, medium and strong suction cupping.
• Category, according to the method of suction, incorporates manual vacuum method, fire and electrical cupping techniques.
• The fourth category is composed of the materials inside the cup. The category includes herbal cupping, water cupping, magnetic cupping, moxa, needle, and ozone cupping.
• The fifth part categorizes cupping according to the area of treatment. The category includes orthopaedic cupping, facial cupping, abdominal cupping, male and female cupping.
• The final category is termed as ‘other types’ and includes sports cupping, aquatic cupping and cosmetic cupping.

Procedure

Cupping site is selected according to the kind of ailment being relieved. It incorporates the application of quick, rhythmic, and vigorous strokes to stimulate the body muscles. The approach mainly treats the various pains and aches that result from multiple diseases. Depending on the site of ailment, cupping can be applied to ease localized conditions like backaches, neck, and knee or shoulder aches. It can also be used to relieve the symptoms of systemic diseases like hypertension, diabetes and arthritis.  A specific-sized cup is placed on the affected area; the air is then sucked through the use of manual suction, flame, or electricity (Mehta & Dhapte, 2015). The cup is then applied to the skin for about five minutes to achieve the desired objective. Cupping may be applied on the shoulders, back, glutes, legs and sometimes on the face.

Uses

Cupping therapy is used in easing pain and discomfort associated with both localized diseases and systemic diseases. The site of the application is highly dependent on the aliment under treatment. Cupping therapy has been used for the recreational promotion of wellness and health, as seen in massage therapies. It is also used for therapeutic purposes and as preventive measures for adverse effects of pharmaceutical treatments. Cupping is utilized in the prevention of the spread of infections through the body, especially those with dermatological symptoms. Cupping therapy offers a wide range of benefits that make it suitable to complement mainstream medical treatment.

Cupping therapy invigorates systemic blood flow that creates pain relief, increased nutrient and water uptake of cells, permeability to medication and release of toxins from the body. In the treatment of localized ailments, cupping increases blood supply to the area of application, which relieves inflammation and pain. Localized ailments treated using cupping therapy includes knee injuries, headaches, neck pain and lower backache. Cupping therapy alleviates the spread of dermatological conditions. Its application on an affected area and the resulting increase in blood flow clears the area of the infectious micro-organisms and initiates the body’s natural healing processes.

Cupping also reduces hypertension by encouraging vasodilation, which eases the flow of blood in the body. Similarly, cupping increases bronchodilation, which relieves the effects of asthma and encourages the lungs’ uptake of air and medication. Other systemic diseases like arthritis are relieved using cupping, which reduces pain, inflammation and increases the flow of synovial fluid in the joints. Application on the face reduces acne and the scarring it causes. Cupping also clears the lymphatic system, increasing the flow of the lymphatic fluid and the elimination of harmful micro-organisms accumulated in the lymph nodes. Even in the absence of an ailment to resolve, cupping improves the general wellness of the body by increasing its ability to absorb nutrients and excrete cellular wastes.

Advantages

The effect of the approach has been among the most significant research areas. According to Akbarzade et al., (2016), the natural approach makes it one of the treatment methods for aches and pains with the least side effects. The findings of the research by Ghods, Sayfouri, and Ayati (2016) discovered that scarification, as used in cupping therapy, can modulate, regulate, or inhibit specific hormonal reactions, thus easing pain. Cupping therapy is an effective method of dealing with pains and aches associated with musculoskeletal injuries, skin conditions and inflammation, hence its importance to western treatment strategies.

Perhaps the most significant advantage of cupping therapy is its easy, non-intrusive application on patients. Although cupping therapy takes time from beginning to end, it offers immediate relief from discomforts resulting from given conditions. When carried out by a professional, cupping therapy is easy on the patient while providing intense, deep tissue relief. The non-intrusive nature of the process ensures the comfort of the patients as it progresses. Also, there is little chance of cupping aggravating the condition under treatment. The procedure only utilized acupuncture to let out the flow of interstitial fluid collected under the skin. Other than the punctures and the resultant scarification, professionally done cupping therapy causes no physical harm to the patient.

Cupping therapy is rarely done using pharmaceutical products. Thus the probability of counter-indications is low. Cupping therapy can, therefore, be easily combined with mainstream medical prescriptions without adverse effects on the patient. Little research exists in support of cupping therapy and its impact on the ailing human body, which makes its entry into mainstream medicine a slow, reluctant process. However, analytical observation of traditional communities that use cupping therapy for healing purposes sparks the interest of its effectiveness as a complementary addition to mainstream medicine. The curative purpose of pharmaceuticals can hardly be understated. However, adding cupping therapy to the patients healing process can accelerate their recovery and ease their discomfort.

Side Effects

Cupping therapy is safe. However, depending on a person’s level of skin sensitivity, the cups used may leave scarification. The scarification should clear in a few hours after the stretched skin goes back to normal. Some patients may suffer mild burns due to the hot air in the cup. Others may register some level of discomfort, especially for those who undertake the procedure for the first time. A professional should ensure minimal of these effects on the patient. If any occur, the management is crucial. Lack of management can easily result in infected, septic or unusually slow-healing wounds. Due to the analgesic effect of the procedure, patients who register some level of pain at the beginning find relief as the procedure progresses.

Cupping is beneficial for the relief of many local and systemic ailments. However, due to the lack of sufficient medical research, there are certain conditions under which a practitioner must advise against cupping. People who have hemophilia should not undergo cupping therapy. Cupping therapy involves puncturing of the skin, which results in bleeding. A hemophiliac might find it difficult to stem the blood flow once the process is completed. Cupping might also aggravate existing wounds or burns on the skin. While cupping might offer relief for the injuries, a practitioner should be careful not to make the situation worse. Also, they should ensure the patient with existing wounds is aware that some discomfort might ensue from the procedure.

Cupping is not advisable for pregnant women, people with chronic and terminal illnesses like cancer and cardiac conditions. Patients who present with anemia, varicose veins or any other disease that might result in a medical emergency should not undergo the cupping therapy. Immediately after the procedure, a person may experience some effects ranging from dizziness to fatigue, nausea, mild headache and insomnia. These effects usually resolve a few hours after the procedure. However, it is advisable not to indulge in any vigorous activity until they dissipate. Insomnia is not common, but should also ease in a day or two. Some of the side effects, especially cupping site infections, localized pain and headaches, are preventable. The practitioner should take every precaution to ensure the patient experiences minimal side effects of the procedure.

If cupping therapy is recommended for a patient and they decline, their wishes should be respected. Cupping is currently considered a complementary procedure to conventional medicine. While its benefits to certain conditions are undeniable, the method should not be forced on a patient. For this reason, cupping professionals should give their patients all information relevant to the procedure, including the side effects and contraindications to expect. The patient then has a choice to proceed or decline, a decision that is fully informed by the information provided. Cupping therapy is just now getting its footing as an accessory to conventional medicine. It is still viable to rejection by those who are not familiar with it and would not like to take chances. A patient’s decision to reject a cupping therapy recommendation should be honored.

Application to Modern Medicine

The data from existing studies on the significance of the use of cupping therapy to modern medicine is minimal, as only recently has cupping therapy been accepted as an accessory to conventional medicine. However, given the traditional practices observed from the Hindu, Chinese and Muslim worlds, cupping therapy has many beneficial effects that could be used in the management of various ailments. Conventional medicine focuses and handles each presenting disease as an entity on its own. However, traditional medicine, which cupping therapy is a part of, has a more holistic approach. Traditional medicine posits that ailments are symptoms of energy imbalance in the body. The aim of cupping therapy, acupuncture and other traditional medical procedures is to clear the body’s energy blockages and restore balance, which brings about wellness and health.

Conventional medicine has no way of measuring energy blocks or the therapeutic effects of cupping therapy. However, ongoing research supports the application of cupping therapy to modern medicine because of the curative evidenced impacts in patients after its application. Apart from relief from physical pain and weakness, there are physiologically measurable benefits that support the use of cupping therapy as a complementary procedure to modern medicine. Medical research continues to collect evidence of the health and general wellbeing effects of cupping therapy, not only on medical patients but also on healthy individuals. While the studies done so far are hardly enough to explore the therapeutic benefits of cupping therapy thoroughly, the growing interest promises to bring more light into the relevance of cupping therapy to modern medicine.

Hijama

The guiding cultural principle is Islam’s reference to the strategy as a Hijama. The prophet’s quote, which states that “The best treatment you can use is cupping” also serves a search key phrase for related literature. The Islam culture recommends the use of cupping therapy for the healthcare management of various ailments. The Hijama is an ancient Muslim treatment method that uses a six-step cupping method. The technique is referred to as the Cupping-Puncturing-Cupping (CPC), where the skin is demarcated and sterilized (El Sayed et al., 2013). The first wet cupping is then done, followed by puncturing, then second cupping. The process is then terminated by sterilization.

As described, Hijama utilizes the wet cupping method, which is described as a more excretory process compared to other methods of cupping. The negative pressure created by the sucking cups pulls filtered fluid containing different causative pathological substances, damaged blood cells and other cell debris. The fluid collects just under the skin but cannot flow out due to the skin barrier. The next step is skin puncturing, where the collected fluids are let out through puncture sites. Whole, healthy cells are not pulled out since they are too big to fit through the pores of the skin. The second cupping completes the excretion process by entirely pulling out the remaining fluid through the skin puncture sites (El Sayed et al., 2013). Notably, there is more interstitial fluid than blood collected at the end of the process.

The general effect is the clearing of cell debris, worn-out blood cells, and other pathological entities from the body. The high pressure pulling force creates a vasoconstriction effect of the capillaries, resulting in minimal blood loss. The advantage of Hijama lies in having two separate cupping processes. The first is for high pressure concentrated pulling of interstitial fluid, which is fully cleared by puncturing and the second cupping. This process has minimal discomfort, pain, and offers a more efficient cleaning process. Once complete, the vasodilation is restored, which increases blood flow to the skin and starts off the healing process for the lacerations.

Prophetic readings in Islam recommend the use of Hijama in healing techniques for different ailments. Although the validity of modern medicine cannot be underplayed, the addition of Hijama into medical practice could prove beneficial and wholesome in increasing general wellness and relieving of pain. Hadeeth recommends cupping therapy to be done before eating. Modern medical practices also follow the same rule, especially for major procedures. Research reveals that the digestive process hoards blood flow, reducing the amount that flows to the rest of the body (El Sayed et al., 2013). Performing the Hijama before a meal increases its effects as general body supply of blood is optimal.

Conclusion

The inclusion of cupping therapy in conventional medical procedures is beneficial to encourage a wholesome approach to aches, pains, ailments and their resolution. Further research into the practice and its functional effects in the human body is encouraged. However, observing cupping therapy from a traditional medicine’s point of view, it is difficult to ignore its benefits to the human body. Further exploring the efficiency and benefits of cupping therapy, as observed in Hijama might enlighten the medical field into incorporating the practice. Cupping therapy has mild side effects, some of which are preventable. The procedure is contraindicative in people with diseases such as hemophilia and cardiac conditions. Its benefits far outweigh the mild discomforts that may be experienced during the process. Conventional medicine, with further research into cupping therapy, may find many beneficial results in assisting patients to achieve wholesome wellness and physical vitality.

References

El Sayed S.M., Mahmoud H.S., &  Nabo M.M.H. (2013) Methods of Wet Cupping Therapy (Al-Hijamah): In Light of Modern Medicine and Prophetic Medicine. Altern Integr Med 2:111. doi:10.4172/2327-5162.1000111