Chinese medicine uses many modalities of healing; acupuncture, herbal medicine, massage, and diet therapy make up the most commonly used and Chinese medicine cupping is gaining in popularity. Maybe some of you saw the photo a few years ago of Gwyneth Paltrow on the red carpet with a backless dress and cupping marks all up her spine? Sometimes it takes a little popular culture to remind us of ancient ways of healing! The therapy of cupping has been used in China for thousands of years. At first it was applied using cattle horns or cross sections of bamboo. To create negative pressure inside the horn or bamboo these ancient 'cups' where boiled in water or fire was ignited to expel the air and suck the cups onto the skin. The earliest record of cupping is in the Bo Shu (an ancient book written on silk), which was discovered in a tomb of the Han Dynasty. Several other ancient texts mention Chinese medicine cupping. Several centuries later another famous medical classic, Su Sen Liang Fang, recorded an effective cure for chronic cough and the successful treatment of poisonous snake bites using cupping therapy. Through several thousand years of accumulated clinical experience, the clinical applications of cupping have become increasingly wide. Now Chinese medicine cupping is used to treat arthritic symptoms, asthma, the common cold, chronic cough, indigestion problems and some skin conditions. 

Hijama cupping is a faith-based therapy rooted in Islam that has been practiced for thousands of years. 

While similar in application to traditional cupping therapy, Muslims believe Hijama is divinely revealed, so it is considered a form of worship when performing or receiving it. However, anyone can receive Hijama cupping therapy (Muslim or non-Muslim) to help reduce pain, remove toxins and relieve muscle tension. 

There are two types of Hijama cupping therapy: dry and wet.

Dry cupping involves placing heated glass cups on the skin to create suction (also called “fixed cupping”), which increases blood flow and circulation. It’s meant to remove harmful substances and toxins from your body to promote healing. “Moving or sliding cupping” is another dry cupping technique where cups are moved along the body with oil.

Wet cupping works similarly, with the exception that light, tiny cuts are made to draw blood out during the suction process. Also, single-use, disposable plastic valve cups and pumps are usually used in place of glass cups for additional health and safety measures.

Wet cupping helps to remove stagnant or congested blood from your body, which can improve blood flow to your cells, tissues and organs so they may function at their best to fight off bacteria, infection and more.

Both types may also utilize the acupoints located on the meridians of a person’s body, which are also central to the practice of acupuncture.

People often seek Hijama cupping therapy for pain and inflammation relief, loosening muscle tension, high blood pressure, skin conditions and more.