Hijama therapy (cupping) – A hidden treatment/sunnah

Hijama therapy is a mode of treatment, which is carried out by creating a partial vacuum in the cupping glasses, placed on the body surface by means of fire or suction. It helps to evacuate morbid material or divert the morbid material from the deeper tissues of diseased part, or to return a displaced organ to its normal position or to encourage the blood flow to the deprived site. 

The word hijama has been derived from hajam, an Arabic word. ‘Al-Hajama‘ means ‘to suck‘ which is very close to the technical meaning of hijama.

Taber’s Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary describes that the application of glass vessel to the skin, from which air can be exhausted by heat or by a special suction apparatus, is known as ‘cupping‘. 

Hijama therapy is an ancient mode of physical treatment by producing the local congestion. It has been initially used in the treatment of a broad range of diseased/pathological conditions such as hypertension, painful joint conditions including waja-ul-mafasil (joint pain), irqun-nasa (sciatica), waja-uz-zahr (lower backache) as well as other general physical conditions.

In last few decades, hijama therapy has been applied for many chronic conditions such as musculo-skeletal diseases, cardiovascular diseases, skin diseases, inflammatory disorders, neuropsychiatry disorders and metabolic disorders.

Various clinical trials have established the efficacy of both dry and wet cupping therapy for a variety of diseases such as joint disorders. It is a simple, safe, effective, non-invasive or mild invasive, time-saving and inexpensive modality of treatment. It may also be a synergistic line of treatment with pharmacotherapy. Hijama is used to alleviate the pain and discomfort arising from disorders of internal organs, muscles, and joints. Many physicians are practicing cupping therapy nowadays in various countries all over the world.

Terminologies relevant to hijama are:-

1. Ihtijam – To be cupped

2. Muhtajim – The person to be cupped

3. Hajjam – Cupping performer

4. Mihjama – The instrument of hijama

5. Mahjam – Site of hijama

6. Mishrat – The instrument of scarification