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Hijama (Wet Cupping)
What is Hijama (Wet Cupping) ?
Cupping therapy or Hijama has improved the lives of humans for thousands of years. Almost every civilization, from the east and the west, has utilized this great technique in one way or another. We at Healife, provide safe and hygienic hijama treatment with our experienced practitioners that are certified from the UK and have more than 19 years of experience.
Why Should You Do It At Healife?
At Healife, we practice clinical hijama. That is, we are well educated in both modern medicine and alternative medicine. We perform each treatment to the highest standards of hygiene and safety. Each treatment plan is carefully designed and every single position of every single cup is studied well – we are medical professionals that do not place cups randomly. Additionally, we offer packages for therapeutic cupping, cosmetic cupping and preventative cupping.
Safe:
Our trained practitioners safely applies the cups to all our clients. We are highly trained in both our medical and alternative fields. Healife practices alternative medicine at the highest of standards, where it should belong. Patients will first be screened to ensure all contraindications are followed to avoid any risks/ side effects.
Hygienic
Although this is an invasive procedure, high levels of health and hygiene is practiced. All treatment materials are sterile and new before use for each and every single session. All materials such as cups, blades, are disposed after each and every single session.
Not painful :
Our highly trained consultants follows WHO standards, when making superficial incisions that are up to 1mm deep. You may feel a tolerable ticklish, light scratching or mild soreness after the superficial incisions are made or cups have been placed. However, you will not feel any sudden, sharp or extreme pain. After the treatment, you might expect to have marks on the treated areas that lasts for a maximum of 7 days.
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What Makes Healife Unique?
Safe and Hygiene
We take pride in our high standards of safety and hygiene: each needle is sterilized and disposed immediately, we follow the regulations as per the ministry of health for needle depth and we employ only experienced practitioners to ensure your comfort.
Experienced Practitioners
An outstanding team of experienced and professional practitioners dedicated approach let by a UKcertified management team that put authenticity and ethical practice at the heart of what we do.
Result Oriented
We put all of our effort to produce tangible results for our
Scientific Basis of Hijama
- Although the results of hijama or wet cupping therapy have been shown time and time again, the exact mechanism of action is still under scientific research. In alternative medicine, research usually takes place the other way around- first we see results then we look for mechanisms and reasons. For each of the four main effects of wet cupping therapy (WCT) , there exists a couple of theories, according to Al-Bedah et al., 2019
- PAIN REDUCTION EFFECTS
- Pain reduction effects and changes in biomechanical properties of the skin could be explained by Pain-Gate Theory. There is some evidence (Kim et al., 2011) relating to cupping as a treatment for pain.
- The local, acute damage to the skin and capillaries is reported to act as a nociceptive stimulus. The explanation is based on a neuronal hypothesis where cupping influences chronic pain by altering the signal processing at the level of nociceptors both of the spinal cord and brain. It is believed that cupping can stimulate pain receptors which lead to an increase in the frequency of impulses, therefore ultimately leading to closure of the pain gates and hence pain reduction.
- Diffuse Noxious Inhibitory Controls (DNICs):
- Most of the work concerning this theory was done on the idiopathic pain syndromes such as irritable bowel syndrome, temporomandibular disorders, fibromyalgia, and tension type headache, which have shown good response to cupping therapy. Local damage of the skin and capillary vessels induced by cupping may cause a nociceptive stimulus that activates DNICs. This mechanism requires a strong conditioning stimulus for pain attenuation, which may be at least partly dependent on a distraction effect, and may possibly act by triggering a DNIC or by removing oxidants and decreasing oxidative stress. Cupping therapy may produce an analgesic effect via nerves that are sensitive to mechanical stimulation.
- Reflex zone theory
- In cupping therapy, when the diseased organ sends a signal to the skin through the autonomic nerves, the skin responds by becoming tender and painful with swelling. Skin receptors are activated when cups are applied to the skin. The entire process will result in the increment of the blood circulation and blood supply to the skin and the internal organs through the neural connections.
Scientific Basis Of Hijama
Immunological effects and hormonal adjustments
They can be explained by the activation of the immune system theory, through the regulation of immunoglobulins and haemoglobin. Cupping irritates the immune system by creating an artificial local inflammation, activates the complement system and increases the level of immune products such as interferon and tumour necrotizing factor. Cupping effect on the thymus increases the flow of lymph in the lymphatic system.16 Overall, activation of the immune system by cupping might explain its various effects including therapeutic outcomes in patients with autoimmune diseases.
Releasing of toxins and removal of wastes and heavy metals
The aforementioned effects might be explained by the Blood Detoxification Theory which addresses the removal of toxic substances from the affected area where the cups are applied. According to the theory, cupping therapy:
- Decreases levels of uric acid, HDL, LDL
- Adjust the molecular structure of haemoglobin
- Excretion of old red blood cells
- Removes heavy metals such as aluminium, mercury, silver and lead
- Promotes the release of toxins and wastes, improves the local nutrition state, boost metabolism, and eliminate pathogenic factors.
Muscle relaxation, changes in local tissue structures and an increase in blood circulation
The aforementioned effects might be explained by the Nitric Oxide theory. Nitric Oxide (NO) is a signalling gas molecule that mediates vasodilatation and regulates blood flow and volume. NO regulates blood pressure, contributes to the immune response, controls neurotransmission and participates in cell differentiation and in many more physiological functions. Cupping therapy could cause release of NO from endothelial cells and, hence, induce certain beneficial biological changes The above information was primarily based on this literature review.
For more information you may visit https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2225411018300191 for an in-depth understanding of the scientific basis of hijama.
How Does It Work?
Phase 1: Assessment
- This treatment begins with a consultation to better understand your case and medical history. The consultation also aims to ensure that there are no contraindications.
Phase 2: Performing The Procedure
Step One: Primary Suction
- The specific points that have been predetermined by the doctor will firstly be disinfected A cup is placed on the specific points, where a vacuum will be created by suction. The cup will be left on for 1-2 mins.
Step Two: Incisions Made
- Very superficial incisions are made with a sterilized blade, only 1 mm to reach the dermis layer of the skin. Based on WHO capillary sampling standards, <3mm incisions are made on the skin using a sterilized blade.
Step Three: Secondary Suction
- After the incisions are made, a cup is immediately placed on the same area Slowly, your body will start to expel any causative pathological substances (CPS) including dead or withered red blood cells (RBC) Note that, upon microscopic inspection, no healthy RBC leave your body due to a mechanism known as capillary filtration. This step lasts about 3-5mins. We may have to remove the cup a couple of times during the treatment to avoid blisters forming.
- Step Four: Cleansing:
- The cup is removed and all the equipment used will be immediately disposed. After cleansing and disinfecting the area, we will place adhesive strips on the area as needed for the next 48 hours whilst your body heals.
Phase 3: After Care
- After your session your therapist will advice you to rest and avoid any strenuous activities
- The cupped area might feel a little burning sensation and that is perfectly normal
- You will be able to take shower after 2 hours
- Afterwards you will feel very light and relieved
Cupping therapy has reported benefits in the treatment of:
- Neck, shoulder, back, knee pain
- Rheumatic disease such as arthritis and fibromyalgia
- Skin problems such as eczema and acne
- Systemic disease such as diabetes or hypertension
- Reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease
- Strokes and facial paralysis or bell palsy
- Blood disorders such as anaemia and haemophilia
- Fertility and gynaecological disorders
- Fertility and gynaecological disorders
- Migraine, anxiety and depression
- Bronchial congestion caused by asthma and allergies
- Autism and ADHD