The other day I was returning from running some errands. The traffic was heavier than usual so the driver asked me if I objected if he were to take some back roads to avoid the congestion on the main roads. I told him no problem and soon we were traveling through an area of Riyadh I had not been to before which was near the Al Shimereri Hospital. The streets were more narrow and the shops passed looked more functional in nature and not like ones where one would go to browse. I also noticed a row of shops which were similar I appearance to barber shops with bright lights and long benches in front of each shop. At the time I went past these shops all looked quite busy and the benches were full, primarily with old men. I asked the driver what were these places? He responded “Madam, these are the cupping shops. These are special barbers who know how to cut the necks of men and drain the blood for purification.”
I had never heard of such a practice so I started to ask around and learned that just like the driver told me, there are many Saudis who believe they are purifying their body by having blood drained from the neck or upper back area at periodic intervals. The “barbers” at these specialized shops will charge anywhere from 200 to 300 SAR for their service. In some cases a sheik may have been trained in the art of cupping and will perform this act.
This practice is referred to as “cupping” or “cautering” or “Hijama.” According to www.healthline.com, cupping is a safe, non-invasive, and inexpensive technique. It is used by practitioners of Chinese medicine to treat colds, lung infections, and problems in the internal organs. It is also used to treat muscle and joint pain and spasms, particularly in the back. Cupping can be used on people for whom the injection of acupuncture needles poses a problem or risk. Cupping therapy is thought to stimulate blood circulation.
When asking Saudis about this practice, they refer to is as Hijama and described it as a form of ancient bloodletting treatment. It is similar to the European and Chinese treatment or using leeches. The concept of Hijama is that getting rid of “bad blood” can have a positive effect on a person’s health. In Islam it is reported that the Prophet (pbuh) used that treatment so it is part of Sunnah. Such practices were believed to have disappeared but lately many Arabic universities have been focusing on the benefits of Islamic treatments. One of them is Hijama which may account for the renewed interest and activity in this practice.
For more information and background, this link provides the related hadeeth to cupping: http://www.inter-islam.org/hadeeth/st49.html
And here is the complete article from healthline on the practice of cupping:
http://www.healthline.com/galecontent/cupping?utm_medium=ask&utm_source=smart&utm_campaign=article&utm_term=Cupping&ask_return=Cupping
And for those who are not faint of heart, here is a video which illustrates exactly what “cupping”, “cutting” or “Hijama” really is:
Filed under: Uncategorized
*which was near the “SHUMAISI hospital”, now known as King Saud hospital.
I’ve heard of this, my mom had it done once and Gweneth Paltrow does it.
The cutting is alot less severe then I immagined. The suction device was the worst looking part! It reminded me of a breast pump lol!
I think that we have alot to learn from ancient medicine…this is just one example.
That was actually kind of disgusting… interesting, but disgusting
I’m a wuss for sure. So I mostly concentrated on the Bahasa subtitles to see how much I still know.
I’m in agreement with UmmSumayah, we can learn a lot from ancient medicine.
Thanks for sharing that!!
I had this done a few years ago because I was told it would help with my bronchitis. I had it done on my neck and on my back in the vicinity of my lungs. I did feel a bit better but I remember that afterwards I felt so cold like I had the flu or something. But I was told that this is normal.
Also, cupping cannot be done when you are fasting. I don’t know any other time when it cannot be done.
Bloodletting is one of the oldest medical practices in history, around 3000 years old! It was used for all sorts of diseases and as medicine advanced its various uses were found out to be useless.
Except in the treatment of hemochromatosis, a hereditary disease which causes the body to retain iron and deposit it everywhere, causing all sorts of problems ranging from joint issues to heart failure.
Bloodletting, or phlebotomy as it’s known today is the treatment of choice for hemochromatosis patients. Taking off excess blood lowers iron stores and prevents their build-up in organs.
Researchers are also looking into phlebotomy as part of treatment for high blood pressure and heart disease.
You’d think if something has been used for thousands of years there should be a positive thing or two!
Anyway, thanks for such an interesting post! I didn’t know barbers still did this! Back in the day, when bloodletting was all the rage (lol) barbers were the guys to go to because they were the ones with the razors! lol
Glad for all the comments and that (most) of you enjoy. Like I mentioned when writing, I had never heard of such a practice and then when I started researching out of curiousity, I realized I had to make it a blog post!
Coming from a medical background, I endorse Tee’s response wholeheartedly. The procedure used in the video is certainly destructive to the tissues of the skin and capillary bed.
A healthy person can certainly lose some blood and still remain healthy– look at blood donation, phlebotomy for performing lab work, and treatment for hemochromatosis –but such a treatment has no more efficacy than a placebo taken by mouth.
The leech treatment has made a comeback in modern medicine for certain, very specific illnesses, but they are rare, few and far between.
The “increase in blood circulation” may refer to the fact that when a healthy person becomes anemic by traumatic or chronic blood loss, the bone marrow is stimulated to produce more red and white blood cells.
Phlebotomy for high blood pressure sounds like nothing more than reducing total fluid volume, lightening the load on the heart. The same thing can be accomplished by reducing salt intake and limiting fluids.
And Allah knows best, but that doesn’t mean that we should use a “treatment” simply because it is ancient, or found in the Sunnah.
This is an interesting post; I never knew the practice was done in that neighborhood, and I lived nearby!
Interesting! If I ever had to ‘reduce’ my blood, personally I would prefer to donate it to a blood bank – it could save a life.
What were your impressions of these ‘barbers’? Did you get the impression the places were sterile? I can just imagine the risks involved if they’re not.
Glad you enjoyed Marahm. I only found out about this practice by accident, really.
Elle – My impression was literally a drive-by impression. The shop fronts had bright lights with a number of men sitting outside on benches. But as you can see from the video, in many cases I have since learned the practice will be administered by sheiks who do use sterilization. I honestly cannot say about the “drive by” shops though.
I realize that it’s an ancient treatment, but is there any kind of actual proof that it works and has any benficial outcome? Have there been any studies? My mom was treated with leeches when she was a young girl, and I hear that now they are used on frostbite victims (?). It all just sounds so yucky to me…
“My mom was treated with leeches when she was a young girl, and I hear that now they are used on frostbite victims (?)”
The leech saliva apparently has anticoagulant properties so it improves blood flow and prevents clotting, hence the use in frostbite and surgeries I’m guessing.
But I really don’t get this cupping business. I’ve yet to figure out how draining a little bit of blood can relieve colds or other ailments other than an iron over load. Kind of bizarre if you ask me. But than again, I don’t really get acupuncture either and that apparently work wonders too.
I plan on doing it myself insha’Allah…
I can not answer the excellent questions posed either. Perhaps Scribbler you can tell us more on why you are doing it and what benefits you receive?
My understanding in chats with some Saudis aware of the process is that those who do this usually do it once per year.
”cupping” is enjoying a resurgence in America too. Bloodletting can be beneficial incase of very high fever as it will decrease the high pressure.
Old treatments have effect, like the leeches mentioned, sterile maggots are also used again in some cases, the ones they use eat only dead flesh, so they are constantely cleaning the wounds, and thereby helping the body to regenerate. People who suffered open wounds for years suddenly do manage to heal using maggots.
Until a few years ago you could still read in books how the writers were making fun of the ancient egyptians who liked to put honey on all sorts of injuries, but now it is proven that honey is very anti-bacterial, and sterile honey is used in hospitals.
Same goes for spiderwebs, also a good way of covering a wound and keeping it clean.
Some things really work, doesn’t matter if they’re ancient. One shoudldn’t blindy believe anything ancient is good, nor dismiss it just because it is an ancient therapy.
My grandmother used to do cupping to me when I was ill. I was a child and I only remember that I hated it as it was hot it was suctioning my skin and the moment of putting it on the skin was unpleasant. I had to lay long minutes and after all the red circles were present on my back for a few days! They put it on my back whenever I had a strong cough and fever. Did it work? I guess so
otherwise my family would be just sadistic 
Ive always been one of those sorts of people that prefer their blood inside their body…good or bad.
My ex did that once…came back looking like he’d been attacked by a lion….deep cut all over her shoulders and between….he said he felt much better…but then again he had no feelings so not sure how he judged that.
*her…i meant his
SNORT!!!! @ how he judged that!
I could not imagine allowing a maggot to be willingly placed on my body for medicinal purposes. I’ve no objection to old methods but something about maggots or leaches just makes my skin crawl!!
Neither do the people being covered with them, but when their wounds suddenly close up, after years of suffering, they apparently become quite fond of them.
They also got those little fishies that eat bacteria or something from you skin…not sure but that sounds so tickly.
Dont mind the maggots and leeches…long as Im seriously comatose at the time…then Im good to go.
I guess when one is ill enough you just don’t think about the process but simply focus on the result of relief.
The cupping treatment is said to remove excessive “wind” from the body caused by drinking cold water etc.
Although it looks kinda creepy, if it can remove certain elements from the body modern medicines cannot do, why not? Hygiene should be of paramount importance though when one seeks such treatments.
Me personally I cannot imagine undergoing such a procedure but as has been pointed out, there are many who do indeed endorse it.
Yes; I always try to encourage folks to drink room temp water. I also do the same the rare times I have a soda, keep it room temp rather than chilled.
How come the room temp thing….I cant bear to drink water that isnt really cold..same with diet pepsi…gotta be extra cold. Should I be worried….
I started this in Pakistan as I noticed so many people doing it. And then when I was in India, an Indian doctor suggested room temperature as the cold chilled beverages could make one more susceptible to colds and sore throats.
[...] I’d been planning for a while to write about hijama, and just by chance I came across American Bedu’s blog with the same topic. She also has a video depicting hijama, which I’ll steal post here, [...]
Hi American Bedu & all
Thanks for the interesting post. We are a group of people in Leicester England who are interested in this therapy, which I would personally describe as the “oil-change for the human-body” or “fastest and most direct detox known to humankind”.
We are looking for local experienced therapists for this therapy (not an easy task!) and we have therefore set up a blog-site to promote and relay more information on the therapy as and when we find it: http://www.ahealth.co.uk.
The way I see it, and especially in the modern world of today, a lot of toxins, carcinogens (have I said this word correctly?) and dead blood cells and waste build up in our bodies and is floating around in our blood throughout the years of our lives. So as a preventative detox therapy, forget all the fancy diets (which mostly fail to work!), what could be a faster and more direct method (although admittedly slightly painful) than going direct into the body and sucking out the “bad guys’?
I have it done about 4 years ago in Makkah, twice in UK with a Br Abdul Hakeem from London, and just last Sunday with another local therapist that I located recently called Adel Abu Aasem! I feel much lighter and better for it (maybe it’s just psychological – ‘placebo’ effect I believe it’s called!)!
Obviously the big concern remains that whether the ‘barber-surgeons’ you saw in Saudi Arabia practice hygiene or not, however if this therapy (which is now recognised in some circles as a valid complementary therapy – see: http://www.naturalhealthnaturesfinest.co.uk who actually teach the therapy!), was carried out in a clinical environment where hygiene / infection fears are non-existent, then surely it would rank as:
“The fastest and most direct detox known to humankind!!”
If you want to receive more information on this, please leave your email address on our newish blogsite:
http://www.ahealth.co.uk …
… and we will update you as we go along!
Oh and if you have some information on this (that we might not be aware of), please feel free to share it via a comment, or if substantial, we would be happy to have you as a guest contributor to our blog.
Thanks
Shuaib
Hi American Bedu & all
Thanks for the interesting post. We are a group of people in Leicester England who are interested in this therapy, which I would personally describe as the “oil-change for the human-body” or “fastest and most direct detox known to humankind”.
We are looking for local experienced therapists for this therapy (not an easy task!) and we have therefore set up a blog-site to promote and relay more information on the therapy as and when we find it: http://www.ahealth.co.uk.
The way I see it, and especially in the modern world of today, a lot of toxins, carcinogens (have I said this word correctly?) and dead blood cells and waste build up in our bodies and is floating around in our blood throughout the years of our lives. So as a preventative detox therapy, forget all the fancy diets (which mostly fail to work!), what could be a faster and more direct method (although admittedly slightly painful) than going direct into the body and sucking out the “bad guys’?
I have it done about 4 years ago in Makkah, twice in UK with a Br Abdul Hakeem from London, and just last Sunday with another local therapist that I located recently called Adel Abu Aasem! I feel much lighter and better for it (maybe it’s just psychological – ‘placebo’ effect I believe it’s called!)!
Obviously the big concern remains that whether the ‘barber-surgeons’ you saw in Saudi Arabia practice hygiene or not, however if this therapy (which is now recognised in some circles as a valid complementary therapy – see: http://www.naturalhealthnaturesfinest.co.uk who actually teach the therapy!), was carried out in a clinical environment where hygiene / infection fears are non-existent, then surely it would rank as:
“The fastest and most direct detox known to humankind!!”
If you want to receive more information on this, please leave your email address on our newish blogsite:
http://www.ahealth.co.uk …
… and we will update you as we go along!
Oh and if you have some information on this (that we might not be aware of), please feel free to share it via a comment, or if substantial, we would be happy to have you as a guest contributor to our blog.
Thanks
Shuaib
Ooops!
It seems that I have submitted the above comment twice!
(wasn’t intentional, first time it didn’t appear – obviously gone into “awaiting moderation” mode, i thought it had failed to submit)
Please delete it if necessary.
Thank you for your information Shuaib. I do not know more about the procedure other than what I posted so I cannot respond in regards to what hygienic procedures are followed or not.
This “cupping ” procedure has been practised in Poland for many years. Traditionatelly it was made when you had pneumonia or bronchitis, basically, to treat lung problems. When I was little I had had it administered a few times. a nurse from our clinic would come to my home and she would do it. This little pump which is now used to create vacuum was not known and the nurse used a long stick with some burning cotton at one end to sterilize the cup and to make vacuum. I was always frightened to death of the flame. I remember I had a burnt circle on my back for a couple of years.
But we do not cut skin , it’s something new to me.
CUPPING is believed to be a traditional, out-dated procedure but is now coming back once we are losing trust in antibiotics. Today, you can buy the cups at the chemist’s and you can administer them to you child without scaring him or her to death because the cups (cupping glasses) are equipped with a small pump to make vacuum so there’s no need to use an open flame. My sister’s child was ill for a couple of weeks and her GP advised her to try the cupping treatment and it helped and they did not have to use antibiotics.
As Gosia pointed out, bloodletting and cupping are two different procedures, and are combined in Hijama, also called “wet cupping”. Ideally there should be no marks or scars if done properly. My best guess is placebo effect and tincture of time–but both of those are good if no there are no complications or side effects!
A good article on leeches (microsurgery) and maggots (wound healing), historically and contemporaneously by a Muslim Egyptian Dr Aisha El-Awady which was originally published at Islam online:
http://www.scienceinafrica.co.za/2003/july/leech.htm
Also deals with the “yuck factor” and tickling.
Oh, oh, cupping and AIDS (a rare but possible source of HIV)
http://www.aidsonline.com/pt/re/aids/fulltext.00002030-200407020-00019.htm;jsessionid=JG8PTvmDwpjMT0vLfgvnnvwFCPNWnDjtxvYqrhhgBWd1wpyJSHRr!136317464!181195628!8091!-1
please vist my site to find out more on this treatment
Dear All,
please visit above url and
http://www.zhijama.co.uk
kindly
we are trying to help regulate this field