cupping
Cupping in prophetic medicine
Cupping and those who do cupping, is the treatment by sucking and leaking blood through the use of cups. And it is in two ways: wet cupping and dry cupping. It is an old medical method that was used to treat many diseases. Scientifically, cupping has been criticized as pseudoscience and its practice quackery. Despite claims that it contributes to the treatment of some conditions such as high fever, chronic lower back pain, poor appetite, poor digestion, high blood pressure, and anemia, there is no scientific evidence that there is any health benefit from it, and it also has harmful effects, especially wet cupping. And fireworks.
view of modern science
Cupping was an essential part of traditional medical practices in many societies, but after Western medicine spread to countries all over the world, its use declined, and it remained just a traditional practice. And this remained the case until a few years ago, especially after modern medicine failed to treat many diseases, and after many side effects of many chemical drugs were discovered, many traditional medicine practices began to spread or what is called alternative medicine. She is now being taught, and books and articles about her have been published on the Internet as part of the alternative medicine movement. But it has not yet entered modern medical books as a therapeutic method. Where there are no studies available according to modern scientific standards. According to the American Cancer Society, “existing scientific evidence does not support cupping as a treatment for cancer or any other disease.”
Like many other conventional therapies, double-blind clinical trials that do not take into account suggestive effects can be difficult to perform. In their book published in 2008, Simon Singh and Edzard Ernst asserted that there is no scientific evidence to support the existence of positive effects for the treatment of any medical condition with cupping.
Cupping is still widely used in Iran. According to a study (Nimrouzi et al., 2014), cupping therapy removes scar tissue (disfigured).
Cupping therapy often comes with many risks because it is practiced by people without a medical background. Research indicates that these risks include vasodilators, rupture of blood vessels, and ascites. It is worth noting that people who are overweight or obese are more at risk. This is why cupping therapy has been criticized by opponents of alternative medicine.
According to a scientific study conducted to compare blood taken from a vein and blood extracted after cupping, it was found that there is a difference between them in terms of composition. The cupping blood contained a greater percentage of substances such as uric acid, cholesterol, and triglycerides. While cupping blood did not differ much from venous blood in terms of white blood cells, it surpassed venous blood significantly in terms of red blood cells and hemoglobin, while cupping blood contained less platelets compared to venous blood. Another study also indicated that there are "significant differences" between cupping blood and venous blood in terms of biochemical composition, hematology, and the composition of immune factors.
opinion of traditional medicine
Supporters of cupping therapy claim that it works to improve the physical and psychological condition of the body, in addition to treating many blood disorders such as anemia, hemophilia, some rheumatic conditions, and some skin disorders such as infections and acne. Some claim that it works to raise female fertility. But these claims are not supported by modern medicine
Wet cupping
It is done by conditioning the skin with a scale or a small scalpel and placing dry air cups over it, and blood is leaked by creating blood-sucking pressure and blood accumulations in that area.
Dry cupping
It is completely similar to the wet cupping method, but without the condition and dissection of the skin, in which blood is not leaked, but the internal and external pressure of the body is changed, and the cups leave red circular spots on the skin that disappear after a short period.
date
Cupping therapy is one of the most used therapeutic methods in the past. It was used by various ancient peoples on a large scale. The Arab physicians were among those who had used this method of treatment.
Ancient History
The Assyrians used cupping since 3300 BC. The tomb inscriptions indicate that the pharaohs used it to treat some diseases since 2200 BC. In China, cupping with Chinese needles are considered the most important pillars of Chinese medicine so far, and Greek doctors used it and described its methods of use. It was also known by the ancient Arabs, influenced by the surrounding societies.
Arabs
Al-Razi spoke in detail about this subject and devoted an entire chapter in which he talked about cupping, its benefits, and the methods of its application. Ibn Sina explained that cupping on condition has three benefits:
“The first: vomiting from the same organ, and the second: purifying the essence of the soul without vomiting following the vomiting of humours, and the third: avoiding exposure to vomit from the main organs.”
Ibn Sina explained at the end of the chapter that it is not permissible to apply cupping to those under two years and over sixty years of age. While Al-Zahrawi divided cupping into two basic parts: cupping by condition and dry cupping. The latter is used in organs that cannot be subject to a condition, such as the liver, spleen, breasts, abdomen, navel, and the location of the kidneys and the right hip, and the purpose of its procedure is to attract blood from one organ to another. Al-Zahrawi illustrated by drawing the shape of the cupping and explained the method of its application.
Cupping in prophetic medicine
When Islam came, it approved the practice of cupping. It was practiced by the Messenger Muhammad, peace be upon him, and it is considered one of the natural prophetic medicines that were mentioned in the prophetic medicine, and the reason for its inclusion in cupping is that the Arabs mostly did not know bloodletting, and because cupping is safer and more beneficial in hot countries. Where he said in the Two Sahihs:
“Cupping is the best medicine for you.” - Bukhari and Muslim included it
Jabir narrated that the Prophet said:
“If there is any good in any of your medicines - or if there is any good in any of your medicines, then in a dash of cupping, or a drink of honey, or a stinging fire that matches the disease, and what I like to be cauterized.” - Sahih Al-Bukhari -- 5683
On the authority of Ibn Abbas, on the authority of the Prophet, he said:
“Healing is in three: a drink of honey, a cupping cup, and a cauterization of fire, and I forbade my ummah to cauterize.” - Sahih Al-Bukhari / The Book of Medicine -- 5680
And they said that the Prophet was cupped in his head from a pain he was in, and in a narration from a sister who was in it, and Anas said that he was cupped in the cheeks and the ankles, and some said the back of his foot. And in a narration from him that no one complained to him of a pain in his head, but he said to him: Cup it. There was no pain in his legs but he said to him: Dye them with henna.
And it was mentioned in the Prophetic Medicine that cupping on the legs is close to bloodletting and harms menstruation, and on the back of the head for conjunctivitis, fumes and headaches.
Cupping and bloodletting are prohibited for those who have had a menstruation, the she-camel, the old man, the weak of the liver, the stomach, the face and feet, the pregnant woman, the postpartum women, the menstruating woman, and the best times for bloodletting and cupping are the second and third of the day. And on the authority of Al-Tirmidhi that the Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “The best thing to do for cupping is on the seventeenth, nineteenth, or twenty-first. kill him.”
And on the authority of Anas: “The Messenger of God - may God’s prayers and peace be upon him - used to have cupping done on both sides of the cheeks and around the ankles, and he had cupping done for the seventeen and nineteen days.” Twenty-one. And the days have a scientific association that shows the miraculousness in choosing these days. Recent studies are reviewed in this.
Cupping sites
Important: the top or middle of the head.
Fontanelle: The center of the head where the front and back of the head meet.
The two cheeks: the sides of the neck.
Withers: upper back between the shoulders.
The back of the feet: the uppermost.
Al-Qamdawa: the back of the head.
The nape of the nape: It may be the top or it may be below it.
These positions include both men and women and can be performed without shaving.