What is hijama
Hijama is a vacuum massage with bloodletting. The method belongs to the field of alternative medicine. During this procedure, the patient’s skin incised using a scalpel, after which a jar for vacuum massage is placed at the site of the injury. Due to the negative pressure, the skin is sucked into the container, and a little blood comes out of the cuts.
![How does Hijama massage work? How does Hijama massage work?](https://cdn.lifehacker.ru/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Snimok-ekrana-2024-03-22-v-22.50.52_1711133492-e1711133588819-630x315.png)
There is also a hijama technique that consists of three steps: first, the jar is placed on intact skin, after some time the container is removed, then an incision is made and the jar is returned to its place.
Traditional vacuum massage with bloodletting used in alternative medicine in China, Korea and parts of Eastern Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. The name Al-Hijamah itself can be loosely translated from Arabic as “restoring the body to its natural state.”
Now this procedure has become quite popular in Russia. Therefore, medical centers, beauty and massage salons, and even private masters who practice vacuum bloodletting at home began to offer hijama.
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What is hijama used for and does it help?
Hijama is credited with many healing properties. For example, on the website of one medical center claimthat this procedure is effective for a number of conditions – from osteochondrosis and epilepsy to diseases of the liver, kidneys and gall bladder. True, they do not specify which ones exactly.
When it comes to scientific data, scientists generally tested Hijama as a means to relieve pain in various diseases. For example, for problems with the muscles of the core and limbs, for pain in the lower back, neck and shoulders, for migraines and tension headaches, carpal tunnel syndrome, trigeminal neuralgia, herpes infections and oncology.
In some experiments the intervention had no effect, in others it provided certain benefits. However, the ability of hijama to relieve pain not provenbecause most studies were low quality and problems with methodology.
Also in some observations using hijama tried reduce the number of ulcers in Behcet’s disease – inflammation of the blood vessels, reduce blood pressure in hypertension, change the percentage of fat in metabolic syndrome and increase blood oxygen saturation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in smokers.
However, these are only isolated experiments, many of which were published in not the most reliable journals. So there is no need to talk about the effectiveness of hijama.
Can hijama harm you?
The negative consequences of such a procedure largely depend on where the person will undergo it.
If basic safety rules such as using disposable blades and disinfecting the skin before making cuts are not followed, a person may get infected diseases transmitted through blood: HIV, hepatitis B and C and other infections.
In one research Scientists looked at almost 25 thousand cases of hepatitis C in Saudi Arabia, a country where hijama is very popular, and found that a significant proportion of patients became infected this way.
A case was described in which a 33-year-old woman with a normal immune system attended a hijama session. received Staphylococcus aureus. After the procedure, she developed a high fever, and for another five days, the leg on which the cupping was placed became painful and swollen. The woman was admitted to the hospital with liver and kidney damage, an abscess of the iliopsoas muscle and gastrointestinal bleeding.
Hijama can also call and less dangerous, but unpleasant complications:
- formation of scars, burns, blisters and abscesses at the site of exposure;
- itching and infection of the skin;
- anemia;
- inflammation of subcutaneous fat;
- headache;
- confusion;
- nausea;
- fatigue;
- fainting;
- insomnia;
- Koebner phenomenon – the formation of new skin lesions at the site of exposure (occurs in diseases such as psoriasis or lichen planus).
No one should ever try hijama
In theory, ask about health status and assess risks must the medical professional who will perform the procedure.
But since hijama is often done by people who have no education other than short courses, we will provide a list of conditions for which you should never agree to such treatment.
Hijama contraindicated:
- with open scratches and other skin lesions;
- oncology;
- failure of internal organs;
- hemophilia and other blood diseases;
- having implanted electronic medical devices such as a pacemaker;
- children and old age;
- pregnancy;
- menstruation;
- elevated cholesterol levels;
- taking anticoagulants;
- cardiovascular diseases;
- acute infectious diseases.
Hijama should not be performed on parts of the body where there is deep vein thrombosis and bone fractures. It is also a bad idea to place cupping on areas where nerves, arteries, veins, body openings, lymph nodes, eyes and inflamed areas of the skin are located.
Is it worth trying hijama?
Not worth it. If you really want to get rid of blood, try becoming a donor. At least in this case, health workers will take your blood and you will not contract life-threatening infections.
Despite the fact that hijama is bloodletting, and this method included in the list of medical services, people without medical education undertake it.
In various groups on social networks, everyone is offered to take hijama courses for little money, and upon completion they are given certificates. The risk of going to such a “specialist” and developing complications significantly outweighs the hypothetical benefits of the procedure. Moreover, its effectiveness has not been proven.
Other questionable treatments 🚩🚩🚩