Cupping & Hijama

Cupping therapy places suction cups on the skin to draw blood toward the surface. Dry cupping uses suction alone; wet cupping (hijama in Arabic, and a practice with a strong basis in authenticated hadith) makes small superficial incisions so a controlled amount of blood is drawn into the cup.

It appears in Islamic, Chinese, Unani and European medical traditions independently, which is part of why it persists — and why claims about it vary so widely. The articles below separate what each tradition says, what controlled trials have actually measured (mostly short-term musculoskeletal pain relief, with modest and mixed evidence quality), and what to check before booking a practitioner.

Cupping is not appropriate for everyone. Bleeding disorders, anticoagulant medication, pregnancy, diabetes, and skin conditions all change the risk picture — speak to your doctor first.