A Review on Al Hijamah (Cupping Therapy): The Unique Art of Healing

Abstract

Unani Medicine (Greco-Arab Medicine) is holistic medicine, art and science of healing which believes in treating the disease from the root, and thereby profiting the man and mankind from grief and sorrow of illness and disease. Four methods have been described for treatment of diseases in Unani Medicine, these are- Ilaj-bil-ghiza (dieto therapy), Ilaj-bil-tadbir (regimental therapy), Ilaj-bid-dawa (pharmacotherapy) and Ilaj-bil-Yad (surgery). Ilaj-bil-tadbir (regimental therapy) and particularly Hijamah (Cupping) is gaining nowadays in this modern scientific world, and it is one of the most common regime practiced in world. Cupping therapy is described in detail by ancient Unani Scholars, and they have mentioned a number of disease in which cupping is useful; some clinical trials and RCT carried out in this era also revalidate the claims of traditional medicine. Keeping in view of the fact the manuscript is design reviewing the available literature on cupping therapy and an initiative to describe mechanism behind effect of cupping is formulated.Keywords: Unani Medicine, Hijamah, Cupping, Ilaj-bil-tadbir, Regimental therapy