Abstract

CUPPING THERAPY FROM MEDIEVAL ART TO MODERN SCIENCE

Kalam M. A.*, Munshi Y. I., Mir Idrees, Sheeraz M. A. and Farazuddin Khan

Abstract

Bloodletting is an important medical procedure in Unani medicine to cure diseases related to blood and many other causes. This method is performed by three ways e.g. Hijama (cupping), Irsal-i-alaq (leeching) and Fasd (venesection) which comes under Ilaj Bi‘l Tadbir (Regimenal therapy) in Unani System of Medicine and is amongst the oldest medical manipulations practiced by our ancestors. Although it has 3000-year history and was practiced through different ages, it is now regarded by some as repulsive. However, the physician and his treatment should be judged in the light of the era of the disease. In this article a brief information about the introduction, history, points and recent scientific studies on Hijama (cupping) are discussed.

Keywords: Wet Cupping, Hijama, Unani System of Medicine.