Hijama (or cupping) is an old method used to cure pain as well as relax the stressed areas in the body. There are some key pressure points in the body, and once these pressure points are identified, you apply a cup there and create a suction in that area using the hand pump. This vacuum-like technique causes the blood to get collected in the area where the cup is applied. The suction causes a controlled inflammation in that particular area ton inform the body that antibodies are required there. After a few minutes, the cup is removed from that area.

There are 2 types of cupping: (i) dry cupping, where you simply apply the cup and suction and leave the cup for however long you want, followed by removing the cup; (ii) wet cupping, where the collected blood referred to as the “bad blood”, gets removed by a professional practitioner in order to release the toxins from the body by removing the harmful blood which lies beneath the surface of the skin.

There are numerous benefits to cupping. It has been shown to be helpful to those who suffer from diabetes, high cholesterol, thyroid issues in ladies, menstruation pain, fertility issues, gout, rheumatoid arthritis, bronchitis, hypertension, headaches, and migraines. Also, it can relieve pain in the knees, joints, back, shoulders, and neck.

Finally, cupping is very easy to use, and can be done on your own. If you want to apply the cups on your back, you may need someone to help you.