The following is an abstract of a pilot-study by M Sarjoon and K Naser on Hijama for the management of High Blood Pressure
EFFECTIVENESS OF CUPPING THERAPY AGAINST UNCONTROLLED HYPERTENSION PATIENTS – A PILOT STUDY
M. A. C. M. Sarjoon1*, K. A. Naser2
1Faculty of Health Care Sciences, Eastern University, Sri Lanka.
2Teaching Hospital, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
Abstract
Study Design: This study is a prospective randomized control study conducted on hypertensive patients.
Sample Selection: All adult hypertensive patients aged ≥18 years, who had made at least three
previous clinic visits and had been on antihypertensive medications for at least 6 months, were included. Newly diagnosed individuals, those having less than three previous BP readings and those without any follow-up in the previous 6 months were excluded from the study. 10 Hypertensive patients who attended the clinic in Eravur area were recruited and on the middle of the study, two patients were dropped from the study.
Data Collection: Initially the following information were collected: age, gender, duration of follow-up, three most recent BP readings, presence of co-existing diseases, body mass index (BMI), prescribed regular medications, frequency of attendance at the outpatient clinic (in the last 6 months) and presence or absence of care continuity.
Intervention: The selected patients received ten session of cupping therapy at the rate of twice per week. The routine allopathic medication was continued during the study period in these patients. Blood pressure measurement was obtained before each session of treatment.
Results: Patients’ mean BMI was 29 (S.D +/- 5; range 24-35). Overall mean blood pressure before the intervention was 152/95 mmHg and after the intervention was 135/84mmHg. All patients mentioned that they felt improvement of overall body health after the treatment.
Conclusion: This study showed a significant change in the blood pressure level after 10 repeated treatments in a rate of twice per week. However, despite the apparent success of this study, will that change in blood pressure be maintained is not clear. The data in this study is not applicable to the larger population and control study is necessary for better comparison. Therefore, more detail scientific research studies are necessary to suggest cupping is effective for treating hypertension in order to provide the additional effect with allopathic treatment.
Keywords:, Hypertension, Cupping Therapy, Hijama, Blood Pressure.
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FEATURED RESEARCHER:M. A. C. M. Sarjoon K. A. Naser
LOCATION
Sri-Lanka
CONTACT DETAILS:
Email: sarjoonhafeez@gmail.com,
Mobile: +94759912020
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Our thanks to M Sarjoon and K Naser for sharing the above post. If you have any questions or want to leave some feedback for him, then please do so via a comment* below.
If you are a hijama therapist or patient and are happy to share your knowledge or experience via a guest blog-post like the one above, please send me an email to: hijama.mail@gmail.com.
*Comments are moderated to prevent spamming so may take some time to appear
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as salamu 'aleykum
I wanted to understand the differences some hold in how often series of treatments should be performed. I thought that hijamah must be performed 3-4 weeks apart…and in this article it states that hijamah was performed twice weekly. Can someone clarify, barak Allaahu feekum
If allopathic treatment was continue during the study how you can say the effect of falling in BP was only due to of cupping therapy? 2nd thing you have measured BP only during study, not after all complete the study, then what is the significance of your study? It may be later it will be raised as before.
Thank you for publishing the results of this study.. Kindly please note that in my experience with Hijama and based on my extensive readings on the Hijama as a Sunnah of the Beloved Prophet Muhammad PBUH, to perform Hijama 10 times with 2 weeks apart is a gross medical mistake, as there are no evidence based studies to support that, plus the Prophet never performed Hijama that frequently, if anything, you could have achieved much better results with a one month interval, and a maximum of 3 sessions over 3 months..try it and you will see, and it also depends on the locations of the cups, there is a strategic location where you can attain immediate and sustained drop in BP. Thank you
I would agree with both the above writers. First of all when B.P medicines are being continued than how was the difference noted? How was the frequency in Hijama decided? Which points were selected?
Any medically qualified practitioner when he has done hijama he has seen the B.P level comming under control levels without any Antihypertensives after even a gap of 2 wks.
The decrease levels depends on other factors like hyperlipidemia,additions etc etc. which the study did not focus on.
Dr Syed Asaduddin Ahmed,
Unani Medicine & Hijama Practitioner,
Licensed by Ministry of Health (MOH),
United Arab Emirates.