Treatment of Sciatica by HIJAMA (Regimental Therapy- Cupping)

  • Allah Nawaz University of Toyama, Japan
  • Asif Iqbal Hamdard University Karachi
  • Asif Ahmed Baqai Medical University, Karachi
  • Amber Mushtaq Shifa Hospital, Karachi
  • Muhammad Amjad Chishti Hamdard University Karachi
  • Irshad Ahmad The Islamia University of Bahawalpur,
  • Khan Usmanghani Jinnah University for Women, Karachi
Keywords: Cupping Therapy, Hijama, Sciatica, Unani Medicine, Wet Cupping

Abstract

Though cupping therapy has been used in UNANI MEDICINE (Greco Arabic Medicine) for thousands of years but there has been no vast literature and clinical research studies on it. It has been widely practiced in the Middle East and the rest of the world for centuries. In the present study using pre and post research design, thirty five patients with sciatic pain were enrolled at baseline and two weeks following treatment having back pain (54.4 %), sciatica pain (65.5%) and headache (12.7%). Results suggest that by using cupping therapy (Wet Cupping) compared to baseline, sciatic pain was decreased more efficiently which indicated that wet cupping may leads to more clinical benefit for treating various chronic diseases. However, further more rigorous designed trials in relevant conditions are warranted to support this regimental therapy in practice.

Author Biographies

Allah Nawaz, University of Toyama, Japan

Faculty of Medicine 

Asif Iqbal, Hamdard University Karachi

Faculty of Eastern Medicine

Muhammad Amjad Chishti, Hamdard University Karachi

Faculty of Eastern Medicine

Irshad Ahmad, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur,

Faculty of Pharmacy & Alternative Medicine

Published
2014-04-20