Inflammation, your best friend and worst enemy

The following is an interview with Dr Rizwhan Suleman (Mchiro) of Hijama Centres UK transcribed from his video, A Short Lesson in Hijama.

Inflammation, your best friend and worst enemy

- For those who have never heard of hijama, please give a background of hijama therapy

Hijama is known as cupping in English. It is one of the oldest medicines ever to be known by mankind. It was practiced by the ancient Egyptians, revered  by Galen “The Father of medicine”, and is used in Traditional Chinese Medicine. It is performed throughout Africa, well recognised in Arabia, but most importantly for Muslims, it was prescribed upon the Prophet Muhammad ( (صلى الله عليه و سلم))

"On the night of Israa I did not pass an angel except it said to me, “Oh Muhammad! Order your Ummah with Hijama” - Tirmidhee

"If there is any good in your medical treatments it is in Hijama” - Bukhari

He  (صلى الله عليه و سلم) used it for hip pain, when he sprained his ankle, for detoxification of the blood, and after ingesting poison. He prescribed it for migraine headache and as a maintenance of health

- Narrated Abu Kabshah al-Ansari: The Apostle of Allah (صلى الله عليه و سلم) used to have himself cupped on the top of his head and between his shoulders, and that he used to say: 
If anyone pours out any of his blood, he will not suffer if he applied no medical treatment for anything. (Book 28, Number 3850) Sunan Abu Dawud.

What does it involve and how is it done?


Suction is the basic principle. A vacuum is created in valved suction cups using a handheld suction pump. The cup is placed over the skin & air is sucked out. After removing the cup small cuts are made onto the skin. The cuts are very light and superficial and comparable to a finger prick blood test. Although subjective pain is very minimal requiring no local or general anaesthetic. Once done the cups are re-applied with suction. This slowly encourages the small cuts to bleed. The cups are left on for 5-10 minutes and small quantities of blood begin to collect into the cups. After a given time period waste blood is safely discarded and bleeding stops almost immediately

Marks left after treatment normally take less than 2 weeks to completely disappear.

But how can bleeding possibly be beneficial?

First let’s look at our most common health issues: INFLAMMATION: Your Best Friend & Worst Enemy. In any injury our bodies send more blood to the site. This is known as vasodilatation and is part of inflammation. The body’s defences and emergency services get mobilised to the site.This aids in repair, healing and protection of the area. 

So what’s the problem? Well, all our body tissues and cells are in a closed space under constant positive pressure. For there to be more blood in an area than there already is, more space is needed. But our bodies are enclosed in skin, tissues and fascia so more fluid equals more pressure. Increased pressure causes increased tissue stress, stretching and this becomes a swelling potentially causing more tissue damage.

Increased tissue pressure, swelling and stagnation equals pain and dysfunction of tissues & organs for example:

- carpal tunnel syndrome

- inflamed appendix

- inflammation of the liver

- inflamed disc in the spine causing nerve pressure

 - swollen knees and ankles

If the problem does not resolve swiftly a perpetual cycle of damage and tissue pressure can begin. As the pressure in the affected tissue rises its blood supply becomes gradually restricted allowing accumulation or hindered eradication of waste, acidity (CO2) and dead cells. This leads to poor health of the tissue, stretching, irritation and damage of pain receptors and eventually illness, pain and disease.

Controlling inflammation is medicines greatest challenge, as so many conditions are caused from it, for example any condition ending in ‘itis’ implies inflammation::

• arthritis
• gastritis
• meningitis
• asthma
• colitis
• bronchitis
• tendonitis
• celuclitis
• peritonitis
• vasculitis
• neuritis
• pericarditis

and many more

This is why anti-inflammatory medication is so commonly used.

So what does hijama have to do with it?

The negative pressure of hijama can draw blood from deep within tissues and organs using the body’s own transport mechanisms to the surface of the skin. The small cuts allow the release of any offensive stagnant blood/fluid venting the pressure build-up. Only stagnant, pressurised blood is released. The removal of inflamed, acidic, toxic blood, lymph and debris allows space for fresh nutrient rich blood to penetrate the once congested tissue. Blood saturated with waste proteins, acidity, inflammatory modulators and dead cells is removed.

Removing pressure and swelling from the tissues removes physical and chemical stimulation of nociceptors (pain receptors) and gives instant relief, fresh blood, oxygen and nutrients which allows the body to repair, regain health and for tissues to regain function.

It’s also believed to have many positive effects to the cardiovascular system, general immunity, organ function and neurological activation. Research shows it is effective for: back pain, migraine, bronchial asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, knee pain, blood purification and general wellbeing.More research is being conducted, clinical cases show remarkable results for a wide range of conditions.

But is it safe?

Under the guidance of a qualified health professional it is very safe. Patients are screened and assessed before treatment. All equipment is single use and disposable. Practitioners will advise on individual suitability as treatment is not advised for all cases.


For more information, visit www.hijamacentres.co.uk

Hijama Centre Locations: 
Leicester:
1st Floor, 177 Evington Road
Leicester
Tel: 0116 340 0786


Bristol:
1st Floor, 404 Stapleton Road
Easton
Bristol
Tel: 0117 369 6786


Cardiff :
53 The Parade
Roath
Cardiff
Tel: 07533 446 373


London:
Upper Tooting Road
South London
Tel: 07950 715 243 


Blackburn:
1st floor, 86 Randal Street
Whalley Range
Blackburn
Tel: 07561 313 460



FEATURED HIJAMA THERAPISTS:
Hijama Centres UK


CONTACT DETAILS:
Mobile:07533 446 373
Email: Dr.rizwhan@gmail.com
Website: www.hijamacentres.co.uk


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Our thanks to Hijama Centres UK, from UK for sharing the above post. If you have any questions or want to leave some feedback for them, 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.


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