ISLAMABAD: Hijama therapists have expressed concerns about the growing number of unqualified practitioners and urged the government to create an exclusive regulatory body that would be responsible for overseeing the practice of cupping therapy.
Talking to reporter here on Tuesday, Dr Sohail Qureshi emphasized that 80 percent of patients experience positive outcomes after receiving hijama therapy which indicates that the results are not merely attributable to the placebo effect or belief healing.
Dr Qureshi provided further insights into the therapy, dispelling a common misconception that “cupping therapy is suitable for everyone”. He cautioned that individuals with diabetes, anaemia, or who are pregnant should refrain from undergoing the treatment.
He stressed the importance of therapists possessing a medical background for understanding the intricacies of the procedure and identifying the appropriate Hijama points. “Mishandling or neglecting necessary precautions can result in health hazards,” he warned.
According to Dr Qureshi, cupping therapy has been practiced for centuries and comes in two forms that include wet cupping and dry cupping. Dry cupping involves solely creating a vacuum on the hijama points, while wet therapy entails making incisions after creating the vacuum suction, he added.
He highlighted the greater effectiveness of wet therapy in eliminating toxic materials from the body. He also mentioned that leech therapy which is similar to wet cupping has been employed in several developed countries.
Dr Qureshi noted that many unqualified practitioners fail to adhere to proper hygiene practices that leads to infections. He emphasized the importance of using paper cuts instead of deeper incisions which are more difficult to heal.
He said that thoroughly cleaning the patient’s body with alcohol swabs, or antiseptics was essential. He also stressed the significance of using sterilized equipment and surgical blades rather than shaving blades.
He urged patients to be vigilant in ensuring that Hijama therapists do not reuse cups or pumps, as this could potentially transmit hepatitis and HIV. He also highlighted the positive results of Hijama therapy in cases related to parapsychology.
Dr Qureshi advised clients to inquire about their therapist’s certification and always seek consultation from individuals with a solid medical background. These precautions, he believes, will contribute to the safe and effective practice of hijama therapy.