Dry Hijama is a type of cupping therapy that was developed in the Middle East and has been practiced in India for centuries. It is a non-invasive procedure that involves the use of suction cups to create a vacuum on the skin. This vacuum helps to increase blood flow and circulation to the area being treated.
In Hyderabad, ‘Cupping Therapy’ or Hijama is getting popular for many complex diseases. Many cupping therapists mushroomed across the Telangana State. This is an alternative medicine for treatment. In this treatment there are two types involved ‘dry and wet’ methods. ‘Wet’ is quite famous since inception but nowadays ‘Dry’ method too getting popular due to its ease and quick treatment procedures.
Dry cupping is used in Physical Therapy as a form of medical myofascial release and soft tissue decompression. The cups are placed on the skin, creating a local suction to mobilize the soft tissues, increase circulation, improve lymphatic drainage, and promote healing.
The suction and negative pressure provided by cupping can loosen muscles, encourage blood flow, and sedate the nervous system (which makes it an excellent treatment for high blood pressure). Cupping is used to relieve back and neck pains, stiff muscles, anxiety, fatigue, migraines, rheumatism, and even cellulite.
Dry Cupping at the OSC Physical Therapy Clinic is done by applying plastic suction cups to skin that is either dry or to which lotion has been applied. The lotion allows the Physical Therapist to glide the suction cup over the affected area providing a form of deep tissue massage.
Cupping is form of alternative medicine that is said to help with pain, inflammation and blood flow. All of this can lead to better well-being and relaxation as it acts as a form of deep tissue massage. Cupping is usually put into two categories; wet and dry. Dry cupping involves the suction of the skin into the cup.
Cupping can cause side effects such as persistent skin discoloration, scars, burns, and infections, and may worsen eczema or psoriasis. Rare cases of severe side effects have been reported, such as bleeding inside the skull (after cupping on the scalp) and anemia from blood loss (after repeated wet cupping).
Kinesio-taping: Kinesio-tape (K-Tape) is an elastic tape that was first developed in Japan in the late 1970’s. It is a latex-free, water resistant tape that can be applied to all populations of people and worn for several days at a time.
K-Tape is applied in varying ways, depending on the area being treated and the targeted outcome. Single or multiple strips of tape may be used for each body part. The practitioner will apply the tape in different directions and/or varying degrees of stretch to elicit the desired response.
The direction the tape is applied will either stimulate or relax the muscles, and the amount of stretch applied will determine how much recoil the tape has on the skin, thus effecting the sensors of the skin and underlying muscles. Due to this tape’s elastic nature, range of motion from a muscle/joint is not restricted.
K-Tape can be used for a number of conditions including but not limited to, decreasing pain and inflammation, decreasing muscle and facial tension, increasing muscle activation, providing support to muscles and joints, increasing lymphatic drainage, and desensitizing neurological conditions. Additionally, K-Tape can be used in conjunction with any exercise, therapy, or modality.
What is cupping? Cupping therapy is a form of alternative medicine dating back to ancient Egyptian, Chinese, and Middle Eastern cultures. The Ebers Papyrus, one of the oldest medical textbooks in the world, describes how this ancient therapy was used by the Egyptians in 1550 B.C.
How is cupping used? Dry cupping is used in Physical Therapy as a form of medical myofascial release and soft tissue decompression. The cups are placed on the skin, creating a local suction to mobilize the soft tissues, increase circulation, improve lymphatic drainage, and promote healing.
The vacuum can cause the skin to rise and redden as it increases the circulation. The cups will stay in place for several minutes, typically 3-10, and are then removed. The cup may also be dragged across the skin for a more massage-like treatment.
Common conditions treated:
- Myofascial areas of tension and decreased mobility
- Back pain
- Headaches
- Tendonitis and Bursitis
- ITB Syndrome
- Carpal-tunnel Syndrome
- Thoracic Outlet Syndrome
- Joint pain and arthritis
- Post-surgical scar mobilization
- Concussion and Whiplash Associated Disorders
What to expect: Cupping is not used only by itself as treatment. It is simply one modality utilized by Physical Therapists to assist treatment and achieve the overall desired patient outcomes. The ultimate goal of Physical Therapy is to increase mobility, improve movement patterns, and improve general stability for long-term self management.
Is cupping safe? Cupping is safe and effective for many conditions. It not performed on skin that is thin, fragile, or damaged. It is not performed in patients with active cancer or those using blood thinners. The research regarding cupping therapy is divided, but this should not diminish the reality of the results achieved.
As cupping therapy becomes more popular and more studies are performed, the science and efficacy behind this modality will be further explored and explained. If you are interested in having cupping done, please consult a trained health professional. #KhabarLive
