Subconjunctival hemorrhage after wet cupping therapy: a case report

Introduction:Cupping therapy is an integrative and complementary medicine therapy that practiced worldwide by several civilizations for thousands of years.Cupping therapy is reported to be a relatively safe practice especially if performed by qualified therapists.Subconjunctival hemorrhage(SCH)is a common cause of eye redness and can be classified into traumatic and spontaneous.Case presentation:This case report discussed an adverse event related to wet cupping therapy.The patient developed SCH one day after performing cupping therapy.He was completely recovered after 2 weeks.This case report should increase the knowledge of cupping therapists regarding increasing safety of patient when performing wet cupping therapy on specific body parts especially,head,neck and cervical areas.Furthermore,it highlighted the importance of conducting research regarding the mechanical and physiological effects of cupping therapy.Conclusion:Adverse events related to cupping therapy should be reported with every patient.Cupping therapists should be aware of this possible mild adverse event.To the best of our knowledge,this is the first published adult case of SCH related to wet cupping therapy session.More studies are critically needed for evaluation of cupping therapy effects and adverse events especially when performed on head and neck.

From regulation to official integration: the progress of cupping therapy in Qatar

World Health Organization(WHO)reported that the integration of some traditional medicine practices with national main stream health system was started since the 1970s[1].WHO developed and published two strategies regarding traditional and complementary medicine,which were WHO strategy for traditional medicine 2002–2005 and WHO strategy for traditional medicine 2014–2023[2,3].

Genetic Theory:An Illustration of a Theoretical Mechanism of Acton of Cupping Therapy

Cupping therapy is an ancient natural therapeutic modality which is widely practiced throughout the world.Cupping therapy mechanisms of action are not illustrated by research until now.This article gives a brief illustration of the genetic theory as a possible mechanism of action of cupping therapy.Genetic modulation is also a suggested mechanism of action of acupuncture and massage.

Using simulation in complementary medicine education:an overview of clinical trials

Backgroundand Aim:Using simulation in learning medical interventions is a common practice.Simulation techniques provided a safe environment for trainees and students to acquire clinical skills and knowledge to practice in a real clinical environment.The aim of this review is to assess the use of health simulation in the field of complementary medicine education.Methods:Three medical databases were searched from inception to 15 November 2021.The inclusion criteria were clinical trials that used simulation in the field of complementary medicine training and in English language and the full text can be retrieved.Results:After searching,495 articles were retrieved,235 articles were excluded for duplication and 249 articles were excluded after screening of titles/abstracts and applying inclusion and exclusion criteria.Finally,11 articles were included in this review.These clinical trials had 719 participants and reported positive impact of using simulation in complementary medicine education.Conclusion:Simulation wasused for training of some complementary medicine therapies such as chiropractic,acupuncture,massage therapy,cupping therapy and osteopathy.Using simulation in complementary medicine education is recommended to ensure a safe environment for training.Conducting high quality clinical trials to evaluate the use of simulation in complementary medicine education is highly recommended.

Abul-Qasim Al-Zahrawy’s practice of cupping therapy(Hijama)during the tenth century:a documentation

Abul-Qasim Al-Zahrawy’s(Albucasis)(936-1013 AD)was one of the greatest Andalusian scientists and surgeons.Al-Zahrawy illustrated his pioneering medical and surgical information on his book(“At-Tasrif liman‘Azija‘an at-Ta’lif)or(The method of medicine).He illustrated the cupping therapy practice in the treatise 30 of this book.The aim of this article is to give an anthropological and historical medical information about Al-Zahrawy’s practice of cupping therapy(Hijama in Arabic).This article is a method of documentations of cupping therapy practice during the 10th century.Safety concerns including innovation cup safety design were the most noticed subjects in practicing cupping therapy by Al-Zahrawy.This attitude should be continued.

Active sham cupping therapy technique:identification of limitations and suggesting enhancements

Cupping therapy is an ancient healing modality that has been used for thousands of years.There are two types of sham cupping techniques:passive type which used no suction,and active type which suction was rapidly released through a hole on the top of the cup.This narrative review aimed to identify limitations and suggest enhancements in the current use of active sham cupping therapy technique.Three medical databases were searched for identification of clinical trials that used active sham cupping device.201 published papers were retrieved.195 papers were excluded after applying inclusion/exclusion criteria.Finally,6 clinical trials were selected for this review.This paper identified multiple limitations of the active sham cupping procedure which include failure of blinding,heterogenicity of the characteristics of used devices including heterogenicity in reporting active sham cupping intervention,and the limitation of the sham technique to be used for dry cupping only.The recommended enhancements included using bigger cups holes for release of suction,standardization of characteristics of used sham devices,standardization in reporting,and suggesting recruiting patients without prior experience of cupping for better blindness success in sham cupping clinical trials.This paper suggested reporting criteria for sham cupping clinical trials.In conclusion,this paper identified the limitations of the current sham cupping technique and suggesting enhancements regarding active sham cupping technique.Continues evaluation of the current active sham cupping technique and development of new sham cupping devices and techniques for various types of cupping therapy are highly recommended.

Wellness status in Saudi Arabia: an overview

Wellness definition and dimensions Wellness is defined by the Global Wellness Institute as:“The active pursuit of activities,choices,and lifestyles that lead to a state of holistic health.”[1].Ancient roots of wellness were found among most civilizations[1].The wellness global market was 4.2 trillion dollars in 2017[2].The major wellness sectors were:(1)Wellness tourism,Personal care,(2)Beauty and Anti-aging,(3)Preventive and personalized medicine,(4)Healthy eating,Nutrition,and weight loss,(5)Fitness,and Mind-body,(6)Spa economy,(7)Complementary and traditional medicine,(8)Wellness real estate,(9)Wellness workspace,and(10)Thermal/mineral springs[2].Binghamton University(State University of New York)defined wellness as:“an active process of becoming aware of and making a choice that influences quality-of-life outcomes”[3].The dimensions of wellness are eight which are:Physical,Intellectual,emotional,vocational(Occupational),financial,environmental,spiritual,and social dimensions[4].

The present state of complementary medicine regulation in Saudi Arabia

The prevalence of use of traditional and complementary medicine in the Saudi Arabia population has reached 75%. The most used therapies are religious healing, herbal medicine and cupping therapy. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine is the Saudi national reference for all activities regarding complementary medicine. This article briefly highlights the current state of complementary medicine regulation in Saudi Arabia.

A brief illustration of the official national standards for the safe useof cupping therapy (Hijama) in Saudi Arabia

Cupping therapy （Hijama in Arabic） is a popular traditional treatment especially in Asia, the Middle East and Central Europe. Traditionally, cupping therapy has been one of the most used practices in Saudi Arabia. Standardization of the practice of cupping therapy is a very important step to eliminate or reduce any adverse events related to cupping. This article gives a brief illustration and highlights the important points of the first accredited Saudi Arabian standards for the safe use of cupping equipment and its applications.