Cupping therapy (hijamah) using a scratching method is considered to have the potential to help reduce complaints of neck pain and tingling in people suffering from high cholesterol.

This was revealed in research conducted by a team of researchers from the Nursing Study Program at STIKes Borneo Cendekia Medika, Kotawaringin Barat, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia.

The results of this research were published in a scientific health journal in 2023.

In the study, they analyzed the effect of cupping therapy on the signs and symptoms commonly experienced by people with high cholesterol.

Complaints such as pain in the neck area and sensations of tingling in the hands and feet became the main focus of this research.

Medically, cholesterol is a fatty substance found in the bloodstream and body cells.

This substance is actually needed by the body to form cell walls and as a raw material for the formation of certain hormones.

However, cholesterol levels that are too high can cause various health problems.

If cholesterol levels in the blood exceed normal limits, it can increase the risk of heart disease and stroke.

The normal cholesterol level is generally below 200 mg/dl. Meanwhile, cholesterol levels that reach more than 240 mg/dl are included in the high category and have the potential to cause serious health problems.

In many cases, people with high cholesterol often complain of pain in the neck area.

This condition occurs due to the accumulation of fat in blood vessels which can obstruct blood flow to the muscles and surrounding tissues.

In addition to neck pain, another symptom that is often felt is tingling in the hands and feet.

These complaints generally arise due to poor blood circulation which affects nerve function in certain parts of the body.

To overcome this condition, various complementary therapies have begun to be studied by researchers.

One method that has been widely studied is cupping therapy, a form of Islamic medicine that has been used for thousands of years.

In this study, the researchers used a quasi-experimental method with a one-group pre-test and post-test design.

A total of 30 respondents suffering from cholesterol problems were involved to observe changes in their condition before and after receiving cupping therapy.

Based on the characteristics of the respondents, most of the research participants were in the age range of 46 to 59 years.

The majority of respondents were also male and had a middle-level educational background.

The results showed that before undergoing cupping therapy, the average level of neck pain experienced by respondents was at a scale of 5.20 or included in the moderate pain category.

After undergoing cupping therapy three times, the average level of neck pain among respondents decreased to 1.93 or was in the mild pain category.

This decrease indicates a fairly significant change after the therapy was carried out.

Changes were also seen in the tingling complaints experienced by respondents. Before therapy, 17 respondents stated that the tingling was quite disturbing and 13 respondents felt very disturbed by the condition.

However, after cupping therapy was performed, 18 respondents stated that the tingling complaint no longer interfered with their activities.

Meanwhile, several other respondents reported that the complaints they felt became much lighter compared to before.

Based on statistical testing using the Wilcoxon method, this study obtained a significance value of 0.000 or smaller than 0.05.

These results indicate that cupping therapy has a significant effect on reducing the signs and symptoms of neck pain and tingling in people with cholesterol problems.

The researchers explained that cupping therapy can help improve blood circulation and reduce metabolic waste substances that accumulate in blood vessels.

This process is also thought to stimulate the release of endorphin hormones which play a role in reducing pain.

However, the researchers suggested that further studies should be conducted with a broader scope and by using a control group.

This is important to strengthen scientific evidence regarding the benefits of cupping therapy in helping to overcome complaints related to high cholesterol levels.

One cupping expert and Grandmaster of Oxidant Releasing Therapy Indonesia, Candra P. Pusponegoro, said that cupping (wet cupping) has indeed been proven and tested.

According to him, in the literature of hadith, the explanation of cupping or hijamah in Arabic should not be doubted in terms of its benefits.

“As Muslims, hijamah (cupping) should no longer be doubted in its authenticity. There are hundreds of benefits for the health of the body,” said Candra, who runs a practice labeled Bengkel Manusia Indonesia.

According to him, since being involved in the world of cupping, he has focused more on patients who have a history of diabetes, heart disease, and kidney disorders.

He said he chose to specialize in those three disorders because most of the patients who come for treatment have such medical histories.

“I tend to focus on these three segments because those who come for treatment generally have a history of diabetes, heart disease, and kidney problems. In the end, I became accustomed to treating patients with these diseases,” said the man who has been practicing cupping for more than 25 years.

Regarding the method used, he explained that the cupping is performed by scratching (incising) the surface of the skin to a depth of 0.9 mm.

He also explained that patients who come for treatment bring their medical examination results (laboratory reports). After they are analyzed, the cupping procedure is then carried out according to the patient’s complaints.

Is it done only once? According to him, no. Patients must follow the therapy schedule determined based on the patient’s actual condition.

“The key is to be disciplined with the therapy and follow healthy patterns that are generally practiced by people who are ill. For example, diabetes patients must of course follow dietary restrictions such as reducing sugar intake, lowering carbohydrates, and so on,” he explained.

According to him, in the treatment process, the patient’s spiritual condition is also addressed.

One of the ways is through spiritual advice that educates the patient’s heart and mind.

Therefore, all patients are treated physically and spiritually during the therapy period at Bengkel Manusia Indonesia.

Illness, he continued, consists of two types: physical illness and spiritual illness. Sometimes a person may appear physically healthy but spiritually ill, and vice versa.

To accelerate recovery, that formula is applied to his patients. Thus, the final result is totality.

Download Journal: Scientific Research Reveals Scratch Cupping Eliminates Neck Pain and Tingling in Cholesterol Patients