FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

These are answers to most of the common questions our clients ask.

Q: What is Hijama?

A: Hijama is wet cupping that's only provided by a muslim practitioner. It’s derived from the word “Hajm” which means sucking. Hijama involves the performing small incisions on specific points on the body (depending on the condition and location of pain) and placing suction cups on these areas to draw out toxic blood. “Indeed the best of remedies you have is cupping.” (Anas Bin Malik, Sahih Al-Bukhari 5371).

Q: What will Hijama help me with?

A: Hijama therapy is a very beneficial treatment and can assist with a wide range of health conditions. Some of these conditions include:

Chronic or acute pain
Headaches
Detoxification
Arthritis
Inflammation
Digestive health
Menstrual health
Infertility
Prostrate problems and hormonal dysfunction
Insomnia
Chronic fatigue, etc, etc.

Q: What should I do before my Hijama treatment?

Do not stop or reduce medication without Doctor’s permission.
It is recommended to be fasting from food and fluids 3 hours before your treatment.
Drink 1 - 2 cups of water 3 hours before your treatment to assist with detoxification.
Make intention and pray 2 raka'ats for healing and cleansing on a physical and metaphysical level.
Before your treatment, take a bath or shower with intention of ghusl this will increase your blood circulation and relax your muscles before treatment.
Shave or clip the hairs around the areas you want to perform Hijama before your appointment (if necessary).
Wear something comfortable to easily change, as our Hijama period is very busy.
Children should be accompanied by a responsible adult, with written consent from both parents for the child.
Inform us of pregnancy, menstrual cycle, anemia, diabetes, blood pressure issues and seizures beforehand.

Q: What should I do after my Hijama treatment?

Drink plain or honey water after Hijama. Continue to stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water or having fruits with lots of water such as cucumbers, watermelons or coconut water.
Eat dates or fruits immediately after a Hijama treatment. Eat a solid, healthy, and balanced meal after Hijama treatment.
Do not eat dairy food for 24 hours.
Do not eat red meat, chicken nor fish for 24 hours. Red meats as they take a lot of energy to digest the food and we want your body to recuperate after losing blood. We highly recommend green vegetables in your diet. You can have small amounts of white meats such as turkey, salmon or tuna.
Avoid strenuous activity that will make you sweat for 3 - 4 hours after Hijama to allow proper time for your incision sites to heal completely.
Avoid having a shower for 24 hours. A hot shower can open up your incisions and we want to avoid any soap, shampoo or chemicals on the site of incision. If you need to have a shower take a cool water rinse only and avoid scrubbing on the incisions.
Ecchymosis (skin coloration) and incisions will heal in 2 – 10 days. It’s normal to feel itchy the following days on the areas cupped especially if you play sport or are very active. Keep applying Blackseed oil, Olive oil or Coconut oil to incisions if irritation occurs. It will help the skin heal quicker. Do not use Vaseline, Neosporin, or anything that may cause irritation to the area. Let your body heal naturally. Once healed you can stop.
Do not engage in marital relations for 24 hours after any type of cupping to allow your body to recuperate.
Do not rub or scratch the areas cupped.

Q: What happens during the Hijama treatment session?

Olive oil will be dabbed unto the surface of the skin.
Sterilized cups will be placed on the surface of the skin and a mild suction will be applied using a vacuum pump. Cups will then be glided on the surface of the skin for 5 - 10 minutes in order to promote blood flow, lymphatic drainage and also release of toxins (detoxification). This process is known as moving cupping (massage).
Cups will be removed, cleaned and placed a second time on the surface of the skin but this time following specific meridians of the body or areas of pain and allowed to sit for 5 - 15 mins in order to relief areas of stagnation. This process is known as static or fixed cupping.
Cups will be removed and the area within the circular mark on the surface of the skin will be wiped, cleaned and sanitized using a 70% isopropyl alcohol pad. A disposable single-use sterilized size 15 blade will be used to make superficial vertical scratches (incisions) on the surface of the skin. The cups will be put back in the same order and position as they were during fixed cupping and negative pressure will be applied using a suction pump and the cups will be allowed to sit for about 5 - 10 minutes.
The cups will be removed and the cupping sites will be cleaned and sanitized a second time in order to prevent any infection. Coconut or olive oil will be applied to the sites in order to help accelerate the healing process and also to calm down any itchiness.

Q: Can I perform other therapies after a Hijama treatment?

After your Hijama treatment, we advise you allow your body to rest for a few days so the incisions heal properly and the cupping marks reduce. Our therapists will assess your posture and lifestyle before your treatment. Your therapist will treat you holistically and may suggest other therapies to help bring you back to your optimal health, such as our in-house:

Physiotherapy
Exercise therapy
Dietician
Chinese medicine practitioner
Prophetic medicine consultations
Massage therapists

Q: When are the recommended dates to perform Hijama?

A: According to Islamic Prophetic Medicine, it is recommended to perform Hijama on specific dates in the month. These dates include the morning, midday, afternoon, evening and night. There is a great wisdom behind Hijama therapy on these specific dates; just as how the moon affects the tide in the ocean, in a similar manner the same gravitational pull of the moon also affects our blood circulation. Hence the best days to detox your body with Hijama are on 17th, 19th and 21st of the Islamic lunar month.

Q: Can I still do Hijama outside of the recommended dates?

A: Yes you can! If you are performing Hijama to treat a specific condition e.g. lower back pain, arthritis, migraine, etc. then you can perform Hijama anytime. However, if you are performing Hijama because Prophet Muhammad ﷺ highly recommended it and also had it done on himself (for Sunnah) and you want a general detox for your body, then we suggest you call our clinic at (612)-268-6090 to know when the recommended dates for the Islamic lunar month will be and book-in then!

Q: How long will it take?

A: Our Hijama consultations are 15 minutes. Please arrive 10 minutes early to fill out our ‘health check’ form (Holistic Hijama Client Intake) prior to your treatment.

Q: Is Hijama painful or does it hurt?

A: The application of the suction cups feels like placing a vacuum cleaner on your skin and the incisions feel like a light scratch. Don’t worry, we have never had anyone unable to complete their hijama treatment due to pain. We do advise patients to perform slow relaxed breathing during treatment as this will help ease tension in your muscles and encourage better blood flow.

Q: Can I do Hijama if I am pregnant?

A: Hijama is not allowed during pregnancy and can result in a miscarriage or premature labour, depending on which stage of pregnancy the woman is in. If you are experiencing aches or pains during pregnancy, it is best to seek other natural cures such as Physiotherapy.

Q: How long after birth can I do Hijama?

A: As a note, Hijama is an excellent detox after childbirth, especially for women who have taken the epidural injection during labour and are left with long term back pain.

Q: Can I do Hijama if I am menstruating?

A: Yes, it is safe for women to have Hijama done while on their menses there is no Islamic or Medical prohibition. Unless a woman is experiencing a heavy menstrual period and is not feeling well.

Q: Can I do Hijama if I am breastfeeding?

A: Yes, you can. It can help prevent cases of mastitis, which is a condition whereby the milk ducts get blocked causing the breasts to become very hard and painful, inducing fever and a risk of infection. We will never cup directly on the area of the breasts.

Q: Hijama for fertility?

A: For those struggling to conceive, it is important to consult your GP to check for any underlying issues, before seeking Hijama. It is recommended to avoid performing Hijama when a female is on her fertile days and when ovulating, also known as the ‘fertile window’. This window will vary depending on the individual’s cycle.

After ovulation had occurred there is a chance that conception has taken place but may not show up on a home pregnancy test until 10 - 14 days later. Wait until the regular menstrual cycle has started before performing Hijama but always ask the patient to take a home pregnancy test before the Hijama.

The optimal time to perform Hijama for fertility is from the first day of the menstrual cycle up until the fertile days start (allow time for recovery from Hijama, before the fertile window). Along with Hijama treatment plan, advise the client to monitor general diet and lifestyle choices and make changes where necessary.

Q: Are the cupping sets available at the clinic?

A: At our clinic, we prefer single-use disposable cupping equipment. During every session, each client is provided with a brand new sterilized cupping set as this is safer and more hygienic. We take full precautions during our treatment and follow health and safety regulations to ensure you have a safe and enjoyable treatment.

Q: Why should I choose Hijama?

A: Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said:

“Cupping is the most helpful procedure for human beings to cure themselves.” (Sahih Al-Bukhari Nº5357)
“The best treatment is Hijama cupping; it removes blood, lightens the back and sharpens the eyesight.” (Sunan At-Tirmidhi Nº3053)
“If there is anything good in the medicines with which you treat yourselves, it is in the incision of the Hijama therapist, or a drink of honey….” (Muslim Nº2205)

Q: Are the therapists trained?

A: Our practitioners are Certified Hijama Therapist who provide the service on an ecclesiastical base license following the believe system of Islam.

When you come in for treatment feel free to check out our Catalogue and Islamic Prophetic Medicine range of products and services. Alternatively, you can also order from our online shop!

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