07/05/2026
Cautionary Note.
Evidently cupping therapy is absolutely or relatively contraindicated in certain conditions.
The question arises “is there any special cupping points considered in these conditions?” The straightforward answer is big no.
These conditions include but possibly not limited to pregnant or menstruating women, puerperium, bone fractures, metastatic cancers, patients with multiple organ failure (kidney, heart and liver failure), hemophilia/bleeding disorders, infectious diseases, high fever and convulsions, medical and surgical emergencies, patients with pacemaker, and severe cardiovascular disease, patients using anticoagulants, very obese or thin person or emaciated patient, very recent wet-cupping and blood donation and severe anemia.
Cupping points and cupping should never be selected and applied respectively directly on veins, nerves, arteries, open sores/wounds, places deep vein thrombosis, inflamed skin, skin lesions, body orifices, lymph nodes, body orifices such as eyes, nose, mouth, oral cavity and varicose veins.
Cupping therapy is not without local and systemic adverse events which are attributed to a variety of factors including incompetent practitioners, untrained traditional healers and quacks and selection of wrong cupping points.
Overall cupping points if not selected precisely and in collaboration with patient may contribute to the development of adverse events of cupping (Hijamah) therapy, delayed therapeutic response, ethical problems and additional cost burden.
Source: Journal of Complementary and Alternative Medical Research.
Artical no:JOCAMR.39269