History of Cupping / Hijama

As the only doctor who practices cupping (Hijama therapy) and was among the first in Croatia to officially start practicing this technique, I am pleased that football player Luka Modrić followed in the footsteps of his famous fellow athletes, such as Michael Phelps, a swimmer who won as many as 25 Olympic medals. It is known that this method quickly removes pain, relaxes muscles and increases circulation, which is very important for athletes. They are, especially during the competition, exposed to great physical and mental effort, which, in combination with massage, is best removed by the cupping method, using vacuum cups (suction cups), which are placed on painful areas. Suction of air from the cups creates a vacuum that lifts the subcutaneous tissue, there is an instantaneous blood flow and circulation that breaks down painful stubborn accumulations of lactic acid and removes toxins. The oldest archeological finds related to cupping were discovered in Macedonia and, presumably, reached the east via Silk Road, all the way to China, where the method is combined with acupuncture. Also, "cups for treatment" were found in the Dalmatian hinterland, which indicates that this method has long been present in our region. Today, cupping is most commonly recognized as an ancient Chinese method, although it has long been very popular in the East, whose physicians have greatly improved it. Cupping is very popular all over the world today because it provides a lot of benefits in a natural way, without drugs. In addition to relieving pain, athletes use this method to improve concentration, achieve better results, endurance and improve physical conndition. Also, today these treatments are very popular for eliminating pain in the locomotor system, headaches and migraines, to enhance peripheral blood flow, mental relaxation, increase life energy, reduce depression and many other purposes. In Egypt, 400 doctors practice this method. They have developed a special cupping method to treat rheumatoid arthritis. Pakistan is trying to treat psoriasis. In the United Kingdom, the Ministry of Health recommends that the so-called "wet cupping" be performed in the first days after a stroke in order to recover as quickly as possible. In Iran, on the other hand, it is used for a wide range of diseases, from treating autoimmune diseases and regulating blood pressure to infertility. It is important to point out that in all these countries only doctors are allowed to do cupping therapy. As far as athletes are concerned, the Americans and the Chinese are in the lead, but these fantastic results with cupping treatment result in this method becoming more and more popular and sought after all over the world. It is successful as an anti-stress therapy. Artists, musicians, actors and others use it to remove stage fright, and managers use dry cupping once a week to relieve accumulated stress during the week before the weekend. There are also analyzes that show that cupping therapy is excellent as an additional method for faster and better treatment of addiction. Many studies are underway regarding the effects of cupping on pain, blood circulation and mental health. It has been confirmed that cupping has an effect on the secretion of some neurotransmitters, such as endorphins (which explain the effect on pain), enkephalin (mood)… Therefore, I once again congratulate and welcome the courage and wisdom of our top athlete Luka Modrić, who recognized all the advantages of this method. I hope that this will also contribute to ordinary people and official medicine recognizing the benefits of cupping.