Need to be cautious against cupping done in an ‘unprofessional’ manner
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‘Materials used only once, discarded’
KUWAIT CITY, Aug 25: Regardless of its benefits and being part of the Holy Prophet’s (PBUH) Sunnah, it has become necessary to caution against cupping done in an unprofessional manner that leads to the transmission of Hepatitis and HIV/AIDS among customers in most cases due to wrong method of sterilization.
The daily toured some locations across the country where the service is offered to patients by few Kuwaitis and many expatriates. The operators of the business charge sums ranging from KD5 to KD 20 per session, which extends to almost two hours, using a minimum of five cups and maximum of twenty five cups during each session.
Meanwhile, the ‘cuppers’ allayed fears of customers, saying there is no cause for alarm since the materials are used only once and discarded after each session. They reaffirmed that cupping is the cheapest method of treatment compared to the price of medicine, and though it’s a kind of profession not strictly practiced by professionals, the daily urged officials of the Ministry of Health to monitor the practice.
At one of the centers, a cupper named Abu Ibrahim disclosed that he deliberately declined to train anybody in the business of cupping due to fears that learners may not adhere to the principles of sterilization, even though he could have organized training sessions for that purpose. He declared that cuppers do not require assistants but only need those who will be cleaning steadily.
He said, “I ventured into the business being an aspect of the Holy Prophet’s (PBUH) Sunnah. It is the cheapest type of treatment since medicines are relatively costlier. For instance, a single session is enough to get over headache. Also, any woman who undertakes cupping should have medical knowledge, because it is not just about filling a cup with blood”.
In his account, another cupper known as Abu Qasim declared that he suffered from sciatica on the left side of the body in the year 2000 and severe pain he felt prompted him into self-cupping. He then started doing it himself from 2003 until Ramadan 2011 when he began to treat other people. He reiterated that cupping is physically and mentally useful, and he’s delighted that many people have received treatment from him for various types of ailments.
Talking about negligence and risks involved in cupping, he stated “one of my patients narrated his experience with a non-professional cupper, saying he was a victim of excessive bleeding due to wound he sustained in the process, leading to the deportation of the cupper. In my own case, I use a cup only once while disposing it off in front of the patient. My treatment costs KD 20 per session”, Abu Qasim said.
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