The medical perspective of cupping therapy: Effects and mechanisms of action.

Cupping Therapy (CT) is an ancient method and currently used in the treatment of a broad range of medical conditions. Nonetheless the mechanism of action of (CT) is not fully understood. This review aimed to identify possible mechanisms of action of (CT) from modern medicine perspective and offer possible explanations of its effects.

The present state of complementary medicine regulation in Saudi Arabia.

The prevalence of use of traditional and complementary medicine in the Saudi Arabia population has reached 75%. The most used therapies are religious healing, herbal medicine and cupping therapy. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine is the Saudi national reference for all activities regarding complementary medicine.

Posttraining Knowledge Retention among Licensed Cupping Providers in Saudi Arabia.

Background: One of the licensing requirements for cupping providers in Saudi Arabia is to attend a compulsory training course that lasts 5 days for non-physicians and 4 days for physicians, irrespective of any previous experience in cupping therapy. The course is conducted by the National Center of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM/MOH). As a part of course auditing, the current study aimed to evaluate knowledge retention among licensed cupping providers 1-3 years after passing the official cupping course.

A Descriptive Review of the Prevalence and Usage of Traditional and Complementary Medicine among Saudi Diabetic Patients.

Diabetes mellitus represents a major burden in Saudi Arabia where seven million (20% of population) are living with diabetes. This article reviews the literature on usage of traditional and complementary medicine (T&CM) therapies among Saudi diabetic patients, focusing in particular on identifying the prevalence as well as discussing their safety and efficacy. Three databases (PubMed, Cochrane, and ScienceDirect) were searched prior to December 10, 2017, for articles published in peer-reviewed journals that reported primary data on the use of traditional and complementary medicine therapies among diabetic patients in Saudi Arabia.

A brief illustration of the official national standards for the safe use of cupping therapy (Hijama) in Saudi Arabia.

Cupping therapy (Hijama in Arabic) is a popular traditional treatment especially in Asia, the Middle East and Central Europe. Traditionally, cupping therapy has been one of the most used practices in Saudi Arabia. Standardization of the practice of cupping therapy is a very important step to eliminate or reduce any adverse events related to cupping.

A Quality Model to Select Patients in Cupping Therapy Clinics: A New Tool for Ensuring Safety in Clinical Practice.

Cupping therapy is a popular treatment in various countries and regions, including Saudi Arabia. Cupping therapy is regulated in Saudi Arabia by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Ministry of Health. The authors recommend that this quality model to select patients in cupping clinics - version 1 (QMSPCC-1)-be used routinely as part of clinical practice and quality management in cupping clinics.

Cupping Therapy: An Overview from a Modern Medicine Perspective.

Cupping therapy is an ancient traditional and complementary medicine practice. Recently, there is growing evidence of its potential benefits in the treatment of pain-related diseases. This article gives an overview of cupping therapy practice.

Evaluation of Wet Cupping Therapy: Systematic Review of Randomized Clinical Trials.

Background: Wet cupping is a widely used traditional therapy in many countries, which justifies a continuous scientific evaluation of its efficacy and safety.

Objectives: To perform a systematic review to critically evaluate and update the available evidence of wet cupping in traditional and complementary medicine.

Methods: Ten electronic databases were searched from their inceptions to February 2016.