Hijama is safe, non-invasive, and has no adverse side effects when performed in a hygienic setting by an experienced professional using the right type of equipment. Hijama will impact you with a deep sense of serenity, reconciliation, and inner peace.

Temporary discoloration will occur at the points of treatment. The discoloration is due to Ecchymosis, not Hematomas. However, they disappear on their own within 3-14 days. The redness around the cup is called the Zone of Hyperemia. Hyperemia is caused in part by the release of Nitric Oxide which relaxes tense muscles, reduces inflammation, and increases vasodilation. In some cases and for specific therapeutic purposes, the Hijama practitioner will use a different style of incisions characterized by being fast and shallow. In this case, inside the ecchymosis circle, there will be purple, small hematomas on points the incisions were made. This is due to the inside of the capillaries leaking into the surrounding tissues. However, it is completely harmless and causes no problems. Incisions and scabs may persist longer on the legs because healing in this area is slower when there is poor circulation.

Autoimmune patients may feel exhausted after Hijama. Although Hijama regulates the immune system and helps reduce debilitating fatigue, in some cases, patients experience mild autoimmune flare up in the form of fatigue, temporarily before getting better.

When specific points are addressed, and depending on whether we are simulating, tonifying, or detoxing the body, the body could get into self-defense and activate its survival mechanism. Now your body is ready to recover and rebuild itself in a way never thought possible. The result of that could be feeling fatigued and needing to rest. Isn’t that Detox Reaction the reason why you are doing Hijama? Yes, it is the way Hijama addresses imbalances in your body. This is known as Healing Crisis. So pace yourself accordingly. Drink extra water, rest, and chill… You are in the process of getting well through Homeostasis. Your Body’s best therapist is your own Body and it is working on fixing you!!

According to research published in 2016 by the AAMT Symptomatic muscle has been shown to have decreased blood flow and increased lactate levels, and myofascial cupping appears to temporarily exaggerate the condition to “kick-start” the physiologic changes necessary to “reset” the tissue. By propagating the tissue’s hypoxic state, more lactate is produced, thereby increasing the acidity. In skeletal muscle, the added acidity has been shown to combat fatigue and stimulate nitric oxide release, resulting in improved microcirculation and blood flow via vasodilation.

Temporary itching and tingling could occur immediately after Hijama for a few hours. The reason for this tingling sensation is that nerve fibers send signals to the spinal cord that the skin is being stimulated. The brain perceives those signals as itchy. This harmless side effect is the result of the expansion of your blood vessels. Your body releases a compound called Histamine which dilates your capillaries and triggers this itchy feeling.

During Hijama, you may experience a runny nose/ nasal drip due to being in a prone position (laying down on your chest). Some people might experience brief light-headedness right after Hijama, which typically lasts for 10 seconds up to 1 minute on average. Why is that? Professional Hijama practices will always ask you to lie down on your chest in a prone position to avoid complications like Vasovagal Syncope. Being in a prone position in general for 30 minutes (average session time), even if you are not getting Hijama, will cause mild Orthostatic Hypotension and Positional Vertigo. The body clears itself on its own and you are back to normal shortly.

In some rare cases, as part of the overall rejuvenation that the body undergoes, some individuals may experience hypotension, Increased bowel movement, runny nose, dizziness, fatigue, nausea, acne, and temporary increase of pain in the areas treated. These side effects are normal and go away on their own shortly, sometimes it gets worse before it gets better. Another very rare possibility is fainting during or after Hijama. Some females may also experience temporary changes in their menstrual cycle, yet they soon revert to Normal.

It is normal and harmless to witness a mild increase in the body’s temperature 6 hours after Hijama and up to 48 hours, as Hijama activates the immune system cells in the body.

Though extremely rare, some people, mostly females, may start crying for no known reason and out of no pain or discomfort. Yet When they finish, they describe a feeling of deep self-reconciliation that makes them feel able to embrace and accept previous sad experiences or traumas like the loss of a loved one. This condition of Emotional Release is because our fascia has more sensory nerves than any other tissue in the body, so as the fascia is released, the body’s sensations are woken up. This is a type of unintended emotional detox.

Could I pass out during Hijama?

It is not impossible to pass out during Hijama despite being very rare. Multiple factors could play a role here.

  1. If the client is Anemic, your Hijama practitioner should check the color of your eyelids, nails, and gum, in addition to your medical history. Hijama can help treat some cases of Anemia.
  2. If the client is Hypotensive. Your Hijama practitioner must check blood pressure before Hijama. This helps the practitioner avoid certain points that can cause complications. Clients with low blood pressure benefit from Hijama.
  3. Vasovagal Syncope, which is caused by a sudden drop in blood pressure. Some individuals will pass out when they go to the dentist, for example, or when they see blood. Vasovagal Syncope is harmless and requires no medical treatment. However, it is avoidable when Hijama is performed in a prone position (laying down on your chest).
  4. Fainting can also be triggered by long-standing, extreme fatigue, over-exercising, extended fasting, and dehydration, before Hijama. We ask our clients to fast for 2 – 4 hours but sometimes, we get warriors who fast for much longer than that to better their Hijama, not realizing that exaggerated fasting causes more harm than good before Hijama. Prolonged fasting is acceptable when the client gets first to get up in the morning and when fasting is part of a regimen they are accustomed to as in the month of Ramadan. Hijama practitioners must constantly check the temperature and heart rate of their clients throughout the session to prepare for any changes.
  5. Under-educated Hijama practitioners who apply an excessive number of cups with deep incisions and are oblivious to the order of Hijama points and the negative pressure gauge for each point.
  6. Jinn and Shaitan-related disorders.