A STUDY TO DEMONSTRATE THE EFFICACY OF CUPPING AS A MONOTHERAPY IN THE TREATMENT OF CHRONIC HEADACHES

1
A STUDY TO DEMONSTRATE THE EFFICACY OF CUPPING AS
A MONOTHERAPY IN THE TREATMENT OF CHRONIC
HEADACHES

• A RESEARCH PROJECT BY
• DR NADIA GANI
• A REQUIREMENT FOR COMPLETION OF INTERNSHIP
  PROGRAM BCM (UNANI TIBB)

2
ABSTRACT

• This study demonstrates the effectiveness of Wet
  cupping using B1, B5 and B10 as standard points
  in all patients and the use of local points
  according to associated conditions or symptoms.
  The frequency of cupping ranged from a single wet
  cupping session, fortnightly or monthly depending
  on patients needs and availability. The sample
  is made up of patients with varying temperaments
  and varying types of headaches all chronic in
  nature. Before patients come in for a session of
  wet cupping they are prepped for optimal results.
  They are to increase their water intake, not eat
  for 3 hours prior, take a hot shower before and
  where possible have a session after a full-moon.
  This will aid physis in restoring balance by
  concocting and eliminating excess humour
  responsible for causing the headaches. Patients
  experienced dramatic improvement in the frequency
  and severity of headaches as well as associated
  symptoms. A few patients suffered with a severe
  headache 1-2 days after the session, but felt the
  benefits thereafter. This could result from the
  readjustment made by Physis to restore harmony to
  the body.

3
INTRODUCTION

• TIBB PHILOSOPHY Four Headache types
• Each with a characteristic pattern
• ACUTE Qualitative imbalance
• CHRONIC Humoral imbalance
• FOCUS OF STUDY chronic headaches (Humoral
  imbalances)

4
SANGUINOUS HEADACHES

• CAUSE Excess blood in head region
• POSSIBLE SIGNS/ SYMPTOMS
• blackouts
• dizziness
• papitations in temple region
• heaviness in eye region

5
PHLEGMATIC HEADACHES

• CAUSE Cold Moist imbalance
• CHARACTERISTIC PATTERN
• frontal headache
• spreads to the rest of the head
• usually accompanied by sinus complaint
• worse with cold

6
BILIOUS HEADACHES

• CAUSE Bilious accumulation in the CNS
• CHARACTERISTIC PATTERN
• unilateral
• typical migraine
• worse with excessive Hot Dry lifestyle
  factors

7
MELANCHOLIC HEADACHES

• CAUSE Cold Dry imbalance in the body
• SIGNS/ SYMPTOMS
• dull feeling in occipital region
• pulling of neck muscles
• defective digestion

8
PATIENT PREPARATION

• Increase water intake
• No food to be eaten for 3 hours prior to session
• Hot shower before session
• Sessions done after full-moon, where possible
• RATIONALE

9
PATIENT PROFILES
10
PATIENT A

• Female
• Age 52
• Temperament Phlegmatic Sanguinous
• C/O Bilious headaches for past 41 years
• aggravated by stress and dairy products
• Current Rx daily Adcodols
• relief is slight and temporary

11
TREATMENT MONTHLY WET CUPPING SESSIONS

• SESSION 1 B1, B5, B10
• SESSION 2 B1, B5, B10
• SESSION 3 as above, H2
• SESSION 4 as above, H2

• Severe headache the next day
• Severe headache next day, then noticeable
  improvement
• Decreased frequency severity, less dependent on
  meds
• A single HA (due to stress). Meds required once
  every few weeks!)

12
PATIENT B

• Male
• Age 22
• C/O Bilious HA 1/7, epistaxis 1-2/7, acne, leg
  muscle cramps
• Severe injuries cerebral oedema 17 months
  prior- MVA
• Current Rx Perbex (acne)

13
TREATMENT A SINGLE WET-CUPPING SESSION

• FOR HAS B1, B5, B10
• LOWER EXTREMITIES LIVER POINTS (for other
  complaints)

• FOLLOW-UP 1 MONTH LATER
• NO HEADACHES OR NOSEBLEEDS FOR AN ENTIRE MONTH!
• 1/ 2 EPISODES OF MUSCLE CRAMPS
• ACNE CLEARING
• NO NEW PIMPLES HAVE APPEARED SINCE THE CUPPING
  SESSION

14
PATIENT C

• Female
• Age 46
• Temperament Phlegmatic
• C/O Bilious HAs worse on LHS
• Severe extensive keloid formation on back
  chest

15
TREATMENTA SINGLE CUPPING SESSION

• DRY CUPPING F3, mid-forehead
• WET CUPPING N4 (LHS), B1, B2, B5, B10

• Follow-up 5 days later no HA since cupping
• No keloid formation on cupping scars
• A month later no migraine attack since cupping
• Only slight, occasional pain more on RHS of head

16
PATIENT D

• Male
• Age 47
• Temperament Sanguinous Bilious
• C/O Bilious HAs worse on RHS, twice daily for
  past few years
• burning in neck shoulders for months
• Current Rx 6-8 Adcodols daily (sometimes more)
• Chronic smoker

17
TREATMENTA SINGLE WET-CUPPING SESSION

• B1, B5, B10

• 5 DAYS LATER no HA since cupping session
• 1 MONTH LATER HAs are less frequent, less
  severe, less reliant on meds. Panado sufficient
  for pain relief!

18
PATIENT E

• Male
• Age 34
• Temperament Sanguinous Bilious
• C/O a combination of bilious melancholic HAs

19
TREATMENTSINGLE WET-CUPPING SESSION

• H2, B1, B5, B10

• FOLLOW UP 3 DAYS LATER No HA since the cupping
  session

20
PATIENT F

• Female
• Age 52
• C/O Sanguinous- Phlegmatic HAs
• high blood pressure

21
TREATMENTFORTNIGHTLY WET-CUPPING SESSIONS

• SESSION 1 B1, B5, B10
• SESSION 2 B1, B5, B10

• 3 DAYS LATER Patient felt much better
• HAs much less than before
• Another 2 weeks later HAs had ceased completely
  BP readings are within normal range

22
PATIENT G

• Female
• Age 21
• Temperament Melancholic Phlegmatic
• C/O A combination of phlegmatic melancholic
  HAs almost daily, lasting the entire day
• Current Rx Tripiline Indoblock
• using for a few weeks without much relief

23
TREATMENTFORTNIGHTLY CUPPING SESSIONS

• SESSION 1 Wet-cupping B1, B2, B5, B10
• SESSION 2 Wet-cupping N4, N5, B1, B2, B5, B10.
  Dry-cupping on temple area

• 5 days later slight improvement in HA neck
  tension,head feels lighter
• HA only lasts for - 2 hrs, frequency is the same
• 10 days later head feels lighter, no neck
  tension, HA less frequent last 30 min!

24
RESULTS

• DRAMATIC IMPROVEMENT IN FREQUENCY SEVERITY OF
  HEADACHES AS WELL AS ASSOCIATED SYMPTOMS OTHER
  PROBLEMS
• FEW EXPERIENCED A SEVERE HA 1-2 DAYS AFTER THE
  SESSION
• COULD BE DUE TO THE BODY RE-ADJUSTING (PHYSISS
  ROLE IN RESTORING HARMONY TO THE BODY)
• THIS WAS ONLY TEMPORARY IN FEW PATIENTS

25

• IDEALLY, ALL PATIENTS SHOULD HAVE BEEN TREATED AT
  LEAST 3 TIMES, BUT THIS WAS NOT ALWAYS POSSIBLE
• OVERALL EXCELLENT RESULTS WERE OBTAINED
• ALL PATIENTS IMPROVED WERE EXTREMELY HAPPY WITH
  THE RAPID LASTING RESULTS

26
IN SUMMARY

• FROM THE STUDY CONDUCTED, WE CONCLUDE THAT
  CUPPING IS, INDEEED, EFFECTIVE AS A MONOTHERAPY
  IN THE TREATMENT OF CHRONIC HEADACHES