A RESEARCH PROJECT BY
DR NADIA GANI
A REQUIREMENT FOR COMPLETION OF INTERNSHIP PROGRAM
BCM (UNANI TIBB)
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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.
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TIBB PHILOSOPHY: Four Headache types
Each with a characteristic ‘pattern’
ACUTE: Qualitative imbalance
CHRONIC: Humoral imbalance
FOCUS OF STUDY: chronic headaches
(Humoral imbalances)
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CAUSE: Excess blood in head region
 POSSIBLE SIGNS/ SYMPTOMS
∙ blackouts
∙ dizziness
∙ papitations in temple region
∙ heaviness in eye region
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CAUSE: Cold + Moist imbalance
 CHARACTERISTIC PATTERN:
∙ frontal headache
∙ spreads to the rest of the head
∙ usually accompanied by sinus complaint
∙ worse with cold
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CAUSE: Bilious accumulation in the CNS
 CHARACTERISTIC PATTERN:
∙ unilateral
∙ typical migraine
∙ worse with excessive Hot + Dry lifestyle
factors
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CAUSE: Cold + Dry imbalance in the body
 SIGNS/ SYMPTOMS:
∙ dull feeling in occipital region
∙ pulling of neck muscles
∙ defective digestion
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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
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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
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SESSION 1: B1, B5, B10
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SESSION 2: B1, B5, B10
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SESSION 3: as above,
H2
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SESSION 4: as above,
H2
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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!)
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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)
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FOR HA’S: B1, B5, B10
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LOWER EXTREMITIES &
LIVER POINTS (for other
complaints)
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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
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Female
 Age 46
 Temperament: Phlegmatic
 C/O: Bilious HA’s worse on LHS
∙ Severe & extensive keloid formation on back
& chest
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DRY CUPPING: F3, midforehead
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WET CUPPING: N4
(LHS), B1, B2, B5, B10
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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
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Male
 Age 47
 Temperament: Sanguinous Bilious
 C/O: Bilious HA’s 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
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B1, B5, B10
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5 DAYS LATER: no HA
since cupping session
1 MONTH LATER: HA’s
are less frequent, less
severe, less reliant on
meds. Panado
sufficient for pain
relief!
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Male
Age 34
Temperament: Sanguinous Bilious
C/O: a combination of bilious & melancholic
HA’s
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H2, B1, B5, B10
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FOLLOW UP 3 DAYS
LATER: No HA since the
cupping session
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Female
 Age 52
 C/O: Sanguinous- Phlegmatic HA’s
∙ high blood pressure
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SESSION 1: B1, B5, B10
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SESSION 2: B1, B5, B10
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3 DAYS LATER: Patient
felt much better
HA’s much less than
before
Another 2 weeks later
HA’s had ceased
completely & BP
readings are within
normal range
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Female
 Age 21
 Temperament: Melancholic Phlegmatic
 C/O: A combination of phlegmatic &
melancholic HA’s almost daily, lasting the
entire day
 Current Rx: Tripiline & Indoblock
∙ using for a few weeks without much relief
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SESSION 1: Wetcupping B1, B2, B5,
B10
SESSION 2: Wetcupping N4, N5, B1,
B2, B5, B10. Drycupping on temple
area
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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!
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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
(PHYSIS’S ROLE IN RESTORING HARMONY TO
THE BODY)
THIS WAS ONLY TEMPORARY & IN FEW
PATIENTS
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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
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FROM THE STUDY CONDUCTED, WE
CONCLUDE THAT CUPPING IS, INDEEED,
EFFECTIVE AS A MONOTHERAPY IN THE
TREATMENT OF CHRONIC HEADACHES
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