Hijama, also known as cupping therapy, is a method in which your blood is drawn toward the skin through a vacuum. The therapist puts cups having vacuum pressure inside them over your skin, and it draws blood toward the surface, removing toxins and impurities from nearby tissues. It can can help ease pain due to muscle aches or other health conditions.

So how it Hijama performed?

You'll be asked to lie down and expose the area you are wanting treated, it'll be wiped down with antiseptic. Then small incisions are made on your skin before the application of a vacuum-filled cup is placed over it. 

To produce a vacuum in a cup, the healthcare providers fill the cup with fire and rapidly remove it, the cup is then placed on the skin. The blood is drawn towards your skin due to vacuum pressure. Usually 4-6 glass cups will be used, dependant on the size of the area. The treatment it's self tends to last for 5-15 minutes, with an appointment time of up to 45 minutes.

Once the cups are removed, an antibiotic and soothing ointments, will be applied to prevent infections. You will be left with red circular bruises, which will soon subside. The skin becomes red due to the blood vessels rupturing.