Call for Hijama therapy regulation

A complementary therapy called Hijama, or wet cupping, needs tighter regulation, say experienced practitioners.

Hijama is used to treat a wide range of conditions including migraines and hay fever and involves cutting the skin and drawing blood with suction cups.

Therapists warn that some offering the procedure to patients are unqualified.

And this is putting patients' health at risk.

In Britain there are no rules to govern the practice. Anyone can set themselves up as a practitioner.

Hijama

In a room that looks a lot like a doctor's surgery in Leicester, a man is being treated for pains in his shoulder.

Khalil Ahmed Patel is a patient at the Institute for Clinically Applied Hijama Therapy (ICAHT) - a three storey building neighbouring a children's nursery on one side and a residential house on the other.

The institute also runs courses for anyone interested in learning how to practice the treatment.

Mr Patel has been receiving the treatment for over a year now.

He says: "I'm a heavy sufferer of hay fever and since I've had Hijama, I haven't had any hay fever. It usually kicks in at the end of March, early April.

"My wife and daughter also have it [hayfever] and they have been suffering, but not me."

He is being treated by Dr Rizwhan Suleman who is a trained chiropractor.