Zareen Joomaye Ladoo: The secrets of the cupping therapy

You suffer from migraines, back pain, asthma, diabetes, heart problems, among others? Qualified Cupping Therapist Zareen Joomaye Ladoo shares with us the countless benefits of this ancient yet world famous therapy. 

This therapy holds no secrets to her. Zareen Joomaye Ladoo, therapist qualified in Clinically Applied Hijama (Wet Cuppping), has the solutions to many of your health issues. A form of alternative medicine, with no side effects, the cupping therapy is ideal for treating several types of diseases. Used in several countries around the world and known for its many benefits, cupping (the suction cup technique) is beneficial for everyone, the young and the old.

How did she come across the therapy? Zareen tells us that she always dreamt of becoming a doctor. “Coming from Joomaye family where all my uncles, cousins and relatives are doctors, I always had in mind to stick to the medical background,” she confides. During her secondary education, she was passionate about nutrition and decided to become a dietician. However, following her degree in Food Science with Nutrition at the Taylors University Malaysia, Zareen came across a healing treatment that would make her change the direction of her career. 

“I was having a really bad headache and back pain during my studies in Malaysia. I read a lot and did vast research about the Wet Cupping therapy, also known as Hijama (Arabic word), and the benefits. While talking to the family members about it, they encouraged me to go on this path. Then I wondered why not becoming a cupping practitioner myself. That’s when it all happened,” she says. Zareen thus decided to become a professional in the field and later qualified with a Diploma in Clinically Applied Hijama from the Institute of clinically Applied Hijama Therapy, Leicester, United Kingdom. 

Back to Mauritius, the young therapist decided to open her private practice. It’s now been nearly one year since Zareen opened her 'Cupping and Wellness Clinic' at the I-lipo Clinic, Floreal. The young therapist offers wet cupping therapy sessions to women only. And given the craze that people have developed, Zareen decided to open her second practice in Port Louis to benefit a larger female public. 

What is Cupping all about?

There are two types of cupping therapy. The first and most common one is the ‘Dry Cupping’ therapy. “Cupping therapy is a form of alternative medicine that makes use of special cups which are put on the patient’s affected area for a few minutes in order to create suction. The air pumped out of the cups, will create a vacuum which causes the skin to rise. The region where the cups are applied will become red as the blood vessels dilate. The cups are left on the skin for about 5 to 10 minutes. This method is used to relieve patients from pains as it stimulates blood circulation and promotes relaxation,” explains Zareen. This technique is practiced in China, Japan, a couple of European countries and the United States.

The second type of cupping, which is the one that Zareen practices, is the Wet Cupping therapy. “Wet Cupping, also famously known as Hijama (Arabic word), is done using the same process as Dry Cupping but the cupping practitioner will use a thin blade to do superficial incisions in the skin. These incisions will allow the blood to flow out. The blood flowing out will usually be thick as it contains toxins, deoxygenated blood and waste.” The Wet Cupping therapy is known to also improve blood circulation and promotes the movement of cells under the skin. It is also the most effective method for eliminating tensions or muscle fatigue and relieves one from stress. In fact, several scientific studies from Eastern as well as Western countries confirm the many benefits of the Wet Cupping therapy.

The treatment of the Wet Cupping is indeed an ancestral therapy practised more than 3,000 years ago. It has been practised for millennia around the world and especially in China, but also among the Arabs and the Greeks. This technique also dates back to the time of the Pharaohs because it was described on the papyri of ancient Egypt. However, the use of Wet Cupping as an alternative medicine disappeared from the 19th century with the advent of contemporary medicine. It was only in the 21st century that this technique resurfaced and became world famous. It attracted a lot of enthusiasm, as celebrities such as Gwyneth Paltrow and Jennifer Aniston or athletes such as Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps have recourse to it. 

But what are the health requirements for the Wet Cupping therapy? Zareen explains that before applying the treatment on the patient, she first assesses the patient’s health state. “Each case is unique and Wet Cupping is not suitable for everyone.  First and foremost, I need to know if the patient has any health deficiencies. The therapy is not recommended for those suffering from deficiency conditions such as anemia, anorexia, chronic diarrhea, post-delivery or breastfeeding women, or post-surgery patients. It is also not at all suitable for pregnant women, those with bleeding disorders like hemophilia, or with a pacemaker, or on strong blood-thinning medications. In some deficiency cases, I instead apply light dry cupping or “moving” cupping which works like a deep tissue massage,” states the therapist. Thus a medical check-up prior to the treatment is vital. 

“The Wet Cupping therapy treats diseases such as migraine, asthma, eczema, diabetes, high blood pressure, prostatitis, painful menstruation, haemorrhoids, rheumatism, diarrhoea, constipation and even cancer,” says Zareen. It is also known to prevent many diseases and therefore can be considered as one of the best preventive measures against many diseases because it has analgesic, immune, anti-allergic and electromagnetic effects, among others. For those who have reservations about the therapy, Zareen reassures that this practice is natural and without side effects, unlike medications. She advises patients, however, to be well informed before going to therapists. “Some are not professional and experienced therapists. People must be very vigilant about the sanitary conditions relating to the use of the Wet Cupping. It is therefore important to always go to a certified practitioner and medically trained personnel.” Zareen encourages all women to experience the benefits of the cupping therapy. The therapist offers after office hours sessions till 9pm for working women. 

For information on the cupping therapy, contact Zareen Joomaye Ladoo at: Cupping and wellness clinic, Madeleine House, SSR Street (Desforges Street), Port-Louis, Mauritius (+230 5 712 5413) or at the I-lipo Clinic, George V street, Floreal (+230 697 5768).