The Effect of Wet Cupping Therapy on A Patient Diagnosed with Panic Disorder

Abstract

Background: Wet cupping therapy (WCT), also known as ‘Al-hijamah’ in the Islamic world, is a curative treatment recommended by Prophet Mohammed, and there is thus a great interest in cupping therapy in Islamic countries. Although it is used in the symptomatic treatment of many diseases, there has been no previous study on the effect of WCT on stress and anxiety levels. The aim of this case report was to propose WCT as an effective treatment in anxiety disorders. Case Presentation: Our case was a 39-year-old male patient, who presented to a complementary center to receive WCT owing to religious beliefs. WCT was applied seven times. After the seventh session, the patient reported that five years ago he had been diagnosed with panic disorder and that he was on sertraline medication on a daily basis. After the first WCT session, he reported that his symptoms of panic disorder decreased, and after 15 days, he discontinued the medication and confirmed he did not experience any panic attack. Conclusion: As evident in the current case, the effects of WCT on heart rate and the nervous system could play a role in the treatment of anxiety disorders.