Traditional forms of health therapy can still be found in the Sultanate of Oman, and as of late, a growing segment of young people are rediscovering health treatments like cupping and using herbs — a more natural and holistic approach to treating health problems and diseases.
In the past, these traditional therapies are only practised by the elders who got the knowledge and methods from their ancestors. As the world evolves and more young people searching for better ways to get remedies for different ailments, they have realised that going back to the basics and traditions of their elders is a great way to go. They’ve also grown more vocal about the need of preserving these different practices.
While technology in treating ailments scientifically is also evolving, many patients still prefer to go with the traditional methods primarily, to avoid the use of medicines that contains chemical and many unnatural components and secondly, as the cost of traditional treatments is relatively low.
Fatheya al Harthi, along with her project partner Yousuf al Jardani, initiated their most-awaited traditional medicine centre after a long process that included a tough time of studying abroad.
Fatheya , a young woman, had a strong will to pursue this profession of traditional medicine since she was little. She travelled abroad to study traditional medicine and came back prepared to help other women who choose to go for this type of therapy.
Located in the heart of Ruwi, the centre offers multiple choices of herbal medicines, massage and cupping. Cupping though made this centre more famous as this therapy is growing popular among people recently.
“Cupping therapy might be trendy now, but it’s not new. It dates back to ancient Egyptian, Chinese and Middle Eastern cultures”, explains Fatheya , adding that people get it for many purposes, including to help with pain, inflammation, blood flow, relaxation and well-being, and as a type of deep-tissue massage.
Cupping is an ancient form of alternative medicine in which a therapist puts special cups on the skin for a few minutes to create suction.
“These cups are made of glass, bamboo or silicone. We use the one-use silicone cups more because it is safer for the client, but it depends on the type of cupping used”, the therapist says.
There are many methods of cupping, including dry, wet and fire cupping. “During both types of cupping, the therapist puts a flammable substance such as alcohol, herbs, or paper in a cup and sets it on fire. As the fire goes out, they put the cup upside down on your skin’’, she explained.
Cupping therapy supporters believe that wet cupping removes harmful substances and toxins from the body to promote healing.
Jamal al Nabhani prefers to go for cupping when he feels pain or body fatigue. “I frequently go for this therapy, every three months and it feels good after some days as the pain eases and the body becomes lighter than before”.
Fatheya says that they provide this treatment for women also. “Many women struggle to find clinics that offer this treatment for ladies as it requires a lady therapist and not many are trained to practice the treatment. I went to study the profession abroad and now I am qualified to help my business partner in the clinic”.
Al Jardani inherited the practice and learned it well from his father and ancestors as he used to watch them when he was a child. Later, he helped them before he joined the army and got busy for some years. After retirement, he thought of going back to the same.
Al Jardani says that cupping has many positive effects on the body that include promoting the skin’s blood flow, changing the skin’s biomechanical properties, increasing pain thresholds and improving local anaerobic (without oxygen) metabolism, reducing inflammation and boosting cellular immunity.
The Futooh centre for herbs and cupping is located opposite to Ruwi Grand Mosque. Reservation is required.
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