Hijama, bloodletting as a traditional medicine, remains popular in Iraq

Iraqis rely on custom and tradition not only when it comes to their religious beliefs but also to their earthly needs, such as medical treatment. While undergoing therapies, they frequently invoke saints and clutch talismans associated with witchcraft or assorted popular beliefs. Ignoring modern treatment techniques, a number of Iraqis continue to visit shops that offer hijama therapy — a traditional treatment in which the skin is punctured with small incisions so blood can be extracted using suction cups. Proprietors of these establishments, found throughout Iraq in neighborhoods and markets, do not require permits or medical licensing.

According to medical reference books and practitioners, the purpose behind hijama is the removal of old blood cells considered harmful to the body so new cells can replace them. One of the reasons behind Iraqis' trust in hijama therapy is the cultural legacy of this kind of treatment, which some link to religious beliefs. This makes hijama therapy a sacred method for preserving health among believers.

Alaa Nagem, a hijama practitioner from Babel, asserted to Al-Monitor, “Modern medicine cannot compete with the benefits of hijama.” He stressed that people prefer traditional medicine because of the success many patients have had with the treatments. Indeed, some patients claim that it completely cured them of diseases that modern medicine could not treat.

Nagem performs his therapeutic sessions in his home and at his shop. He does not have a license to practice medicine and dismisses the idea of such regulation. He offered, “Our ancestors practiced this profession long ago and mastered healing treatments for patients.” Nagem explained that making a small incision in the skin and pressing a glass cup over the cut creates a vacuum, which forces the "bad blood" to flow from the body because of the difference in pressure.