As a Hijama Practitioner, I can assure you that Hijama Cupping Therapy is one of the best treatments for knee pain.
In the last few months, I have seen many clients with knee pain. Most of them were middle-aged ladies with bulky figures. The results were excellent and my clients were 100% satisfied with my work.
Knee pain is not just a complaint of old age anymore, people of all ages are affected by knee pain. Medical conditions including arthritis, tendonitis, knee instability or painful inflammation, can also make knee pain worse.
Knee Joint Anatomy
The knee joint is the largest joint in the human body. Knowing about knee anatomy may help to understand the reasons for knee pain.
The knee joints are made up of four main things: bones, ligaments, cartilage and tendons.
1- Bones: Three bones meet to form a knee joint.
- The thighbone (Femur)
- The shinbone (Tibia)
- The kneecap (Patella)
2- Ligaments: They help to keep knee bones in one place and join bones together. They are elastic bands of tissues that connect one bone to another. These ligaments are:
- Collateral ligaments: These ligaments control side movements of the knees. One ligament is on the inside of the knee and the other is on the outside.
- Cruciate ligaments: These ligaments are responsible for the backward and forward movement of the knee. They are found inside the knee joint.
3- Cartilage: There are two types of cartilage in a knee joint.
- Articular cartilage: This type of cartilage helps knee joints to move smoothly as an individual bend or straightens their knee. This cartilage handles the ends of the thighbone, shinbone and the back of the kneecap.
- Meniscal cartilage: The substance of this cartilage is rubbery and helps to stabilize the knee joint. The medial meniscus is on the inner side of the knee joint and the lateral meniscus is on the outer side of the knee joint.
4- Tendons: The tendons are tough cords of tissues that connect the knee bones to the muscles.
Symptoms Of Knee Pain
Signs and symptoms of knee pain include:
- Swelling
- Redness and warmth around the knee area
- Inability to straighten the leg
- Weakness
- Stiffness
- Discomfort and pain
- Crunching sound
- Difficulty climbing stairs
- Difficulty lifting things up
Causes For Knee Pain
The causes and the nature of discomfort for knee pain vary from person to person. Being overweight can be a problem with knee pain. Overuse of the knee may also cause knee problems. Owning a history of arthritis may put an individual at extreme risk for knee pain.
One of the primary causes of knee pain is sprains, strains and tears in the knee joint. These injuries can be a result of sports or maybe some accident.
- IT (iliotibial) band syndrome: Athletes are more prone to IT band syndrome. When a tendon called the iliotibial band gets swollen from rubbing against a hip or a knee bone, the band gets tightened. Heavy exercises or overdue activities can inflame the knee bone and may cause IT band syndrome.
- Sprained knee muscles: A sudden twist of a knee may be a cause of sprained knee ligament or muscle. An individual may feel swelling, pain or difficulty in walking.
- Bursitis: Bursitis is the inflammation and swelling of a bursa. A bursa is a sac filled with fluid, that serves as a cushion between bones, muscles, and tendons. This fluid prevents friction when the joint moves. Overuse of knee muscles can trouble the bursa on top of the knee cap, leading to pain and swelling.
- Kneecap Dislocation: When a round-shaped bone that covers the knee (patella) slides out of its place, it is called dislocated kneecap. Dislocation often occurs when a sudden trauma or a sudden change in the direction of any body part. This situation mostly happens during sports.
- Anterior Crucial Ligament Injury (ACL): Over-stretching or tearing the ligament in the knee is called ACL injury. The ACL is in the middle of the knee and occurs when an individual over-extends their knee joint while sports like basketball, soccer and skiing. ACL tears may be partial or complete.
- Cartilage tear: Sometimes, cartilage rips and causes injury to the knee joint. The pain and swelling could be outside or inside the knee.
Diseases related to knee joint
Some medical conditions may cause knee pain, mentioned under:
- Arthritis: There are 100 different types of arthritis just as rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis. This common joint inflammation may cause agony or stiffness in the knee due to torn cartilage.
- Tendonitis: Tendons are the stiff band of tissues that connect muscles to the bones. Tendonitis occurs when these tissues become inflamed. Repetitive motions in the knee or overdue exercises are the leading cause of tendonitis.
- Osgood Schlatter Disease: This condition commonly affects young people and children when their bones are still developing. A bump appears on the upper part of the shin bone, just below the knee, causing pain and swelling. The pain may come and go over time.
- Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome: It is also called “runner’s knee”. It is a pain at the front of the knee, around the kneecap. It is more common in people who are more interested in running, cycling and jumping. This pain affects children and young adults.
- Knee Infection: knee infection occurs when the fluid that lubricates your knee joint becomes infected by dangerous bacteria. Most people can have one, but if you have an inflammatory illness like arthritis, a traumatic injury to your knee, or a weakened immune system, your risk increases.
How To Manage Knee Pain Naturally
The knee joint is an essential part of human anatomy. Everyone relies on their knees to complete their regular activities, whether they are professional athletes or regular walkers or joggers. The knee pain varies from mild to moderate to severe. The knee pain often gets better depending on the intensity of the pain. Some of the activities are discussed below to speed up the healing process.
1- Weight Management
It is more likely that you will get joint aches in the first place if you are overweight. Being overweight might aggravate joint pain if you already experience it. Excess body fat can increase the pressure on the knee joints, muscles and tendons. Extra weight also increases inflammation throughout the body as a result knee joint gets affected very quickly. Even a slight weight loss can significantly reduce knee pain.
Some healthy eating habits include:
- Eat more servings of fruits and vegetables
- Choose whole-grain food items instead of refined grain
- Avoid sugary drinks, sodas, and soft drinks
- Eat lean protein
- Add fibre-rich food to your diet
- Eat low-fat dairy products
- Choose healthy fats for your diet
- Stay away from processed food, high-sugar food
- Drink plenty of water
Drinking plenty of water aids in reducing excess fat from the body. Water-rich foods also help to reduce toxins in the body.
If you are a victim of a knee issue, exercising must be the last thing you want to do. But the truth is that exercise is a favourable therapy for knee pain. Extreme exercises or overdue workouts should be avoided. Try to set simple rules for exercising with knee pain.
- Try exercising in the water first.
- Walking is recommended for knee pain. Avoid hard, concrete surfaces rather than walk on the grass to refresh your mind and soul.
- A warm-up is necessary before starting the exercise.
- Avoid using full squads, bending exercises or weight lifting.
- Avoid jumping or running for some time.
3- Rest
Don’t overburden yourself, taking rest is necessary to treat knee joints naturally. Resting speeds up the healing process and relieves knee joints from stress or pressure. If the knee pain is because of any injury or sudden trauma, resting heals it and reduces the swelling. But too much resting may weaken the muscles and makes the knee joints stiffer. One week’s rest is more than enough. It is evident to move the muscles after resting for a few days.
4- Heat or Ice Pack
Using heat or ice packs is a very effective and secure natural treatment for knee pain. Both packs are very convenient for knee pain. Choosing the right pad according to the situation is essential. When the heat pad is applied to the knee, it increases the blood flow and widens the blood vessels in the area. Applying a heating pad after an acute injury helps to reduce inflammation in the body. It can also be beneficial for chronic issues like arthritis and other chronic pains. Heat pads, heat cream, hot water bottles and heat lamps can be used to heat the knee joint. When we use ice packs, it helps to narrow the blood vessels by decreasing blood flow to the area. It also helps to reduce swelling, soreness and pain.
5- Knee Compression Sleeves
Knee compression sleeves can be helpful to support the injured knee. These sleeves provide compression and support to the knees. They also increase blood flow to the area to reduce pain and swelling. Extra tight compression sleeves may increase the node, so it is essential to use the loosened sleeves to let the blood run properly.
Knee massage is one of the most effective natural treatments for knee pain. Massaging a painful knee joint can have several benefits such as:
- massage helps to reduce swelling
- massage helps to enhance the blood flow in the affected area
- massage reduces the stiffness of joints and muscles
- massage increases the flexibility of the muscles
- massage also improves the overall physical functions of the whole body
7- Elevation
Elevating the affected knee joint may decrease blood flow to the knee, reducing swelling, pain, and inflammation. The injured leg should ideally be placed above the heart. Lay down and raise your knee and calf on pillows to do this. Because the knee lies below the heart sitting down with the affected leg elevated on a stool or ottoman is, regarded as being less beneficial.
Those who deal with persistent knee swelling can think about getting a leg-elevating pillow. These pillows are often composed of foam and are intended to offer supportive, firm comfort.
8- Hijama Cupping Therapy
Hijama cupping therapy is a traditional alternative medical treatment practiced in different cultures. The ancient Egyptians, Chinese culture, Arabic medicine, Greek medicine, and Prophetic medicine all practiced other types of cupping. Even though the crux of performing cupping is to alleviate the pain by increasing blood circulation and eliminating the toxins from the body. Cupping also helps to reduce pain and inflammation and increases blood flow which provides relaxation and well-being to the body.
The results of Hijama cupping therapy are always 100% when the cup is placed on the area of pain. When we place cups around knee joints and create a vacuum inside the cup, the skin lifts over the muscles. The fresh blood rushes to fill the space between the skin and the muscles. Fresh blood helps to get rid of the swelling. When we perform the incisions, they carry away toxins that cause swelling. When the toxic blood comes out, it leaves more space for fresh blood. Cupping therapy increases the blood circulation around the affected area, which helps to alleviate inflammation, swelling and discomfort. Besides increased blood circulation, the vacuum created by cups also attracts the fresh circulation of lymph fluid. The lymph fluid removes inflammatory cells and promotes immune cells that enhance the healing process. Fresh blood also provides muscle strength and relaxation which improves the capacity of the knee joints.
9- Magical Home Remedies
Home remedies are another natural and effective treatment to relieve knee pain and improve the quality of life.
1- Mustard oil contains chemical compounds that act as pain receptors in our bodies. Massaging mustard oil around the knee stimulates blood flow in the veins and reduces strain in the muscles and joints. Add chopped garlic to the mustard oil and massage the injured knee. Repeat this method as many times as you can to get the best results.
2- Epsom salt contains pain-relieving properties. It plays a significant role in reducing inflammation in the affected area. Add a cup of Epsom salt to a tub of water. Any essential oil can also be added to enhance the ambiance of salty water. Soak your body in the water for at least half an hour. Epsom salt increases blood circulation and reduces the pain in the knee joint area.
3- The main compound of Turmeric is — curcumin — which has anti-inflammatory properties, reduces inflammation and pain in the joints and increases ease of movement in the body. Turmeric can be used in several ways to treat knee pain. It can be consumed with a warm glass of milk to treat knee pain. A paste of turmeric powder can also be applied to the affected area to speed up the healing process.
4- Coconut water helps to reduce acidity and lowers inflammation and pain in the body. This healthy drink contains vitamin B6, which makes the immune system healthy. Our immune system treats muscle cramps and knee pains. Coconut oil is an effective joint pain reliever. Its antibacterial properties and antioxidant factors strengthen the body against muscular pain.
In conclusion, Knee pain affects an individual’s daily routine activities. Hijama cupping therapy is one of the most effective treatments for knee pain, as far as I understand. Simple home remedies, mild exercise, and a few healthy lifestyle activities make life easy and convenient.
I saw incredible results even after the first session of Hijama cupping therapy. I always target the pain points on the knee joint as fresh blood takes the place of stagnated blood patients to gain instant relief.
