Effects of Wet Cupping on Chronic Pain: A Retrospective Study Abstract

Introduction
Pain is considered a major clinical problem and is a source of social and economic burden for many
people. Problem Statement: Many patients experiencing pain find conventional treatments to be
moderately effective; however, they often experience adverse side effects, leaving them to seek
complementary and alternative therapeutic approaches. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of wet-cupping therapy (WCT) for the treatment of several chronic pain conditions and additionally to
evaluate whether these effects differ according to the time of application during any lunar month in the Islamic lunar calendar. Material and Methods: A retrospective review was conducted using data from the records of patients who attended the Hijama Clinic of King Abdulaziz University Hospital from January 2017 to December 2017. In total, 347 patients visited the clinic during 2017; 231 of these patients experienced pain, and 117 of these patients met the inclusion criteria for parti