Background of Phlebotomy (Cupping) in Iran and Its Role on Human Health

Nowadays، improvements in the today’s medical world with many advances achieved in different areas caused many incurable diseases to becured or prevented. Since many of these developments have been based on utilization of chemical drugs، a large amount ofside effectsinevitably occurs. Therefore،the traditional methods and past views and experiencesthat guarantee safer human healthhaveincreasingly spread. Among these traditional methods،phlebotomy (bloodletting) is one of which with a special place in Iran''s medical culture. Opponents and proponentsof this approach have provided plenty of reasons for its accuracy or inaccuracy. However، reviewing its place on the human health system and as an issue with an important place throughout the medical history of our country will address the newer areas of access to the use of past experiences and consequently will enlighten newer researches on health system. The author of this paper has tried to show the place and the role of this ancient approach in the new researches and its effects on human health by reviewing the sources and references about the types and methods of blood cupping. Furthermore، reviewing those viewpoints can provide more opportunities for reflecting and reviewing the experts'' viewpoints in this regard.