Sonny Bill Williams and the bizarre 'cupping' treatment

Sonny Bill Williams shared a photo of himself undergoing the Arabic treatment. Photo / Twitter / Getty Images

Sonny Bill Williams has shared an unusual health treatment with his 500,000 social media followers.

The All Blacks World Cup winner shared a photo on Twitter of him undergoing hijama cupping, a traditional Arabic medicinal treatment and form of 'wet-cupping', where blood is drawn from the skin via a small incision. He posted the photo on Wednesday afternoon with the caption: "Detox time".

Detox time 🙌🏽 pic.twitter.com/A5l79XPHG6

— Sonny Bill Williams (@SonnyBWilliams) November 25, 2015

The Islamic prophet Muhammad is quoted in the Koran as saying, "Indeed the best of remedies you have is hijama, and if there was something excellent to be used as a remedy then it is hijama."

Dry-cupping refers to the same practice, but is done without making an incision in the skin.

"It's not painful, generally. It probably looks scarier than it is," said Professor Marc Cohen, a holistic medicine expert from RMIT University's School of Health Sciences told news.com.au.

"It's supposed to mobilise blood flow and promote a release of stagnant blood, so blood that is not circulating in the body. I know they use it to help with bruising in martial arts."

Professor Cohen said the practice has been around for thousands of years and was used in many ancient medicinal therapies from China, the Middle East and Europe.

There is limited scientific evidence available on cupping therapies.

A 2008 study of 70 patients with chronic headaches or migraines, published in The American Journal of Chinese Medicine, found that headache severity decreased by 66 per cent following wet-cupping treatment. "We conclude that wet-cupping leads to clinical, relevant benefits for primary care patients with headaches," the study said.

According to a 2011 study published in the Focus on Alternative and Complementary Therapies journal, two out of three reviews into the effectiveness of wet and dry cupping found "some evidence" that cupping worked in treating pain.

Williams converted to Islam in 2008 after being involved in several off-field incidents, including a drink-driving charge and a fine for public urination.

What is hijama cupping?

• Cupping is said to improve blood flow to encourage healing, targeting ailments including colds, joint pain, acne, migraines and even facial paralysis.
• Dry-cupping involves holding a cup to the skin and using either heat or suction to reduce pressure.
• Hijama cupping or wet-cupping involves making incisions 1.5mL deep and 1.5mL wide to try to remove "superficial bloods".
• The blood 'filled with toxic chemicals' is said to flow into the cup.
• The benefits of cupping have been detailed in Islamic scriptures.
The prophet Muhammad is quoted as saying: "How good is the cupper, removes blood, lightens the back and sharpens the eyesight" and "Indeed the best of remedies you have is hijama, and if there was something excellent to be used as a remedy then it is hijama."

- With Daily Mail