Why We Ask About Blood Work, Food and Medications Before Hijama

Have you ever filled out a form before a hijama appointment and wondered why we need to know about your last meal, your blood work or the pills in your cabinet?

It is a fair question. Every client at M.K Holistic Clinic completes an intake form, and some of the questions are about your health. We ask because wet cupping is a hands-on practice that involves your skin and a small amount of blood, and a few simple details help us decide, together with you, whether today is a good day for a session. None of these questions are about judging you. They are about getting you home feeling steady and well.

Why recent blood work can matter

Recent blood work is not mandatory, but it is important for some conditions, such as anemia.

Anemia is when your blood does not carry enough oxygen to the rest of your body. Hemoglobin, an iron-rich protein in red blood cells, is what carries that oxygen, and the most common cause of anemia is not having enough iron (Source 1). The U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute describes anemia as your blood making a lower-than-normal amount of healthy red blood cells, and notes that it can leave you feeling tired or weak, short of breath or dizzy (Source 2). Doctors diagnose anemia with a physical exam and blood tests, such as a complete blood count (Source 1).

Here is why this matters for hijama. In wet cupping, the skin is lightly punctured so that blood is drawn into the cup (Source 5). The amount is small, but if your iron or hemoglobin is already low, we want to know first. Cleveland Clinic lists anemia among the reasons a person may need to avoid cupping (Source 5). A review of cupping studies from Korea found that anemia was one of the adverse events most often reported in the observational studies, while also concluding that adverse events were rare and mostly avoidable when trained people gave the treatment (Source 7).

If you have been told your iron is low, or you often feel unusually tired or dizzy, please talk with your doctor before booking, and mention it on your intake form.

Blood thinners and bleeding disorders

Blood thinners are medicines that help prevent blood clots. According to MedlinePlus, bleeding is the most common side effect of blood thinners (Source 3). Bleeding disorders affect the way the body controls blood clotting, and if your blood does not clot enough, you may bleed too much after an injury (Source 4). Cleveland Clinic names bleeding disorders such as hemophilia as a reason to avoid cupping (Source 5).

Because wet cupping involves small punctures in the skin, both of these matter. If you take a blood thinner or have a bleeding disorder, please speak with your doctor first, and tell us before your appointment. Never stop or change a prescribed medicine on your own to fit a session.

Food, water and feeling light-headed

We ask for no food in the 3 hours before hijama. Water is fine, and we encourage it. Eating lightly earlier in the day is a good way to plan around this.

Some people feel light-headed during or after any procedure that involves blood or needles. This is often a common reflex called vasovagal syncope. Harvard Health lists the sight of blood, having blood drawn and dehydration among its common triggers, and notes that drinking enough water through the day can help when dehydration has played a part. Warning signs include feeling dizzy, light-headed or queasy, and lying down with your legs raised can help (Source 6). Cleveland Clinic notes that fainting after cupping is rare, and is most common after wet cupping for people who tend to pass out with needle sticks (Source 5).

So if you know you get woozy at the sight of blood, please tell us. You can lie down, take your time, and we will check in with you throughout.

If you have diabetes, or you are prone to fainting, please check with your doctor and with the clinic before skipping food. Your safety comes ahead of any general guideline.

Why a medication list helps

Please bring a list of medications to your appointment, including vitamins and supplements. MedlinePlus advises making sure your health care provider knows all the medicines and supplements you use, because blood thinners can interact with foods, other medicines, vitamins and alcohol (Source 3). A written list is simply more accurate than trying to remember names and doses on the spot, and it helps us know when to suggest a conversation with your doctor first.

We ask that you speak with your doctor before hijama if you are:

Pregnant
Taking blood thinners
Living with diabetes
Living with a bleeding disorder
Living with anemia
Managing any serious health condition

How to get blood work in Ontario

If you would like recent blood work, the first step is to talk with your family doctor, or visit a walk-in clinic if you do not have one. Ontario's Schedule of Benefits for Laboratory Services says that insured community lab services may only be ordered by authorized practitioners, using the approved Laboratory Requisition form or certified electronic systems (Source 8). In plain terms: for an OHIP-covered lab test, you need a requisition from a practitioner, then you take it to a community lab. The same document notes that each requisition is only valid for 6 months after it was authorized (Source 8).

When you get your results, your doctor is the right person to explain them. You are welcome to share anything relevant with us on your intake form.

Sources

Anemia — MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2025
Anemia — National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NIH), 2022
Blood Thinners — MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2024
Bleeding Disorders — National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NIH), 2023
Cupping Therapy — Cleveland Clinic, 2023
Common triggers of vasovagal syncope and how to reduce your risk of fainting — Harvard Health Publishing, 2024
Adverse events related to cupping therapy in studies conducted in Korea: A systematic review — European Journal of Integrative Medicine, 2014
Schedule of Benefits for Laboratory Services — Ontario Ministry of Health, 2026

Questions about your intake form or how to prepare? We are happy to talk it through. Book at mkholisticclinic.schedulista.com or call 416-710-2033.