Anatomy & Physiology Related to Hijama Flashcards

The circle of Willis is relevant to posterior head hijama points because it:

Answer: Is the arterial anastomotic ring at the base of the brain supplied in part by the vertebral arteries, which pass through the cervical region

The circle of Willis receives blood from the vertebral arteries that travel through cervical vertebrae, making cervical hijama points anatomically close to structures supplying it.

Which skin receptor type is primarily responsible for detecting the sustained pressure of a static cup placed on the skin?

Answer: Merkel's discs (slowly adapting Type I)

Merkel's discs are slowly adapting mechanoreceptors that sustain their firing during constant pressure, making them the primary detectors of steady cup pressure.

The ilio-inguinal nerve is a safety consideration when cupping the lower abdomen because it:

Answer: Carries sensory fibers for the groin and inner thigh and could be damaged by scarification in that region

The ilio-inguinal nerve provides sensory innervation to the groin, upper medial thigh, and genitalia, and superficial scarification in the lower abdomen risks injuring it.

Nitric oxide (NO) released from vascular endothelium during cupping-induced shear stress primarily causes:

Answer: Smooth muscle relaxation and vasodilation

Endothelial NO activates soluble guanylate cyclase in vascular smooth muscle, raising cGMP and causing relaxation and vasodilation.

Which layer of the epidermis, when breached by hijama lancets, initiates the wound healing cascade by exposing sub-epidermal structures?

Answer: Stratum basale

The stratum basale is the deepest epidermal layer; breaching through to it and the underlying dermis exposes collagen and triggers platelet activation and healing.

A patient reports numbness radiating down the lateral thigh after cupping the iliac crest region. Which nerve is most likely implicated?

Answer: Lateral femoral cutaneous nerve

The lateral femoral cutaneous nerve exits near the anterior superior iliac spine and provides sensation to the lateral thigh; compression or injury here causes meralgia paresthetica-like symptoms.

The erector spinae muscle group, commonly targeted by back cupping, is innervated by:

Answer: Dorsal rami of spinal nerves throughout the vertebral column

The erector spinae and other true deep back muscles are innervated by the dorsal (posterior) rami of spinal nerves at corresponding vertebral levels.