exercise and health

Myth or Fact – Bee Sting Therapy Aids Arthritis pain relief..

As far back as around 400 B.C., Hippocrates – the Greek physician commonly referred to as the “father of medicine”, used bee venom to treat joint pain and swelling, in fact bee venom therapy has been around for thousands of years. Reference’s to the treatment can be found in ancient Egypt and Greek medical writings. Also known as apitherapy, the technique is more widely used in Eastern Europe, Asia and South America. Today many people still find the stings of honeybees helpful when addressing conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and osteoarthritis.

Bee venom contains many chemicals, one of which is ‘Mellitin’. Mellitin is a very powerful natural anti-inflammatory agent thought to be around a hundred times stronger than cortisone. Melatonin is known to stimulate the body’s release of the hormone cortisol as well as neurotransmitters such serotonin, which can help relieve the pain, and inflammation associated with arthritis.

Caution…. Allergic Reactions

Yes it does sound like a quick fix for your arthritis pain, however, unfortunately bee stings are noted for triggering an allergic reactions called ‘Anaphylaxis’ or Anaphylaxis shock. Anaphylaxis is a life-threatening type of allergic reaction, so caution should be shown if you are considering this course of treatment.

Is Bee Venom A Proven Method for treating Arthritis?

Apitherapy remains a largely unproven method, but having said that, a small number of doctors have reported some good results using the substance to treat arthritic conditions.

Treatments of bee venom therapy, probably originated after bee-keepers, who were stung many times, noticed their arthritis pain and inflammation was relieved. Some practitioners still use live bee stings to deliver the venom, however this unusual and not for the faint hearted.

There’s really no way of knowing if bee sting therapy will work for you, without trying, which could result in an allergic reaction. For those of you who remain undeterred, the appropriate medical supervision should be sought.

If you are still intent on trying apitherapy, always consult your doctor first. It’s very important to be properly prepared for a severe allergic reaction. Although the side effects of apitherapy are usually mild, an allergic reaction to a sting could potentially be deadly, so please bare this in mind.

Is Apitherapy a Viable Option For My Arthritis?

It’s true that apitherapy may indeed help your arthritis pain and inflammation, but at what cost?. Personally I think ‘Apitherapy’ should probably be avoided, this is just my opinion, but there is just to much risk involved for me. There are far less barbaric natural methods that prove far more effective in relieving arthritis pain and inflammation, so I think I’ll just skip the bee stings.