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Can Apitherapy Cure Arthritis?

Apitherapy is the collective term for treatments which make use of bee products for medicinal purposes; it encompasses honey, royal jelly, pollen and bee venom. Apitherapy is used for the treatment of a wide variety of conditions but most recently there has been increased popularity and interest concerning bee venom therapy or apitherapy for relieving the symptoms of arthritis. Let us find out if apitherapy can cure arthritis.

History of Apitherapy or Bee Venom Therapy

This type of therapy is far from being a new idea and is mentioned in many ancient medical documentation. It is said that the ancient civilizations of China, Greece and Egypt all used some form of bee venom therapy and even Hippocrates himself, the father of medicine, mentions, explores and advocates this kind of treatment.

Bee venom therapy surfaced again through the work of the Austrian doctor, Anton Terc, in the 19^th century and his work was continued by Bodeg Beck who bought the idea to the US. Bee venom therapy has surged and waned over and again in popularity since then and is now seeing another revival.

How Does Apitherapy Work?

Bees are held over the affected area with tweezers until they sting. The sting is left in place for up to 15 minutes and then stings may be repeated two or three times within one session depending on a patient’s tolerance and the severity of the condition being treated. Treatments can be repeated several times a week. Initially the therapy is administered by a trained practitioner but self-administration is taught and encouraged in cases where ongoing treatment is needed.

The patient will experience localised swelling, irritation and heat.

In some cases bee venom therapy is given be injection.

Apitherapy for Arthritis

Bee venom contains many different substances which are thought to treat arthritis through anti-inflammatory action as well as improving circulation and stimulating the body to produce its own healing agents and natural immune responses.

The most powerful agent contained within bee venom is a substance called melittin which is both a powerful anti-inflammatory and a stimulant for production of the body’s natural steroid and anti-inflammatory, cortisol. Apitherapy advocates claim that melittin is 100 times more powerful than hydrocortisone.

There are many personal testimonies to the efficacy of bee venom therapy or apitherapy for arthritis but there is as yet no clinical proof that it works even though the science behind the treatment sounds feasible and has many medical advocates. There is no doubt however that the treatment is painful and can often take months to have effect in some prolonged conditions. It may as yet prove to have some worth as an alternative medicine but for the meantime seems to be used only where all else has failed and as a last ditch resort.

This article on apitherpy has been written by expert author ‘Deneice Arthurton’.