I was working on the Garden today, pruning, cutting and cleaning the lawn, trees, flower corners and shrubs. I had a bad last year as I didn’t see too many bees and butterflies due to cold, hail and lots of rain. This year is different, I have e times a number of butterflies and almost 6 times the amount of bees in my front and back yards. So far We have a good weather here in Calgary. I can see my apple trees, pear and prune trees blooming with lots of small fruits already.

While I was watching the bees working their magic and flying from flower to flower pollinate the trees I thought about the benefits they give to humanity like Honey and wax, royal honey and of course the bee venom therapy.If you are not allergic to bees you could be lucky to be stung by a bee. It is very painful indeed but according to much natural health researcher, the bee venom is a type of alternative therapy that involves administering bee stings at specific points on the body. Also known as bee venom therapy and apitherapy, bee sting therapy is said to aid in the treatment of various health conditions.

So I decided to give it a try so I can help my knee pain and the bursitis pain. I put my arms around the bees and tried to provoke them and bother them but they just kept working and ignored me.I start to touch them and shake the flowers they fly away and came back with some friends. Hey….not fair I want one sting only I said and backed away closer to the flowering shrub in the corner.

I was watching the bees around the pear tree but it never came to mind that bees can fly low too so one of them landed on my foot with out noticed it and she gave me the single most painful sting of my life time I wanted to scream so loud, but I was close to the fence and I didn’t want to scare the people in the other side, so I scream inside, a  silent scream and ran to the water hose and ran the cold water on my foot.

I wanted t to take an antihistamine but I wanted this bee venom to work its magic and hopefully get rid of the knee pain that I have from bursitis. It is has been 3 hours since the sting, now and I have a swelling metatarsal left dorsal foot but the pain in my knee almost disappeared,

But be careful as if you are allergic or you don’t know that you allergic you should always have Antihistamine available and ready at your place and of course if you have Epinephrine shot it will be good idea t help you if you have anaphylaxis shock. The use of hydrocortisone can sooth pain too.

According to proponents of bee sting therapy, bee venom contains compounds with anti -inflammatory effects. By reducing inflammation, these compounds are said to promote healing and alleviate pain. One of the bee-venom compounds found to possess anti-inflammatory properties is called melittin.

Uses for Bee Sting Therapy In alternative medicine, bee sting therapy is touted for the following health problems: Rheumatoid arthritis, bursitis, eczema, headaches, lower back pain, migraine, MS, psoriasis, and tendonitis.

I can tell you from my bees sting experience it works on my foot bursitis so it works on the local pain where you got stung. but it has no effect on the tendinosis that I feel in my hand. So far, studies on the health effects of bee sting therapy have yielded mixed results. While some research suggests that bee sting therapy may help treat certain health conditions, other research indicates that the therapy may be of little benefit. Here’s a look at some key study findings:

1) Arthritis 

Bee sting therapy may aid in the treatment of RA, according to a study published in the Chinese journal Acupuncture Research in 2008. For the study, 100 people with rheumatoid arthritis were randomly assigned to treatment with either a combination of bee sting therapy and standard medication or medication alone.

After three months of treatment, both groups showed significant improvement in a number of symptoms, including joint swelling, stiffness, and pain. In addition, those assigned to bee sting therapy appeared to have a lower rate of relapse compared to those only given medication.

2) Caveats

Some patients may experience severe allergic reactions to bee stings. In some cases, bee sting therapy can trigger anaphylactic shock, which is life-threatening. Given these safety concerns, it’s crucial for anyone with a bee-sting allergy to avoid this treatment.

My bite was from a honey bee.

Bee sting therapy is also known to cause pain, as well as such side effects as ANXIETY, DIZZINESS, INSOMNIA, and changes n Blood pressure. So you have to be very careful.

In addition, there’s some concern that bee sting therapy may interfere with immune function. In a 2009 report published in the Korean Journal of Internal Medicine, for instance, researchers suggest that bee sting therapy may contribute to the development of Lupus (an autoimmune disorder).

Furthermore, a 2011 report from the World Journal of Hepatology warns that bee sting therapy may be toxic to the liver if it is done multiple times in short period of times.

Other Forms of Bee Therapy; Several other types of bee products may enhance your health. For example, studies show that honey may fight coughs in people suffering from cold. In addition, preliminary research indicates that bee pollen may aid in the treatment of seasonal allergies, while propolis may help cold sores heal.

Due to the limited research, it’s too soon to recommend bee sting therapy as a treatment for any condition. If you’re considering using bee sting therapy (or any other bee product) in the treatment of a condition, make sure to consult your physician before beginning treatment. It was so painful to experience, I will never bother a bee on Sunday ever again. LOL.I should listen to my cat she was meowing from far to warn me but she saw me running for the cold water and ran home away from the bees, Smart cat.

I thought about it, I planned it, I acted, and now my foot is screaming.

References;

Alqutub AN, Masoodi I, Alsayari K, Alomar A. “Bee sting therapy-induced hepatotoxicity: A case report.” World J Hepatol. 2011 Oct 27;3(10):268-70.

Lee JY, Kang SS, Kim JH, Bae CS, Choi SH. “Inhibitory effect of whole bee venom in adjuvant-induced arthritis.” In Vivo. 2005 Jul-Aug;19(4):801-5.

Liu XD, Zhang JL, Zheng HG, Liu FY, Chen Y. “Clinical randomized study of bee-sting therapy for rheumatoid arthritis.” Zhen Ci Yan Jiu. 2008 Jun;33(3):197-200.

Rho YH, Woo JH, Choi SJ, Lee YH, Ji JD, Song GG. “A new onset of systemic lupus erythematosus developed after bee venom therapy.” Korean J Intern Med. 2009 Sep;24(3):283-5.

Wesselius T, Heersema DJ, Mostert JP, Heerings M, Admiraal-Behloul F, Talebian A, van Buchem MA, De Keyser J. “A randomized crossover study of bee sting therapy for multiple sclerosis.” Neurology. 2005 Dec 13;65(11):1764-8.

Steve Ramsey. Calgary – Alberta – Canada.