Modern Healing from the Farmer’s Friend

by Dr. Thomas Stearns Lee, NMD, APH

(Appeared in the May 2010 issue of Healthy Beginnings Magazine.)

Bee Venom Therapy (BVT) is an ancient method of treating chronic pain and encouraging the healing process. The bee employed is the domesticated honeybee, as other bees and wasps don’t seem to work as well. Done well by either a doctor or an angry bee, the sting works wonders with painful conditions such as multiple sclerosis, arthritis, fractures, and sciatica.

Why would someone want to get stung to reduce their pain? They wouldn’t, unless they had reliable advice that it worked. Not all pain is the same, and when you have long-term deep aching pain from arthritis or slow-healing injuries, you might be glad to swap that for some short local stings. In fact, the bee sting used as a clinical dose is not very painful at all. More discomfort is reported with the itchiness on the second day after treatment. An ice cube will treat either situation effectively.

How does this work? Bee venom injected into the top layers of skin stresses the local nerves, which quickly send a signal to the brain. The brain learns from stress and trauma to toughen up and minimize the stress from recurrent trauma.

Those who have been stung in the wild know that the many biochemicals within bee venom are powerful stimulants of major physiological responses.

The use of stress, rest, and cycles of recovery are methods of training any living system. Athletes train with exercise, food, and rest intervals to increase functional abilities. All therapies apply similar principles of stressing a body system to allow the body to become stronger to restore normal abilities and activities.

Chronic neurological diseases are heartbreakingly common in our aging society. The causes of these are numerous and controversial, as are the treatments and therapies used to get relief. For complex and advanced conditions involving this terrible decline in function and life quality, consider locating an experienced bee venom therapist or “apitherapist.” The American Apitherapy Society is a helpful resource.
The American Apitherapy Society has done significant research that suggests BVT is a proven strengthening therapy for symptoms of neurological diseases such as multiple sclerosis and ALS. Like many natural and folk medicines, BVT needs continued research to show benefits for the general public.

The fact is that Bee Venom Therapy does help many people who have not found relief elsewhere. It is safe, natural, inexpensive, and often produces better results than conventional drugs. If you face a serious illness, consider bee venom therapy in addition to the best medical care you can access. Keep in mind that the location of stings, their number, and the recovery interval are important variables. Don’t let the hive arrange your diagnosis and treatment – see an experienced and trained provider of this therapy.

References:

Beck, F. Bodog, MD. Bee Venom Therapy: Bee Venom, Its Nature, and Its Effect on Arthritic and Rheumatoid Conditions, 1935. Hardcover reprint in 1984. Also published as The Bible of Bee Venom Therapy, soft cover, 1997.

Broadman, Joseph., MD. Bee Venom: The Natural Curative for Arthritis and Rheumatism, 1962. Soft cover reprint: Bee Venom Therapy, 1997.

Kim, Christopher, MD. Bee Venom Therapy and Bee Acupuncture Therapy, 1992. A medical textbook for physicians and acupuncturists in Korean and English.

A detailed protocol for BVT can be found at www.naturodoc.com/bvt.htm