Hi everyone
I live in Lower Bucks county, PA.
I've been reading a lot lately about bee venom therapy for treating Arthritis and other inflammatory conditions. I do have AS and I'm willing to give it a try. What should I do. I think to become a beekeeper, but before I do anything I'd appreciate any advice.
Thank You.
The first thing you need to do is consult with your medical practitioner, 2nd thing is get a prescription for an epi pen and fill it. Get two pens actually.
3rdly, read this: http://forum.beemaster.com/index.php/topic,17404.0.html
You will want to start off slowly. There are kits you could buy that involve using a plunger to administer the sting or you could use a tweezers to apply stings.
There are people on this site that began keeping bees for the purpose you are seeking.
I have performed apitherapy on myself as well.
As a beekeeper, you will take stings on a fairly regular basis and sometimes these stings are enough, in some cases, to relieve arthritic pains, albeit they weren't administered intentionally to the affected areas where joint pain exists.
There are others though who need to directly administer stings to the most affected areas.
Again, first step would be to speak with your doctor, before preceding forward.
...JP
great answer jp. covered yourself well and informative!
bailey
Bailey, you're in the medical field. Has this subject ever come up?
...JP
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesbasics.htm
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesnewbees.htm
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesfoursimplesteps.htm
Who needs a stinking doctor?.....Just kidding.
I have used bee stings for a condition in my wrist called DeQuer Veins Syndrome (misspelled I'm sure). It is similar to carpal tunnel, but affects a different part of the wrist's anatomy. My doctor treated it with a cortisone shot about every 18 to 24 months. Cortisone isn't great for you in the long-term so it is nice to have the bee sting option. As I understand it, the venom causes your body to release a natural cortisone that your body produces and therefore it has no negative long-term effect on your body but it does provide the lubrication etc. that is needed.
When my wrists bother me I use 2 stings per week and that takes care of it. After about 5 to 6 weeks I can ususally stop the stings for several months.
I did not consult my doctor because I had already been stung many times while tending to my bees so I was not concerned about an allergic reaction. Few doctors will agree with apitherapy, partly out of ignorance and partly out of competition for their business, but I am sure that some doctors would support it.
All beekeepers should keep epi-pens, making sure that they have not expired and that all of the people in the family are trained to used them.
Thank you for your responce
When I was a kid back in my country I lived next to a beekeeper and I've been stung a few times.
But to be on the safe side I'll consult my physician I'll get epi-pen. In my country (I'm from Bulgaria)
apitherapy is more widely used than in the US and Western Europe.