What Is Bee Venom Therapy And How Does It Work
Dr. Solbrig: Anything thats from the bee is called apitherapy propolis, pollen, lighting bees wax candles, technically, thats all a part of the definition. But when you hear apitherapy in the lyme world theyre referring to bee venom therapy.
Bees created venom to induce a pain response in our body. Why? so we run away from the hive. It so happens that our pain response is vital in how our immune system works.
Healing is about guiding the blood where it needs to go. Bee venom therapy promotes healing by getting blood out of capillaries into scars and other tissue that needs healing. Bee venom therapy gives specific areas of the body an opportunity to heal.
Treating Lyme Disease With Bee Venom Therapy
Numerous studies are being done with Bee Venom Therapy for its effect against Parkinson’s Disease, Osteoarthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Cerebral Palsy and Multiple Sclerosis. I’ve also seen BVT used for scar therapy, mole removal, bone spurs, even pain relief! Thanks to medical practitioners like Dr Klinghardt for incorporating BVT into a complementary treatment protocol .Apitherapy ReviewPART 1IntroductionLaboratoryTesting TreatmentHerbsRESOURCESFOR INFORMATION
Bee Venom Is A ‘brew Of Toxins And Chemicals’
The research on bee venom therapy is mixed, with no definitive proof that the treatment works for any condition. But it’s been used in Eastern medicine for thousands of years, and there are several theories behind why some people experience relief.
When the venom is used in a cream as an anti-aging treatment, it seems to work because the swelling fills in the wrinkles, Shaun Holt, a clinical researcher, said in the episode. It lasts about 12 hours, he said, compared to Botox, which lasts months.
But it’s expensive and there’s often not enough venom in the product to be effective, so people are often wasting their money, he said.
Bee stings also provoke an inflammatory response in the body, releasing a steroid that relieves pain and other symptoms.
But Dr. Steven Novella, a neurologist at Yale, called that a “pretty clumsy way” to evoke an anti-inflammatory reaction, when you could inject a steroid without all the other risky components of the substance.
“Bee venom is kind of a toxic brew of toxins and chemicals,” he said in the episode. “They’re all there to cause you pain and harm.”
The biggest risk of bee venom therapy is death if the body goes into anaphylactic shock, causing your throat to close if you don’t get help soon enough.
It happened to a Spanish woman in 2018, who was already in a coma when she got to the hospital and died weeks later of multiple organ failure.
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Research Proves Bee Venom Fights Lyme Bacteria
Researchers from Lyme Disease Research Group at the University of New Haven have been investigating the ability of natural products to combat Lyme bacteria the primary being Borrelia burgdorferi. They have tested bee venom used by many natural doctors over the past few years to combat Lyme disease.
The researchers tested both whole bee venom and a bee venom extract compound called melittin against the Lyme disease bacteria. Not only did they test these, but they also tested these against three popular Lyme antibiotics, doxycycline, cefoperazone and daptomycin.
The researchers also tested a combination of all three antibiotics.
The table below tells the story. The table shows the B. burgdorferi bacterial count numbers as a result of different treatments. The bars show how much of the bacteria in different forms is still alive after treatment. The red bar shows the spiral forms . The orange bar shows the persistent forms of the bacteria, including the round body forms. And the green bar shows the biofilms after seven days.
As you can see, the doxycycline therapeutic dose killed a lot of spiral forms but then the round bodies and biofilms are still pretty evident. The same goes for cefoperazone and daptomycin to different degrees. There is still plenty of biofilm bacteria evident after the treatment. Enough at least to allow the bacteria to grow.
The researchers concluded:
Bee Venom Therapy For Lyme
Bee Venom Therapy uses bee venom to improve Lyme symptoms.
BVT is given directly through bee stings or through injection by a healthcare provider. One protocol developed by a person living with Lyme calls for ten bee stings three times a week at spots located along the spine. For more information about this protocol see the Resources section below.
To be clear, there is no research in Lyme disease showing how often or how much bee venom through stings per treatment is the most useful. My research on this shows that the protocols and treatment methods have been learned by trial and error.
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How Many Treatments Do Patients Receive Before Seeing Results
Dr. Solbrig: In the beginning, Ill typically use five bees in a session. Maybe after a session or two, we do full bee sting. The way I practice, with Hoshindo, its best to do a treatment twice a week or more in the beginning. For chronic illness, you work up slowly. Too many full be stings can actually make you crash.
Dr. Matt Solbring, ND is a natropath and Hoshindo practitioner based in Seattle, WA. Dr. Solbrig studied at the School of Naturopathic Medicine at Bastyr University, graduating in 2016 as a Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine, and previously earned a Bachelor of science in Nutrition from SDSU. He has studied eastern approaches through learning Hoshindo, a Japanese meridian Apitherapy technique based on five element acupuncture, as well as various forms of energetic and physical medicine through seeking training in qi gong, shamanism, craniosacral, and reiki.
This article is NOT meant to be taken as medical advice. Please talk to an appropriately trained healthcare provider before starting a bee venom therapy practice.
Are There Specific Bees Used For The Treatment
Dr. Solbrig: In Hoshindo, and other bee venom therapy practices, we only use the honey bee. We dont ever use wasps in our treatment it has to be honey bee. We believe bee venom to be extremely safe for most, wasp venom therapy can be extremely toxic.
Every morning I go out to my hive and pick out my bees one by one. We also take guard bees theyre the first ones out and defend the hive. Theyre typically on their last leg, so to speak. They have tethered wings, typically older and willing to give their lives to the greater good.
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What Is Bee Sting Therapy
Bee venom is released through the stingers when bees feel threatened, and the venom has historically been used for several illnesses as it is believed to have various medicinal properties, explains Sunitha D. Posina, M.D., a board-certified internist and locum hospitalist based in New York City.
Dr. Posina adds that bee venom in its simplest form does contain anti-inflammatory and pro-inflammatory compounds, including one known as melittin, which has 26 amino acids and contributes to about 50% of the venoms dry weight. It is believed to have positive and negative effects, depending on the dose being used, she tells Good Housekeeping. It also contains other components including phospholipase A2, apamin and adolapim, all of which have been studied for potential anti-inflammatory effects and pro-inflammatory effects.
As portrayed on the documentary, bee sting therapy involves a practitioner placing a bee on a certain area of the body . The bee proceeds to sting the patients skin, and rather than remove the bees stinger immediately, the practitioner may leave it in there for several seconds. But the most important thingto note is that practitioners are involved, says Amy Rothenberg, N.D., a naturopathic physician who heads up Naturopathic Health Care in Massachusetts.
Bee Venom Fights Lyme Disease Reduces Inflammation
by Case Adams, PhD·
Lyme disease bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi
Recent research has proven out the ability of bee venom therapy for fighting Lyme disease, along with other inflammatory conditions. A 2017 study has confirmed that bee venom will kill the tick bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi better than popular antibiotics used for Lyme.
In this article
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Hi Welcome To Britterbeez
I am so glad youre here and open to learning how bee venom therapy can help in your healing journey!
In short, bee venom therapy is the process of stinging oneself with bees, and yes I know that sounds a little scary-ok, A LOT scary. Im here to guide you through the process and provide simple and easy resources that Ive found to work best during this treatment.
Choosing bee venom therapy has been the best decision I have made. Ill admit, its not an easy journey but together , we can all heal.
BEE kind to yourself through this journey and know that you are in the process of positive changes.
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Exploring Bee Venom Therapy
Thats when I read about Ellie Lobels story and Dr Klinghardts success with bee venom and started considering Bee Venom Therapy. It has anti microbial effects proven to be effective against the Lyme disease bacteria. I didnt like the idea of killing bees and I didnt know who to get bees to sting with in the first place . I couldnt get to the only bee venom therapy course in the UK or even contemplate managing a full day out of the house. So I approached my local BKA and to begin with, they supplied the bees so that I could begin the protocol endorsed by Ellie Lobel. I wasnt consulting a private doctor at this point and my GP was not supportive, with the Lyme diagnosis or any kind of treatment. In fact, they consider what Im doing to be self-harming with live bees. I have the distinct impression theyd like to lock me up.
The initial test sting was hard. Im allergic to bees and have histamine intolerance, so the possibility of going into anaphylaxis was relatively high. My throat did become tight and I had difficulty breathing for a few minutes. Slightly scary, more so for Lee. I was almost beyond caring, Id reached the point of last resort and no return. I had the precautionary alcohol free Benadryl on one side and EpiPens on the other . Lee had been primed to tip the Benadryl down my throat and then inject me if anything went wrong. It didnt. I was fine. I herxed like crazy that night- sweats, shaking, nausea and dizziness, but no anaphylaxis.
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Does Bee Venom Therapy Work
It may seem wacky, but bee venom therapy works, says Tracy Brobyn, MD, a physician at the Chung Institute of Integrative Medicine in Moorestown, New Jersey. Shes been using the protocol injecting small amounts of honeybee venom just under the skin as opposed to using live stinging bees to treat chronic Lyme disease for 10 years. She says the results are excellent when weekly shots are given in conjunction with the institutes herbal protocol for Lyme. Usually within six months, patients are better and after a year, theyre off of everything.
The reason BVT works: A compound in the venom breaks down the protective biofilms of the Lyme-causing bacteria, making them easier to eliminate, says Dr. Brobyn. If you only got BVT and no other meds or treatment, your bodys natural immunity could kill off some of the bacteria.
Research proves it! A study in the Journal of Clinical and Cellular Immunology found that 25 percent of subjects with Lyme disease who were treated with BVT three times weekly either fully recovered or were 85 to 95 percent recovered after one year, reporting increased energy and very few symptoms. Another 75 percent of the BVT patients showed significant lessening of symptoms, while those in the control group who did not receive BVT experienced worsening of Lyme symptoms.
Are There Any Proven Benefits Associated With Bee Sting Therapy
Although bee venom has been used for centuries for its medicinal properties, there isnt one piece of singular evidence or sound collective data in regard to its clinical effectiveness. There are a few small studies done on its benefits in terms of skin health, inflammatory conditions such as Rheumatoid arthritis, Dr. Posina explains, but its not enough to say it is definitively a helpful holistic practice for treating medical conditions.
A randomized control study done in China in 120 people showed that bee-venom acupuncture showed some symptomatic relief similar to Rheumatoid arthritis medications such as Methotrexate and Celecoxib, she adds. However, we do need larger studies, including randomized control trials, to know that its effects are substantial and to initiate these treatments.
Those who turn to bee venom for topical beauty treatments, however, may actually be onto something. Experts say the venom could potentially manage aging effects on skin: In skin, there is some evidence suggesting its antimicrobial and anti-wrinkle effects. One study showed increased collagen protein synthesis, stimulated skin cell turnover, and recovery of damaged cells, Dr. Posina says. But many leading healthcare experts agree: There needs to be more scientific evidence to validate any benefits before consumers can feel comfortable about any claims.
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Bee Venom Therapy For Lyme Disease
Apitherapy is the medical use of honeybee products, such as venom, honey, pollen, and royal jelly. Using venom from live bees is commonly referred to as bee venom therapy. The full treatment consists of getting stung by 10 live honey bees, 3 times per week. One must start with one test sting and then slowly work up to the full treatment dose of 10 stings very slowly over the course of several weeks. To get the full benefits of treatment, it is recommended that one must consistently stick with the protocol for a period of 2-3 years.
During treatment, an epi-pen on hand is a requirement. If the patient is on a beta blocker medication, they will not be able to use bee venom therapy since a beta blocker will block receptors that utilize epinephrine . One must also take 3,000 mg of vitamin C every day so that the body can make enough cortisol. If the patient does not get enough vitamin C, the body can go into anaphylactic shock.
Melittin is a 26-amino acid peptide that is in bee venom. It is a powerful anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial agent. A study was done in 1997 that looked at the action of melittin against borrelia burgdoferi . They found that melittin caused all of the bacteria to cease motility in vitro within seconds. More research needs to be done. In the meantime, there are many testimonials online as to the effectiveness of bee venom therapy.
The Irony: Bees Kill Much More Often Than Lyme Disease
Dr. Richard Gunderman calls bees Americas most lethal animal. In 2018, scientists found that hornets, wasps, and bees were responsible for about 220,000 visits to the emergency department and 60 deaths every year.
While bee deaths are rare, deaths associated with Lyme disease are even more rare. One study found fewer deaths in Lyme patients than typical Americans, a year after diagnosis. LymeSciences literature review found 13 reliably reported deaths associated with Lyme disease from the 1970s to 2019.
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People Are Stinging Themselves With Bees At Home To Treat Lyme Disease
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Lauren Rothman has been stinging herself with bees for over a year on purpose. She does this three times a week, 10 bees at a time, and leaves the stingers in for up to 20 minutes along her spine. Why?
She has chronic Lyme disease, and the bee venom keeps the symptoms of the disease at bay.
These bees have given me my life back, Rothman, 34, told VICE News, as she carefully lowers a bee onto her back with tweezers and allows it to sting, emptying its venom sack and producing a red welt.
I plan to continue to do it until I know that I’m okay. If that takes four years, I’ll do four years. It’s become so routine for me that it’s like making a cup of coffee, she said.
The protocol is known as bee venom therapy , and among those afflicted with chronic Lyme, its gaining a lot of adherents. They call themselves stingers.
I meet online two or three new people every week who I haven’t found before, who are doing BVT, she said. Most people, if not everyone, say that they’re improving.
The claim is difficult to measure because chronic Lyme is not recognized by the medical establishment as existing at all. In other words, one cant be recovering from a disease that most doctors simply wont diagnose.
The stingers of course dont buy that, and are in a sense willing to prove it by stabbing themselves with pulsating venom sacs multiple times a week, sometimes for years.
Cover: Vice News Tonight/VICETV
Bad Medical Advice Spreads Via Social Media And Support Groups
If you go to a chronic Lyme support group meeting, someone might say they felt better with BVT. Or if youre in a Facebook group, someone might sing the praises of the bizarre practice.
The NIH has reported that as high as 40% of patients receiving placebo had a positive response. In other words, a fake treatment may seem to be effective when it is not having any effect.
A site called LymeWarrior.usclaims with no compelling scientific evidence, Bee venom therapy targets all forms of Lyme bacteria. Despite having a known bee sting allergy, a woman featured on Lyme Disease UK stung herself with bees and reported improvements.
Thousands of people have gathered in Facebook groups that legitimize both chronic lyme disease and bee venom therapy. There is even a group for Australians, even though there is no Lyme disease in Australia.
There was a Meetup group in Oakland, CA called Bee Venom Therapy for Lyme Disease and Coinfections with 161 members as of May 1, 2018. However, in 2016, there were only 90 confirmed cases of Lyme disease reported in California.
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