Apitherapy and How It Helps to Cure Muscle Joint Pains Like Rheumatism and Arthritis
Apart from consuming and applying honey to your body, there are other means of using this byproduct of the bees’ hard work.
One lesser-known method is apitherapy which we’ll cover extensively below!
What Is Apitherapy and What Does It Mean?
Apitherapy is a type of alternative medicine that uses honeybee products to treat illnesses.
It also treats their symptoms and long-term pain from acute and chronic injuries.
Apitherapy (蜂疗) uses products like honey, pollen, bee venom, royal jelly, propolis and beeswax (one example is 新加坡红珊瑚蜂疗).
I became personally interested in apitherapy while studying in university.
I have a long history of coughing and pharmaceutical medicine did not help much.
Frustrated, I turned to royal jelly and manuka honey and they worked! Ever since then, I have read up on all types of research on bee products, apitherapy and how humans have used them for centuries.
Honeybee products have medicinal properties that can be found in traditional medicines in Egyptian, Greek, Korean, Russian, Chinese and European studies.
The History of Apitherapy
This treatment method has existed since ancient Greece.
Famed Greek physician, also known as the Father of Medicine, Hippocrates, used bee venom to treat arthritis and joint pain.
Austrian physician Phillip Terc introduced the modern systematic study of apitherapy. Beekeeper Charles Mraz from Middlebury, Vermont, is recognised for his efforts in popularising bee venom therapy.
Apitherapy Benefits and Uses 蜂疗好处
Historically, there are many ways that bee products have been used as supplements and complementary treatments for various conditions.
Multivitamins to Boost Our Immune System
Honey products contain many vitamins and nutrients extracted from flower nectar and pollen that are beneficial to our immune system.
The most common are various types of honey that pass the benefits of their floral nectar to us. This includes normal table honey and specialised monofloral honey such as manuka honey.
Royal jelly and propolis contain a huge amount of vitamins and minerals useful for our bodies. These natural multivitamins help to boost our immune system and improve our overall health. You can choose between manuka honey, royal jelly or propolis.
Ease Coughing and Sore Throat
A simple and warm honey drink will act as a natural cough suppressant. A sore throat can be soothed by a teaspoon of honey or a cup of warm honey drink.
Ease Allergies
Taking local wild honey may also protect people from allergies because local wild honey introduces a small trace amount of flower pollen to your body.
This trace amount of flower pollen allows your body to get used to the allergen and helps you become immune to it.
Aids in Healing Wounds
Throughout history, we have used honey to apply to our wounds to aid in healing.
Honey draws moisture out so it keeps wounds dry. Honey is also anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory, therefore reducing risks of infection.
Note that you’re not advised to try this with your normal table honey, as medicated grade, clean and pure honey is more effective.
Bad Breath, Gingivitis and Plaque
Propolis added to your usual mouthwash (or just plain water) can reduce gingivitis and plaque.
Clinical studies show that propolis stops plaque formation and improve your gingivitis health.
Propolis naturally protects against oral diseases. For those with mouth canker sores, propolis helps to heal and prevent them.
Apitherapy Reduces Rheumatism and Arthritis Pain
Since ancient Greece, bee venom therapy has been used for various types of arthritis pain. Bee venom is anti-inflammatory and helps to ease pain.
People have been using bee venom apitherapy to reduce pain, swelling and stiffness for rheumatoid arthritis.
Clinical studies have found out that bee venom therapy reduces the need for medication, reduces pain and the risk of relapse.
Other research on bee venom acupuncture also concluded less pain, less swelling and better results for patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
Helps in Joint Pain, Swollen Muscle, Rheumatism Pain
Apitherapy has been found to help ease joint pain, swollen muscles and provide relief for rheumatism pain.
In ancient Greece and China, honey apitherapy has been used to relieve pain and ease rheumatism.
One renowned apitherapy honey brand that’s made in Singapore is famous with Hong Kong, Taiwan and Chinese nationals.
I have written a more detailed write up at the bottom of this post for those wishing to know more about how apitherapy can help in easing rheumatism and arthritis joint pains. Check it out to find out even more beneficial information to know!
Apitherapy for Multiple Sclerosis
Apitherapy has been used to treat people with multiple sclerosis, an inflammatory disease.
Results have been mixed. This study concluded that this form of treatment can be used to reduce symptoms, not as a cure. Another suggested that it doesn’t have any advantageous effect on sufferers at all.
Apitherapy for Arthritis
Many people are aware of the benefits of eating bee products. These are famous and undisputed sources of vitamins and nutrition.
One of the biggest, not commonly known benefits of bees is its use in apitherapy for arthritis.
For example, using biotechnology to extract the essence of the honey bee creates a formulation.
This formulation can be created for the user to massage it into his muscle and joint area to ease pain and swollen areas.
This relieves pain from rheumatism arthritis. It also helps with easing pain from osteoarthritis, wear and tear.
It also aids those who have sports injuries or muscle tension. Overuse from exercising or working long hours at the desk also creates tension and muscle pains. This formulation helps a lot in relieving pain.
We were alerted to this high-quality and biotech product as it’s made in Singapore and has been sold out in many cities in China, Hongkong and Taiwan (新加坡制造 – 红珊瑚 蜂疗)
Many users who have muscle and joint pain from sports injuries or old-age rheumatism arthritis used this and gave excellent reviews.
Consider honey bee apitherapy cream over hondrocream. Red Coral honey bee apitherapy has plenty of glowing reviews as compared to hondrocream.
Honey Bee Apitherapy Products and Treatments
There are various apitherapy honey bee products and treatments used. They include:
- Honey
- Royal jelly
- Propolis
- Pollen
- Beeswax
- Bee bread
- Bee venom therapy
- Acupuncture therapy
- Beehive air therapy
Honey
Bees gather nectar and pollen from flowers before processing them into a sweet substance known as honey.
Multi-Floral Honey – Normal Table Honey
Simple honey derived from multiple varieties of flowers and plants is known as multi-floral honey. They have plenty of minerals and vitamins.
Mono-floral Honey
A superior variant is mono-floral honey, where the honey bees only process honey from a single type of plant.
Such singular specific mono-floral honey is rich in specific plant nutrients.
The most famous and prized examples are manuka honey (from the manuka bush from New Zealand) or Sidr honey (from the Sidr tree in the Middle East).
Pollen
Pollen comes from flowers. Bees harvest this to feed their larvae. Bees depend on pollen for their protein and amino acid. We can use pollen as multi-vitamins and build immunity to airborne allergens.
Beeswax
The hive honeycomb structure is built by bees using beeswax, creating rooms for their larvae and storage of food. Beeswax can be used in cosmetics, candles, and other products.
Royal Jelly
Worker bees produce this nutrient-rich food meant only for their queen bee. This food is enriched by enzymes and a large variety of vitamins and minerals to support the queen’s exhausting activities.
Bee Bread
Pollen is collected and packed into bee brood cells mixed with bee digestive fluids and nectar. Bees then seal these brood cells with honey and store them as food for the future. In fact, it’s the main source of food for bee workers and larvae.
Propolis
Bee propolis is a resinous mixture created by bees with saliva, enzymes, beeswax and resin from tree buds, sap flows and more.
Bees use propolis to seal beehives from external threats, like bacteria, fungus or viruses.
It has anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, and anti-viral properties as bees use propolis to protect their hives.
Bee Venom
Bees produce venom to sting and protect against foreign threats to the beehives. Bee venom therapy has been used to treat over 40 illnesses such as warts, arthritis, and multiple sclerosis.
What Does Bee Venom for Apitherapy Cure?
Bee venom therapy (BVT) uses bee venom to counter viruses and bacteria caused by illnesses like warts, high blood pressure, shingles and more.
Highly processed bee venom can be found in cosmetic products such as a skin renewal mask and is considered safe due to the procedures and safe manufacturing involved.
Does Bee Venom Therapy Work?
While allowed, the use of bee venom therapy has been controversial.
However, simple research seems to reveal cases where this treatment method works for various conditions, like this example of people rushing to bee farms in the Philippines.
How Much Does Bee Venom Therapy Cost?
While the cost of bee venom therapy in Singapore is not widely disclosed, we can perhaps get an idea from this Harper’s Bazaar article that reveals the cost one might expect in America.
Apitherapy Acupuncture
Acupuncture involves using stainless steel to pierce the skin and stimulate pressure points on your body.
Apitherapy acupuncture uses bee stings (coupled with bee venom) to stimulate your pressure points.
Bear in mind that some experts will provide bee venom stings directly from bees. We don’t encourage those as many are still in the experimental and clinical stages.
Beehive Air Therapy
Beehive air therapy is regarded as a form of treatment for respiratory conditions.
This treatment involves breathing in air with the smell of bees to improve your immune system, respiratory system, reduce stress, and boost overall wellbeing. However, it’s only available in certain countries like Slovenia, Hungary, Austria and Germany.
This particular study showed that the claims may be valid, but more research is required.
Honey Apitherapy
Manuka honey is the most famous type of apitherapy honey. My family and I eat manuka honey daily to boost our immunity and improve our health.
Sidr honey is apitherapy honey that’s famous in the Middle East. Over the years, it has gradually been gaining ground with western societies for its medicinal values.
Side Effects and Risks of Apitherapy
There are some side effects and risks of apitherapy. Some people are actually allergic to normal bee products such as honey, pollen or propolis.
When trying to eat any new products, start with a tiny amount. Slowly increase this amount over time and take note of any bodily reactions. Stop immediately if you feel any discomfort or experience swelling.
Most people are fine with bee products but if you are in doubt, please consult a doctor or a nutritionist.
The biggest risks and side effects come from using apitherapy bee venom or apitherapy acupuncture.
Bee venom is created by bees to hurt, and although it may not be dangerous to most people, it may cause a larger allergic reaction to some people who have weakened immune systems.
We personally do not encourage apitherapy bee venom nor apitherapy acupuncture as they both involve using venom from bees that are secreted by bees.
Experts and professionals note that they are within reasonable boundaries of safety. However, we need to remind you that only professionals can handle them. For a complete guide, we will provide basic information on these.
Apitherapy Products Near Me to Buy
Want to own your first bottle of apitherapy product to indulge in its health benefits?
Take a look at this Made-in-Singapore product, Red Coral Honey Bee Apitherapy 红珊瑚 蜂疗.
It helps in the relief of rheumatic pain, minor aches, tired and painful muscles, joints and bones, inflammation and swelling caused by bruises, lumbago, and muscle aches. Buy yours from HoneyCity, available while stocks last!
适用于: 各种风湿肿痛, 持续性的肌肉肿痛, 肩周炎, 颈肩腰受损等症状.
用法: 只能外敷。 取适用的量按摩于皮肤处。 每日2-3次。 需要时使用