Treating Lyme Disease with Bee Venom Therapy

Numerous studies are being done with Bee Venom Therapy (BVT) 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 .

TheTreatment of Lyme Disease with Bee Venom

by Dietrich K. Klinghardt, M.D., Ph.D.

Apitherapy Review, Apitherapy Commission Apimondia 

PART 1

Introduction

Lymedisease has become, after AIDS, probably the fastest spreading infectiousdisease. "Classical" Lyme disease is a bacterial infection caused bya spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi, which is passed to the patient by a tickbite. Since several other infections that cause similar symptoms can betransmitted by the same tick bite, and other infectious agents not transmittedby a tick can cause similar symptoms, the term "New Lyme Disease" isused by most holistic physicians. Lyme disease is not only a frequentunderlying causal factor in chronic human illness, but also extremely common inpets, especially in dogs and horses.

Thefollowing microorganisms have to be considered when making the diagnosis of"New Lyme Disease."

Borreliaburgdorferi;

Babesiamicroti (a protozoan intracellular invader);

Ehrlichiosis;

Mycoplasmapneumoniae (associated with MS, ALS, Chronic Fatigue and Fibromyalgia);

Chlamydiapneumoniae;

Bartonellahenselae;

Rickettsiarickettsiae.

Thefollowing symptoms can be caused by Lyme disease:

ChronicFatigue (more severe in the early afternoon);

Lack ofendurance;

Non-healinginfections in the jaw bone, devitalized teeth, dental pain;

Fibromyalgia;

Joint pains(especially in the spine);

MultipleChemical Sensitivity;

CranialNerve Problems:

- Facialnerve: Bell's palsy (60% are caused by Lyme disease, 30% by one of six commonviruses from the herpes family, such as EBV, Herpes simplex type I, type II,type 6 etc);

-Trigeminal nerve: sense of vibration in the face, TMJ and facial pain,headache, tension and cramps in the face/skull/jaw;

- Ears(VII, VIII): tinnitus, vertigo, and hypersensitivity to noise;

- Eyes (II,III, IV, VI): decreasing and changing eye sight (fluctuates during the day),light sensitivity, floaters;

- Vagus(X), Glossopharyngeal nerve (IX) and Hypoglossus (XII): difficulty swallowing,faulty swallowing, reflux, hiatus hernia, heart palpitations, supraventriculararrythmias.

CNSproblems:

- Physical:epileptic seizures, insomnia, tremor, ataxia, movement disorders (torticollis,etc.);

-Emotional: irritability (key symptom in children), depression, bi-phasicbehaviour (manic-depression), bouts of anger, listlessness;

- Mental:confusion, difficulty thinking, poor short term memory, increasingly messyhousehold and desk, difficulty finding the right word, feeling of"information overload;"

- Mixedpictures: can resemble or imitate any known psychiatric illness.

Peripheralnervous system problems:

Paraesthesia,burning, vibration, numbness, shooting pains.

Pelvis:interstitial cystitis, prostatitis, sexual dysfunction, loss of libido, pelvicpain, menstrual disorders.

Immunesystem failure: with all known secondary illnesses such as herpes virusinfection, intestinal parasites, malaise.

Generalsymptoms: hair loss, loss of zest for life, sensitivity to electric appliances.

LaboratoryTesting

Untilrecently laboratory testing has been unsatisfactory with a detection rate ofprobably below 30%. In the past it was believed the laboratory evaluation ofthe spinal fluid was a reliable way to confirm or refute the diagnosis of Lymedisease. This has been proven wrong. The test with the broadest detection rate,the Western Blot ELISA test, has low specificity. The test with the highestspecificity but with a fairly low detection rate was the PCR test. The B.burgdorferi is a master at evading the body's immune system and evadinglaboratory detection by modulating and changing its surface antigens. It canform a cystic stage, which is resistant to antibiotics, evades laboratorydetection, and gives birth to healthy spirochetes once the antibiotics arediscontinued.

A new testhas become available recently: the C6 Lyme Peptide ELISA test (BBI ClinicalLaboratories, Tel.: 1-800-866-6254 or 860-225-1900, test code: 556 - C6LPE. Thetest is based on the discovery of six peptides on the surface of thespirochete, which are consistently present and do not evade detection by thelaboratory as many of the other surface antigens of B. burgdorferi do. Thistest detects all B. burgdorferi strains and genospecies. It is highly specificand more sensitive than conventional tests for chronic Lyme disease. It is alsosensitive in early Lyme disease (which used to be problematic) and can be usedfor accurate antibody results for Lyme vaccinated patients.

Treatment

Treatmenthas often been unsatisfactory in spite of correct diagnosis. Multipleantibiotic regimes have been tried with varying successes. The cystic stageresponds only to one antibiotic: metronidazole (Flagyl). This drug should begiven intravenously. The oral version is less effective and hard on the liver.It should always be given together with the herb "milk thistle"because of its liver-protective effect. A less toxic alternative is tinidazole,a Flagyl-derivative that is available in compounding pharmacies.

I useproteolytic enzymes for the purpose of breaking up the cyst wall and making thedormant form of B. burgdorferi inside the cyst vulnerable to both the host'simmune system and the medications given for treatment.

Dosage:Wobenzyme, 8-10 tablets three times/day between meals and first thing a.m.

Treatmentprotocols using antibiotics are outlined in the website of J. Borrescano, MD:www.lymenet.com. I use, in selected cases, a combination of azithromycin orclarithromycin 250-500 mg two times/day in combination with trimethoprim 100 mgtwice/day for 6-8 weeks.

Mypreferred treatment is a combination of enzymes, herbs, specific transferfactors and the injection of honeybee venom.

Herbs

I followthe recommendations of Dr. Zhang, MD, LAc of New York(http://www.dr-zhang.com).

His specialgarlic extract with a high concentration of Allicin:

2 mgAllicin/kg of bodyweight per day for 6 months; HH (Houttuyniae Herba):

3 tabletsthree times/day for 6 months.

His specialArtemesia (wormwood) combination: 1-2 tablets three times/day for 6 months

(usuallyrecommended when Babesia is involved).

In additionI use the specific herbal combinations from the Monastery of Herbs in Los Angeles

(Tel.:818-360-4871). These are very effective 18-day programs. I use AutonomicResponse

Testing todetermine the most effective combination.

I rotatedifferent regimes over the 6-month treatment period.

SpecificTransfer Factors

When apregnant cow is infected with a certain illness, her first milk (colostrum)after the calf is born contains specific peptides that prevent the illness inthe calf. Based on this principle, specific transfer factors have becomeavailable for the treatment of B. burgdorferi, Babesia, Mycoplasma pneumoniaeetc.

Mostreadily available are oral capsules with dried peptide extracts (ChisolmBiological Laboratory,

Tel.:803-663 9618 / ext. 9777). By adding the specific transfer factors into thetreatment regime, the successrate can be dramatically increased.

To becontinued …

RESOURCESFOR INFORMATION

Books,Booklets and Literature

Beck, B.F., MD (1997) The Bible of Bee Venom Therapy. Health Resources Press, Inc.,Silver Spring, MD, USA, book, ISBN 1-890708-03, pp. 238. Reprint of theoriginal 1935 edition of Dr. Beck: Bee Venom Therapy - Bee Venom, Its Nature,and Its effect on Arthritic and Rheumatoid Conditions. (available fromApitronic Services: Tel.: 604-271-9414)

Broadman,J., MD (1997) Bee Venom - The Natural Curative for Arthritis and Rheumatism.Health Resources Press, Silver Spring, MD, USA, book, ISBN 1-890708-01-3,references, index, glossary, foreword by Harold Goodman, DO, pp. 224 (availablefrom Apitronic Services: Tel.: 604-271-9414)

Klinghardt,D. K., MD (1990) Bee Venom Therapy for Chronic Pain. The Journal ofNeurological & Orthopedic Medicine & Surgery, Vol. 11, No. 3, pp.195-197

Klinghardt,Dietrich, MD(1999) Treatment Protocol for Bee Venom Therapy. Apitherapy Education Service -Apitronic Services, Richmond, BC, Canada,booklet, 11 pp.

Lubke, L.L. and Garon, C. F. (1997) Bee Stings as Lyme Inhibitor. J. Clin. Infect.Diseases, July, 25 Suppl. 1, pp. 48-51

Marinelli, Rick, ND and Klinghardt, Dietrich, MD(1999) Methodology for Injectable Bee Venom Therapy. Apitherapy EducationService - Apitronic Services, Richmond, BC Canada,12 pp.

Mraz,Charles (1994) Health and the Honeybee. Queen City Publications, Burlington, VT, USA, ISBN0-9642485-0-6, pp. vii+92 (available from Apitronic Services: Tel.:604-271-9414)

Organizations

AmericanApitherapy Society, Inc., 5390 Grande Rd., Hillsboro, OH 45133 USA, Tel.: 937-364-1108, Fax: (937)364-9109, e-mail: aasoffice@in-touch.net, web page: www.apitherapy.org/aas

AmericanAcademy of Neural Therapy, Inc., 410 East Denny Way, Suite 18, Seattle, 98122USA, Tel.: 206-749-9967, Fax: 206-723-1367, e-mail: neuralt@aol.com, web page:

Internet Resources:

American Academy of Neural Therapy, Inc.

Bee VenomTherapy Supplies and Books

www.beevenom.com

ApitherapyBookshop

www.apitherapy.net

ApitherapyReference Database

www.saunalahti.fi/~apither/

Bee VenomTherapy Supplies and Books Bee venom products and therapy related books,literature and Apitherapy Education Service.

ApitronicServices

9611 No. 4Road

Richmond, BC

Canada, V7A 2Z1

Ph./Fax:604-271-9414

e-mail:msimics@direct.ca

www.beevenom.com

ConversionTable 0.10 ml = 0.10 cc0.60 ml = 0.60 cc 0.20 ml = 0.20 cc0.70 ml = 0.70 cc0.30 ml = 0.30 cc0.80 ml = 0.80 cc 0.40 ml = 0.40 cc0.90 ml = 0.90 cc 0.50 ml =0.50 cc1.00 ml = 1.00 cc

Thanks to the Apitherapy Commission for reprinting this article. 

Bee Venom May Help Treat Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and ALS

bee venom therapy has been used for arthritis, scar therapy, even used to remove moles.

Effects of Bee Venom on Glutamate-Induced Toxicity in Neuronal and Glial Cells

Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine; vol 2012

Abstract:

Bee venom (BV), which is extracted from honeybees, is used in traditional Korean medical therapy.

Several groups have demonstrated the anti-inflammatory effects of BV in osteoarthritis both in vivo and in vitro. Glutamate is the predominant excitatory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system (CNS). Changes in glutamate release and uptake due to alterations in the activity of glutamate transporters have been reported in many neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

To assess if BV can prevent glutamate-mediated neurotoxicity, we examined cell viability and signal transduction in glutamate-treated neuronal and microglial cells in the presence and absence of BV. We induced glutamatergic toxicity in neuronal cells and microglial cells and found that BV protected against cell death. Furthermore, BV significantly inhibited the cellular toxicity of glutamate, and pretreatment with BV altered MAP kinase activation (e.g., JNK, ERK, and p38) following exposure to glutamate.

These findings suggest that treatment with BV may be helpful in reducing glutamatergic cell toxicity in neurodegenerative diseases.

PCTs as Gatekeepers shutting out effective Natural Healthcare for osteoarthritis

Take a look at this. Assuming PCTs do indeed get swept away in the Coalition's NHS reforms, everyone will need to keep a beady eye, and be prepared to report, on the behaviour of "the new Gatekeepers" if these turn out to be NHS Commissioning Boards just staffed by doctors with no lay representation sympathetic to ensuring patients access to homeopathic treatment if they want it. Any sign of restrictive practices by orthodox doctors on such Boards should be referred to the Office of Fair Trading.

------------------------

NHS. No Choice for Marjorie!
We are rightly proud of our health service. The principles of the 1947 NHS Act still apply, in the most part, that any citizen, when sick, will have access to health treatment - regardless of his or her ability to pay.

But is everyone getting access to the type of treatment they want?

All the main political parties now parade ‘patient choice’ as an important objective for the future of the NHS. The previous Labour government, in its White Paper, (“Our Health, Our Care, Our Say: a new direction for community services. January 2006)” confirmed this. Patricia Hewitt, Health Secretary at the time, stated this:

“(more) people (are) wanting a different approach to services, looking for real choices, more local care, taking greater control over their health, supported to remain independent wherever possible”.

The new coalition Government’s White Paper, “Equity and Excellence: liberating the NHS. July 2010” says this:

“We want the principle of "shared decision making" to become the norm: no decision about me without me. International evidence shows that involving patients in their care and treatment improves their health outcomes, boosts their satisfaction with services received, and increases not just their knowledge and understanding of their health status but also their adherence to a chosen treatment. It can also bring significant reductions in cost, as highlighted in the Wanless Report, and in evidence from various programmes to improve the management of long-term health conditions.

Yet is this anywhere near close to reality within the NHS?

Marjorie Titchen is 93 years old. She lives in Bournemouth, where she continues to run a small hotel. She says that she will retire when she is 100 years old! By this time she will have paid taxes for over 80 years, so she has certainly paid her dues, and her entitlement to health treatment should surely be unquestioned.

Yet despite this she has been fighting now for several years for treatment for her osteoarthritis. But the Bournemouth and Poole PCT has refused to consider it. Why? Because Marjorie wants to see a homeopath, and the PCT insists that they will allow her access only to conventional treatment.

Marjorie refuses to accept conventional treatment, and her arthritis is getting worse. She says she has heard too much about the ‘adverse reactions’ to drugs, and does not want to go down that route.

Even her GP supports her, and has referred her for homeopathy treatment - but still the PCT remains unmoved. She has made representations, and formal complaints; she had written to the Department of Health; she has talked to her MP; she has highlighted her case in the local media. All to no avail.

The PCT refuses to budge on its paternalistic belief that it knows best. Their primary defense appears to be that there is ‘no evidence’ that homeopathy is effective in treating osteoarthritis.

Wrong, says Marjorie! She developed osteoarthritis over 12 years ago, and was referred to homeopathic treatment by the PCT at that time. This relieved her pain, and for several years she was pain free. So as she says, she is living proof of the effectiveness of homeopathy.

Wrong, says the Alliance of Registered Homeopaths, referring to the research that has been carried out into arthritis that shows it can be effective in the treatment of the disease.

This includes research that found homeopathy provided a level of pain-relief superior to a conventional drug, used as a control. This research, carried out in 1998, also found that homeopathy produced ‘no adverse reactions’.

So what is happening here? Mrs Titchen wants to access homeopathic treatment. Her GP supports her. Her homeopath is willing to treat her, as he did, successfully, several years ago. Homeopathic treatment is not expensive, indeed, it is less expensive than the conventional treatment she is being offered.

Yet the PCT still sees fit to make the purely bureaucratic decision to deny her the treatment she is asking for.

The NHS is dominated by conventional medicine, and it has become a monopoly. The bureaucrats in charge of PCTs in most areas don’t want to consider homeopathic treatment because they don’t want us to breach their monopoly. They also don’t want to allow homeopathy to prove more effective in the treatment of diseases, such as arthritis, than the favour medicine - in which, of course, they have a personal vested interest.

Government policy on patient choice is a mess. It talks about ‘patient choice’ but what it allows to happen within the NHS runs contrary to this objective. When the Department of Health is asked to comment on this kind of situation, it says that the decision rests at the local level, with the local PCT, which has to take ‘local needs’ into consideration. No doubt this is part of their laudable policy to devolve NHS power from the centre to local areas. But devolving power from London to local PCTs it acts against patient choice, as can be seen in Marjorie Titchen’s case.

The Bournemouth and Poole PCT, and its bureacracy has decided not to offer Mrs Titchen homeopathy. It know better than Marjories, her GP, and her homeopath. Such a decision is anathema ‘patient choice’, and all patients looking for drug-free treatment are certainly not getting the medicine of their choice.

And the only person who is suffering, literally, is Marjorie............
Posted by Alliance of Registered Homeopaths

Comment: Yep. University of Bergen, Norway study found NSAIDs reduced pain short-term but this benefit dropped off significantly longterm; NSAIDs were then hardly better than placebo. The more serious side effects can include high blood pressure leading to congestive heart failure, stomach irritation that may result in bleeding, ulcers, or perforation of the stomach or intestines, and damage to the kidneys. All in all a high risk treatment and the sufferer would be well advised to look first at natural alternatives such as homeopathy or acupuncture.

Bee Venom Therapy May Help Treat Parkinson’s Disease, Alzheimer’s, ALS

Bee Venom is powerful and if used correctly can do wonders to the body, this I have seen. In Paris, they've started a clinical study on the effects of BV for Parkinson's Disease...

Effects of Bee Venom on Glutamate-Induced Toxicity in Neuronal and Glial Cells
Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine (eCAM), 30 May 2011

Bee venom (BV), which is extracted from honeybees, is used in traditional Korean medical therapy. Several groups have demonstrated the anti-inflammatory effects of BV in osteoarthritis both in vivo and in vitro.

Glutamate is the predominant excitatory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system (CNS). Changes in glutamate release and uptake due to alterations in the activity of glutamate transporters have been reported in many neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

To assess if BV can prevent glutamate-mediated neurotoxicity, we examined cell viability and signal transduction in glutamate-treated neuronal and microglial cells in the presence and absence of BV.

We induced glutamatergic toxicity in neuronal cells and microglial cells and found that BV protected against cell death. Furthermore, BV significantly inhibited the cellular toxicity of glutamate, and pretreatment with BV altered MAP kinase activation (e.g., JNK, ERK, and p38) following exposure to glutamate.

These findings suggest that treatment with BV may be helpful in reducing glutamatergic cell toxicity in neurodegenerative diseases.