Medically reviewed by Karen Cross, FNP, MSN — 
Written by Ana Gotter on February 26, 2018

 

Overview

Apitherapy is a type of alternative therapy that uses products that come directly from honeybees. It’s used to treat illnesses and their symptoms as well as pain from acute and chronic injuries.

Illnesses that apitherapy may treat include:

  • multiple sclerosis
  • arthritis
  • infections
  • shingles

 

Injuries that apitherapy can treat include:

  • wounds
  • pain
  • burns
  • tendonitis

 

During apitherapy treatment, honeybee products may be:

  • applied topically
  • taken orally
  • injected directly into the blood

Apitherapy has been used for thousands of years. It can be traced back to ancient Egypt and China. The Greeks and Romans used bee products for medicinal purposes as well, where bee venom was used to treat joint pain from arthritis.

 

Bee venom, honey, and other products

Apitherapy can include the usage of all products created naturally from honeybees. This includes:

  • Bee venom. Female worker bees produce bee venom. It can be delivered directly from a bee sting. The bee sting may be administered to the skin through a stainless steel micro mesh. This allows the venom to enter the skin, but prevents the stinger from being attached to the skin, which would kill the bee.
  • Honey. Bees produce this sweet substance. It can also be harvested.
  • Pollen. This is the male reproductive material bees collect from plants. It contains a large number of vitamins and nutrients.
  • Royal jelly. The queen bee feeds on this enzyme-enriched food. It contains a large number of beneficial vitamins.
  • Propolis. This is a combination of beeswax, tree resins, honey, and enzymes made by bees to protect the hive from external threats, like bacteria or viruses. It contains strong antiviral, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial properties as a result.
  • Beeswax. Honeybees create beeswax to build their hive and store both honey and pollen. It’s commonly used in cosmetic products.

Finding products that are as pure and, in some cases, fresh as possible can help get you the best results possible from apitherapy. Taking a vitamin that only contains a small portion of royal jelly, for example, wouldn’t be as effective as taking one with a larger dose of the honeybee product.

It’s also worth noting that local honey can be most beneficial to help you fight allergies.