BEE VENOM FOR OSTEOARTHRITIS
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What is osteoarthritis?
It is a disease that primarily targets the joint cartilage and as a result, makes the entire joint weak. A healthy joint, which is not affected by osteoarthritis, has a proper ratio between its overall structure and degradation of cartilage. But in the subjects of osteoarthritis, there is a sheer imbalance between the cartilage degradation and maintenance or buildup. Or we can also say that the process of degradation of cartilage becomes very fast and that leads to further complications. Several steps can be taken to help improve the symptoms of osteoarthritis. |
What causes osteoarthritis?
It has not been established until now that what leads to osteoarthritis. But different factors further strengthen the risk of catching this disease and they are:
There is good news and that is: osteoarthritis can be diagnosed through different medical examinations and that makes it easy for a doctor to control the symptoms. It is a general misconception in people that only an x-ray can be conducted to diagnose osteoarthritis. Or joint pain will indicate that a person is suffering from osteoarthritis. But in reality, osteoarthritis doesn't take place in a day or two, as it is a lengthy process of degeneration of cartilage. It can take several years for cartilage to show the damage that can further lead to other symptoms.
Till the time a person observes these symptoms, the situation tends to get pretty bad. What doctors recommend is that a person must make regular trips to an occupational therapist or a physiotherapist and undergo different physical examinations to determine the condition of joints. An early diagnosis can help control the process of cartilage damage and save a person from chronic joint pain.
What are the other factors that put people at risk of catching osteoarthritis?
Osteoarthritis is not about only wear and tear of a joint, as the recent studies, conducted about this disease, reveal some alarming developments. Osteoarthritis has been linked to certain environmental factors and a person’s diet too.
It is believed that excessive intake of sugar raises the level of cytoklines and that causes inflammation, which can be dangerous for a person having a weak joint. In the same manner lectin, a type of protein, found in legumes, cereals, nuts, and even milk can lead to osteoarthritis. According to Steven Grundy, lectins are an active part of the leaky gut syndrome that can easily attack joints and blood vessels.
To further investigate the effect of osteoarthritis, bones structures of people belonging to the 19th and 20th centuries were compared from different perspectives like age, weight, and gender. The study revealed that osteoarthritis had worsened in the people of the 20th century and there were links found indicating damage done by air pollution and chemical emissions. This tells that the deteriorating air quality has affected the general health of people to an alarming extent.
The Analgesic Efficacy of Bee Venom Acupuncture for Knee Osteoarthritis
This clinical study was carried out to determine if BV (bee venom) could serve as a safe and effective therapeutic agent, instead of the traditional needle acupuncture method, for patients having knee osteoarthritis. Bee venom was injected directly into the acupoint to determine its clinical efficiency.
To determine the clinical efficiency computerized IRT (infrared thermography) and pain relief score method was adopted, after a 4-week bee venom acupuncture treatment. During the 4 weeks of acupuncture treatment, a special dose and regime were maintained to inspect the productivity of BV. This was done with the first group. The second group was given the usual needle acupuncture therapy.
It was observed that subjects that received a proper dose of bee venom therapy, reported significant relief in pain. While the subjects exposed to needle acupuncture therapy did not record positive feedback. BV treated patients also showed a prominent improvement in the IRT score and even paralleled, level of pain relief score.
An Overview of Bee Venom Acupuncture in the Treatment of Arthritis
BVA (bee venom acupuncture), renowned herbal acupuncture, not only projects pharmacological action through various bioactive compounds obtained from BV, but also implements a mechanical function by acupuncture stimulation. Bee venom acupuncture has gained tremendous popularity in Korea, as it is widely being used for bringing relief from pain caused due to different diseases.
In this study, the main aim was to evaluate the present evidence of bee venom acupuncture for osteoarthritis.
A computerized literature search was carried out for the experimental studies and various clinical trials, to determine the role of bee venom acupuncture for arthritis. The search was performed on databases obtained from the Cochrane Library, EMBASE and PUBMED. And also, The Journal of Korean Oriental Medicine and The Journal of Korean Society for Acupuncture and Moxibustion were searched thoroughly for gathering data – both of them are the leading Korean medical journals.
According to the search conducted, 67 studies were analyzed and out of the 15 met the criteria laid out for this study. It was found that bee venom acupuncture produced analgesia and anti-inflammation actions in different models of arthritic animals. 2 randomized control trials and 2 uncontrolled clinical trials concluded that bee venom acupuncture was extremely effective for treating arthritis. It can be said that bee venom acupuncture therapy results, for different types of arthritis, provide a base for future researches. For these reasons rigorous clinical studies are required, that are properly designed and based on large samples, as they will help in the defining role of bee venom acupuncture for arthritic subjects. These studies must include an optimal concentration and dosage of bee venom acupuncture.
Comparative Study on the Effects of Bee Venom Pharmacopuncture According to the Treatment Method for Knee Osteoarthritis
According to different randomized controlled trials and systematic reviews, it can be said that acupuncture is an effective treatment for controlling osteoarthritis pain. Of all the treatments, pharmacopuncture therapy is one of the best forms of acupuncture therapy that combines herbal medicine and acupuncture both. Bee venom pharmacopuncture is widely being used in different types of pharmacopuncture treatments. The reason is that several studies, conducted on bee venom pharmacopuncture have revealed positive results for treating knee osteoarthritis. Currently, bee venom pharmacopuncture is being administered through intra acupoint, intraarticular, and intra dermal and subcutaneous injections.
69 patients were evaluated by the Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, from the 1st to 23rd of July. All of the patients were less than 80 years of age but greater than 40 years and had knee osteoarthritis, which was diagnosed through a special classification criteria provided by the American College of Rheumatology. According to VAS (visual analog scale), knee pain must be present in anyone or even both knees and it should have a rating of > or = to 4.
Participants went through a short telephonic screening and after that, they were asked to arrive for physical examination, consent statement, medical history, and analysis of osteoarthritis duration, knee x-ray and demographic survey examination all to be conducted at the hospital. Patients were given the first dose of bee venom, once it was established that they did not show any sort of allergic response to the sample therapy.
Bee venom pharmacopuncture was given at a ratio of 1:10,000 at 0.05mL, which was diluted with bee venom pharmacopuncture at a ratio of 1:4000 and 5% dextrose solution on intradermal of the LI11 by 8mm, 30-gauge sterilized syringes. Right after 20 minutes of this dose, it was observed that there were considerable redness and swelling that measured 5mm in diameter while the rash was 11mm as positive.
To understand negative conditions the following methodology was followed for the experimental group: bee venom pharmacopuncture was used at 0.1 ml (1:10,000) and was divided into SP9, ST36, EX32, GB34 and ST35 on the affected area with the help of 1mL, 8mm 30-gauge sterilized syringes. The needle was penetrated nearly 3 to 5 mm deep and the treatment dose was improved by only 0.1mL after each injection. In the mean course, the ashi acupoints were also injected, as per requirement.
The same method of administering the injections was adopted for the experimental group and the control group – bee venom pharmacopuncture at 0.2mL had a ratio of 1:10,000. The dose was increased each time by 0.2mL. Bee venom pharmacopuncture was injected in the knee joint cavity of the control group.
Once the treatment was completed, subjects of osteoarthritis were asked to extend and flex the knee joints a couple of times so that the solution could spread evenly in different areas of the knee joint. Not more than 1mL of bee venom was given to any of the groups. This pattern was followed for 2 times a week and not more than 9 times in total. In the hypersensitive patients, the injection was reduced but its concentration ratio was then amplified to 1:5000. This helped in keeping a fair balance in the amount of BVP that was formulated for the entire study.
According to the data obtained from the 2 groups, they showed impressive changes in KWOMAC and VAS after a week. It certainly showed that the treatment was generating progressive results. A follow-up of the patients carried out after 4 weeks, demonstrated the persistence of bee venom pharmacopuncture effects. Results also clearly indicated that an intra-articular injection is way more efficient than an intra acupoint injection. The most effective was the intraarticular injection combined with intra acupoint.
In a study carried out by Ryu et al. it was reported that any sort of intraarticular injections that treat osteoarthritis also helped in improving the joint function and getting rid of pain in the knee joint. It can be said that this treatment leads to a swift analgesic effect. The reason is that bee venom heals the affected lesion directly with an intra-articular injection, whereas a subcutaneous injection doesn’t deliver this effect.
It has not been established until now that what leads to osteoarthritis. But different factors further strengthen the risk of catching this disease and they are:
- Abnormal use of the joint
- Old age
- Any sort of joint trauma/injury
- Being overweight/obese
- Having other medical issues related to bones or cartilage-like rheumatoid arthritis
- Heredity reasons
There is good news and that is: osteoarthritis can be diagnosed through different medical examinations and that makes it easy for a doctor to control the symptoms. It is a general misconception in people that only an x-ray can be conducted to diagnose osteoarthritis. Or joint pain will indicate that a person is suffering from osteoarthritis. But in reality, osteoarthritis doesn't take place in a day or two, as it is a lengthy process of degeneration of cartilage. It can take several years for cartilage to show the damage that can further lead to other symptoms.
Till the time a person observes these symptoms, the situation tends to get pretty bad. What doctors recommend is that a person must make regular trips to an occupational therapist or a physiotherapist and undergo different physical examinations to determine the condition of joints. An early diagnosis can help control the process of cartilage damage and save a person from chronic joint pain.
What are the other factors that put people at risk of catching osteoarthritis?
Osteoarthritis is not about only wear and tear of a joint, as the recent studies, conducted about this disease, reveal some alarming developments. Osteoarthritis has been linked to certain environmental factors and a person’s diet too.
It is believed that excessive intake of sugar raises the level of cytoklines and that causes inflammation, which can be dangerous for a person having a weak joint. In the same manner lectin, a type of protein, found in legumes, cereals, nuts, and even milk can lead to osteoarthritis. According to Steven Grundy, lectins are an active part of the leaky gut syndrome that can easily attack joints and blood vessels.
To further investigate the effect of osteoarthritis, bones structures of people belonging to the 19th and 20th centuries were compared from different perspectives like age, weight, and gender. The study revealed that osteoarthritis had worsened in the people of the 20th century and there were links found indicating damage done by air pollution and chemical emissions. This tells that the deteriorating air quality has affected the general health of people to an alarming extent.
The Analgesic Efficacy of Bee Venom Acupuncture for Knee Osteoarthritis
This clinical study was carried out to determine if BV (bee venom) could serve as a safe and effective therapeutic agent, instead of the traditional needle acupuncture method, for patients having knee osteoarthritis. Bee venom was injected directly into the acupoint to determine its clinical efficiency.
To determine the clinical efficiency computerized IRT (infrared thermography) and pain relief score method was adopted, after a 4-week bee venom acupuncture treatment. During the 4 weeks of acupuncture treatment, a special dose and regime were maintained to inspect the productivity of BV. This was done with the first group. The second group was given the usual needle acupuncture therapy.
It was observed that subjects that received a proper dose of bee venom therapy, reported significant relief in pain. While the subjects exposed to needle acupuncture therapy did not record positive feedback. BV treated patients also showed a prominent improvement in the IRT score and even paralleled, level of pain relief score.
An Overview of Bee Venom Acupuncture in the Treatment of Arthritis
BVA (bee venom acupuncture), renowned herbal acupuncture, not only projects pharmacological action through various bioactive compounds obtained from BV, but also implements a mechanical function by acupuncture stimulation. Bee venom acupuncture has gained tremendous popularity in Korea, as it is widely being used for bringing relief from pain caused due to different diseases.
In this study, the main aim was to evaluate the present evidence of bee venom acupuncture for osteoarthritis.
A computerized literature search was carried out for the experimental studies and various clinical trials, to determine the role of bee venom acupuncture for arthritis. The search was performed on databases obtained from the Cochrane Library, EMBASE and PUBMED. And also, The Journal of Korean Oriental Medicine and The Journal of Korean Society for Acupuncture and Moxibustion were searched thoroughly for gathering data – both of them are the leading Korean medical journals.
According to the search conducted, 67 studies were analyzed and out of the 15 met the criteria laid out for this study. It was found that bee venom acupuncture produced analgesia and anti-inflammation actions in different models of arthritic animals. 2 randomized control trials and 2 uncontrolled clinical trials concluded that bee venom acupuncture was extremely effective for treating arthritis. It can be said that bee venom acupuncture therapy results, for different types of arthritis, provide a base for future researches. For these reasons rigorous clinical studies are required, that are properly designed and based on large samples, as they will help in the defining role of bee venom acupuncture for arthritic subjects. These studies must include an optimal concentration and dosage of bee venom acupuncture.
Comparative Study on the Effects of Bee Venom Pharmacopuncture According to the Treatment Method for Knee Osteoarthritis
According to different randomized controlled trials and systematic reviews, it can be said that acupuncture is an effective treatment for controlling osteoarthritis pain. Of all the treatments, pharmacopuncture therapy is one of the best forms of acupuncture therapy that combines herbal medicine and acupuncture both. Bee venom pharmacopuncture is widely being used in different types of pharmacopuncture treatments. The reason is that several studies, conducted on bee venom pharmacopuncture have revealed positive results for treating knee osteoarthritis. Currently, bee venom pharmacopuncture is being administered through intra acupoint, intraarticular, and intra dermal and subcutaneous injections.
69 patients were evaluated by the Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, from the 1st to 23rd of July. All of the patients were less than 80 years of age but greater than 40 years and had knee osteoarthritis, which was diagnosed through a special classification criteria provided by the American College of Rheumatology. According to VAS (visual analog scale), knee pain must be present in anyone or even both knees and it should have a rating of > or = to 4.
Participants went through a short telephonic screening and after that, they were asked to arrive for physical examination, consent statement, medical history, and analysis of osteoarthritis duration, knee x-ray and demographic survey examination all to be conducted at the hospital. Patients were given the first dose of bee venom, once it was established that they did not show any sort of allergic response to the sample therapy.
Bee venom pharmacopuncture was given at a ratio of 1:10,000 at 0.05mL, which was diluted with bee venom pharmacopuncture at a ratio of 1:4000 and 5% dextrose solution on intradermal of the LI11 by 8mm, 30-gauge sterilized syringes. Right after 20 minutes of this dose, it was observed that there were considerable redness and swelling that measured 5mm in diameter while the rash was 11mm as positive.
To understand negative conditions the following methodology was followed for the experimental group: bee venom pharmacopuncture was used at 0.1 ml (1:10,000) and was divided into SP9, ST36, EX32, GB34 and ST35 on the affected area with the help of 1mL, 8mm 30-gauge sterilized syringes. The needle was penetrated nearly 3 to 5 mm deep and the treatment dose was improved by only 0.1mL after each injection. In the mean course, the ashi acupoints were also injected, as per requirement.
The same method of administering the injections was adopted for the experimental group and the control group – bee venom pharmacopuncture at 0.2mL had a ratio of 1:10,000. The dose was increased each time by 0.2mL. Bee venom pharmacopuncture was injected in the knee joint cavity of the control group.
Once the treatment was completed, subjects of osteoarthritis were asked to extend and flex the knee joints a couple of times so that the solution could spread evenly in different areas of the knee joint. Not more than 1mL of bee venom was given to any of the groups. This pattern was followed for 2 times a week and not more than 9 times in total. In the hypersensitive patients, the injection was reduced but its concentration ratio was then amplified to 1:5000. This helped in keeping a fair balance in the amount of BVP that was formulated for the entire study.
According to the data obtained from the 2 groups, they showed impressive changes in KWOMAC and VAS after a week. It certainly showed that the treatment was generating progressive results. A follow-up of the patients carried out after 4 weeks, demonstrated the persistence of bee venom pharmacopuncture effects. Results also clearly indicated that an intra-articular injection is way more efficient than an intra acupoint injection. The most effective was the intraarticular injection combined with intra acupoint.
In a study carried out by Ryu et al. it was reported that any sort of intraarticular injections that treat osteoarthritis also helped in improving the joint function and getting rid of pain in the knee joint. It can be said that this treatment leads to a swift analgesic effect. The reason is that bee venom heals the affected lesion directly with an intra-articular injection, whereas a subcutaneous injection doesn’t deliver this effect.
Sources:
The analgesic efficacy of bee venom acupuncture for knee osteoarthritis.
Effects of bee venom on glutamate-induced toxicity in neuronal and glial cells.
Evaluation of bee venom and hyaluronic acid in the intra-articular treatment of osteoarthritis.
An overview of bee venom acupuncture in the treatment of arthritis.
Bee venom attenuates neuroinflammatory events, extends survival in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis models.
Comparative Study on the Effects of Bee Venom Pharmacopuncture According to the Treatment Method for Knee Osteoarthritis
The analgesic efficacy of bee venom acupuncture for knee osteoarthritis.
Effects of bee venom on glutamate-induced toxicity in neuronal and glial cells.
Evaluation of bee venom and hyaluronic acid in the intra-articular treatment of osteoarthritis.
An overview of bee venom acupuncture in the treatment of arthritis.
Bee venom attenuates neuroinflammatory events, extends survival in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis models.
Comparative Study on the Effects of Bee Venom Pharmacopuncture According to the Treatment Method for Knee Osteoarthritis
