Video: Bee Venom Therapy Used to Treat Arthritis, Pudendal Neuralgia

Bee Therapy? Ouch!
By David Martin, FOX 35 News, 7/2/2009

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35) - Scott Shurman and Jean Vasicek’s love is as sweet as the raw and unfiltered honey the married couple sells from their truck.

“The honey tastes great and the medicinal value comes through when you don’t take anything out of it,” says Shurman.

In fact, he says honey helps allergy victims.

“Take a tablespoonful a day,” submits Shurman. But to Jean Vasicek, there’s more to the bee’s short lifecycle than a tasty treat.

“I was very sick,” Vasicek remembers.

She was diagnosed with the ultra-rare illness, pudendal neuralgia. It causes chronic pelvic pain.

“I was probably never going to be able to walk very far again. I was going to pretty much be bed ridden the rest of my life,” says Vasicek.

That was 5 years ago. Defying doctors? You bet. Jean feels bee stings might be relieving that pain. She gets voluntarily stung once a week.

“At the base of my spine. Oh, oh so painful,” winces Vasicek.

Jean is part of growing movement of people who feel bee venom is the way to go. Her friend Beth Fox also practices what’s called “apitherapy.”…