Q. Within a week of having a reaction to a bee sting (the skin was hot, red, swollen and blistered), the tremors in my right hand and jaw disappeared. I’d had them for three years and had just gotten a referral to see a neurologist.
My mother and her mother had Parkinson’s disease, so I suspect that is where I was headed though I hadn’t been officially diagnosed. Have you heard of this before?
A. There may be scientific support for your response to bee venom. We were somewhat surprised to discover research demonstrating that bee venom injections have benefit against Parkinson’s disease (Parkinsonism and Related Disorders, Sept., 2012).
The Michael J. Fox Foundation funded a study of bee venom therapy in a mouse model of Parkinson’s. The results were positive. French researchers also had some success with a study in mice (PLoS One, online April 18, 2013). They are currently recruiting subjects for a clinical trial (MIREILLE) to assess the value of bee venom in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease.
While it will undoubtedly take time for scientists to determine whether this approach really has clinical promise, we find your story fascinating. Thank you.
