Apis mellifica

For several thousand years, precisely speaking, since 4000 B.C., the common honey bee has been supporting humanity in various ways. In fact, a number of cave painting dating back to around 10,000 years have been discovered showing an individual collecting honey. Apart from the honey and the wax produced by the honey bees, they also provide us with royal jelly that is extensively used as a special nutritional supplement and propolis - the resin gathered by the honey bee from the buds of flowers. In fact, the Apis, the biological name for honey bee, also possesses numerous medicinal properties. According to ancient documents, the remedial use of the honey bee is long and has its origin in primeval Egypt where people considered the honey bee as a sign of power, health and wealth. In fact, medical practitioners in ancient Egypt held honey in high esteem and considered it to have healing powers that were superior to others. Therefore, it is little surprising that the ancient Egyptians practised extensive methods of beekeeping since 4000 B.C. It is interesting to note that not only the honey or other substances produced by the honey bee, but the bee itself is used in homeopathy to treat numerous conditions. Dr. Frederick Humphries was the first to establish the medicinal worth of apis or the common honey bee in the 19th century. The homeopathic medication apis is prepared using the body of the female honey bee, as only it has a stinger. The stingers of the female honey bee and sometimes even the whole body of the bee, are used to prepare this homeopathic medication. Like in the instance of any other homeopathic medicine, the process followed to prepare the medication apis with the body of honey bee is crucial. Once the stings or the whole bees are collected, they are chopped, crushed, mashed and then steeped in alcohol to get the mother tincture known as apis in homeopathy. This homeopathic medication is prescribed for people who are suffering from ailments that are accompanied by symptoms that are similar to the consequences of a bee sting. For instance, such patients will have symptoms like swelling and redness of the skin. In fact, such patients also often behave like the bees - being restive or showing irritability. As mentioned earlier, this homeopathic medicine is prepared by crushing and extremely diluting the whole body or the stings of the honey bees in a base prepared by mixing water and alcohol. In fact, apis is homoeopathic potentized venom of the honey bee.

Uses

Like the common honey bee is of great use to us and has been supporting humanity over centuries, the homeopathic medicine prepared from it, apis, also has numerous remedial uses. Apis is extensively used to treat skin disorders, including hives (urticaria), stings and bites which results in the swelling of the skin along with an itchy and burning sensation. In such cases, the skin also becomes very sensitive to touch. In addition, homeopaths recommend apis to patients suffering from infections in the urinary tract, for instance, cystitis wherein the patient experiences a burning and stinging pain while passing urine. Apis is also useful to provide relief from urine retention. Apis is also said to be extremely beneficial for curing conditions, such as edema (retention of fluid by the body tissues) as well as allergies in the mouth, throat and eyes. For instance, people having such allergies may experience watery swelling on the eyelids or inside the mouth that spreads to the throat often hindering free breathing. All these conditions can be cured by taking apis. This homeopathic medication is also beneficial for treating fevers that are accompanies by absence of thirst and arid, sensitive skin, a tender throat as well as headaches. People who have fever along with acute headaches often experience hotness and a stabbing pain in the head. The other uses of apis include treating conditions, such a pleurisy, arthritis and peritonitis (inflammation of the peritoneum, frequently accompanied by pain and tenderness in the abdomen, vomiting, constipation and mild fever). In fact, these conditions occur owing to conditions that affect the lining of the chest, joints and abdomen. This homeopathic medicine usually works on the external parts - for instance the skin, serous membranes (membranes that pertain to serum) and the covering of inner organs. As aforementioned, use of apis, the homeopathic medicine prepared from female honey bee stings, offers comforting relief from conditions, such as swelling, burning sensations as well as stinging pains. In addition, this medication can also be used to heal insect bites and stings as also sunburns. Since apis is prepared from the sting of female honey bee, it is an ideal medication to get rid of itching and swelling caused by bee stings, insect bites, hornet, wasp, mosquito and any other flying insects. Owing to its multifarious use, it is essential to have a bottle of apis in everyone's medical kit, as it is extremely useful for first aid treatment. In addition, apis has a number of uses, which are described briefly below:

• Apis is also extensively used for treating rashes that are accompanied by red, swelling blotches, such as those caused by insect bites. This homeopathic medicine is also beneficial for treating reddish hives caused by allergies from foods, bites and other things.
• Apis is also useful in treating eye symptoms, including swollen eyelids, edema below the eyes, watery eyes, styes (an inflamed bulge of a sebaceous gland at the outskirts of an eyelid), red conjunctiva (the mucous membrane that lines the bare portion of the eyeball and inner surface of the eyelids), thick cornea.
• Apis is also prescribed by homeopaths to treat dryness of throat accompanied by swelling and a hot sensation that makes it difficult for the patient to swallow anything. When the medication is applied cold, it produces better results in such conditions, while the conditions deteriorate with heat and become sensitive to touch.
• In addition, other ailments, such as fevers, flu, mumps, measles, eyestitis (a form of cataract) and tonsillitis (inflammation of the tonsils) are also healed effectively by using apis.

Since, apis is prepared from the sting of the female honey bee, it is an obvious and ideal remedy for bee stings, vicious pains as well as swellings. Approximately 1.5 million people in the United States endure acute allergic reactions to the poison possesses by the bees, hornets and wasps every year. Stings or bites by these insects cause fast swelling, itching and rosy red hives. It may be mentioned here that the medication apis is available in different forms - tablets, ointment and pellets from any homeopathic medicine store or homeopath. In fact, use of apis pellets provides quick relief in all conditions. Apis is useful in providing relief from various types of pain. Some of the cases where this homeopathic medicine can be used effectively to alleviate pains are mentioned below.

• Following an insect or animal bite or sting, such as jelly-fish.
• When blisters appear on the feet.
• Pain and swelling caused by burns on any part of the body.
• Any inflammation accompanied by stinging pain, burning sensation - for instance, the rheumatic inflammations, or inflammation of the kidneys, liver, throat and/ or ovary.
• Eruptions on the skin accompanied by a burning pain, redness, heat and probable swelling, for instance in the case of measles, urticaria (a temporary condition of the skin, more often than not caused by an allergic reaction) and/ or scarlatina (a mild form of scarlet fever).
• Any allergic reaction accompanied by swelling and burning pain.
• In the instance of meningitis (inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain or spinal cord, caused by infection) with braincry (inflammation of the brain) and abrupt intense screams of children when they are asleep.

The homeopathic medicine apis has the aptitude to heal fiery, stinging and tender pains that worsen when touched, pressure or heat and is lessened by cold application. Generally, such types of pains are associated with edema (excessive fluid retention by the body tissues), inflammation or skin eruptions similar to blisters that are quite sensitive to touch as well as pressure. On most occasions, these symptoms first appear on the right side of the body. Although the patients' skin becomes hot and dry, they do not have any thirst. In fact, the physical symptoms as well as the mental condition of the patients deteriorate when they are in any warm area, but they get relief by cold.