Medicinally, bee venom is used in several diseases. In
ancient times, it was used to treat insect bites and
stings. Apis is especially useful in the illnesses caused by honeybee
stings and like ailments. The
typical pain of the Apis patient is fraught with burning and piercing
sensation. Cold application relieves the pain while heat aggravates it.
The symptoms usually begin on the right side and then spread to the
left. The skin feels sore and cannot tolerate any pressure. Even
the touch of cloth is unbearable. The patient feels intense heat in
the blood and is relieved by exposure to the open air. He is worse for heat (feeling heat). Apis is very
useful in every kind of inflammation
and swelling aggravated by exposure to heat or heat application.
This is the best remedy for Meningitis
also. When used promptly, it also prevents the
subsequent development of epilepsy whereas even if Meningitis is cured
by conventional treatment, some long-term complications persist, one
of which is epilepsy. If cold, rather than warmth, worsens the
symptoms, Apocynum should be used instead.
In the later part of pregnancy,
some women develop convulsions (Eclampsia).
The general perception is that in such a condition, a patient gets
relief from a hot bath. However, if the patient’s constitution is
that of Apis, a hot bath leads to severe convulsions to the extent that
due to constriction of the cervix, the baby can die in utero. If not
treated immediately, the mother may also die. Similarly, small children,
of Apis temperament, can also fall into a state of convulsions with
a hot bath and these convulsions can result in their death. It is
extremely important to know if the symptoms worsen with heat or cold. If
heat aggravates the symptoms, Belladonna 1000 and Aconite 1000
should also be added to Apis and repeated 2 to 3 times within 15
minutes. If the condition is aggravated by cold, Mag Phos should be
administered. Apocynum is the ideal remedy for a cool disposition and
Apis, that of a hot disposition. If a child does not like to be covered
but kicks the cloth off, this shows that he does not like heat. The
salient sign of Apis is that the affected
area swells and throbs (as after a bee sting). Apocynum does not exhibit this
feature. Sometimes, the swelling of Apis
appears in the outer lining of the brain. Typically, the patient feels
worse in the heat and feels severe throbbing. A young child cannot
express himself and suddenly screams loudly. The doctor should
take immediate notice of this sign and administer Apis.
Apis also affects the membranous coverings of the heart,
lungs and
liver. In other words, it works mostly on the coverings rather
than these
organs themselves. Apocynum, like Apis, also affects the coverings. Both
these remedies affect the secretory membranes of the abdomen like
those of the intestines or kidneys, which filter the blood and produce
urine. In both, the body swelling is soft and pits on pressure. In
Apocynum, the swelling (Oedema) may become rather hard.
The Apis patient with a kidney disease will show soft
baggy swelling below the eyes. If along with this,
the kidneys have
a throbbing pain, or there is a sign of worsening of
symptoms by heat, this is a clear indication of Apis.The affected eyes show severe swelling of the eyelids and
Conjuctiva,along with bright
redness, a piercing pain in the
eye and aggravation of the symptoms by heat. Such a patient will not
be able to open his eyes in bright sunlight. In Apis, some signs and
symptoms manifest themselves on the right side. On hearing bad news
or out of jealousy or sheer dislike, the right side of the body may be paralysed.
However, the ailments of the eye and throat begin on the left side and
then migrate to the right side (like Lachesis). In Apis, cold water
gargles, instead of warm water, relieve the throat discomfort.
In Apis, the abdomen (belly) becomes markedly distended with
wind or
gas, causing spasms
below the ribs on the right side and then possibly on the
left side also, like a vice. Pressure on the affected area of the belly
relieves the discomfort. Apis is the sure-shot remedy if the symptoms
aggravate with heat. Apis shows its beneficial effects in ten to fifteen
days, however, it starts relieving the distension and spasm of the
abdomen immediately after use. In an hour or two, the effect is well
evident. It works fairly fast in Meningitis, unless it is associated with Hydrocephalus. Apis will
relieve the swelling of the membranes of Meningitis, but the cure
of Hydrocephalus will not be achieved without Silicea, which is
the correct treatment for this condition. Silicea should be started
in small potency and then advanced steadily to very high
potency. In abdominal distension, Apis gives immediate relief. However,
in some chronic intestinal problems, it has to be used over a
long period. As
a matter of principle, in slowly progressive illnesses, the treatment will
also be effective gradually, whereas, in sudden acute illnesses, the response
to the medication is also prompt. In kidney disease, when Apis has to be
used over a long period, this does not mean that the appearance of its
beneficial effect will also take that long. If Apis starts working in
kidney disease, the kidneys start forming urine within seven to
ten days, which is a clear indication of its effect, although complete
recovery will take time. In such a situation, the potency should be
increased gradually with longer intervals in between. This way
of administration is called rising potency and is described in
detail in the chapter on Tuberculinum and Bacillinum.