OT - old hands

Re: OT - old hands

John K Jordan

So far I've been spared but my wife is starting to feel it. I've worried about my 60 years of pounding on the piano.

Have you ever heard of bee stings to treat arthritis?

When I started keeping bees our mentor said people may ask you for a few bees for their arthritis. He suggested it might not be legal to sell bees for medical reasons but he is always willing to give a few to people who ask. They evidently ice the skin and press a bee against the skin until it stings. Apparently the ice keeps them from feeling the sting. Someone even sells a little plastic plunger to press one bee into the skin. According to some people the sting works wonders.

I found this just now:

https://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2007/07/30/bee-sting-again/

Opps, I hope the society for prevention of cruelty to animals doesn't find out people are squishing bees.

JKJ

Thanks for the reminder JK

Keith Newton

I was meaning to give that a try. My paws are looking pretty gnarly again. I was wondering if the sting is suppose to be in the offending joints, or just anywhere.

Although reading the responses in your link, it sounds like yellow jackets and wherever they choose to attack also seems to work. I'll be out and about this weekend where I'm sure I can find some wild bees nectaring, and maybe can find one to make the sacrifice for me.

Catching bees in the summer

John K Jordan

If there are honey bees in your area you can often find them collecting water from puddles, edges of streams, and birdbaths this time of year. A nylon paint strainer or piece of cheesecloth is good to catch some. Or push a water bottle with the top cut out over some. That's how I caught a queen when I open a bee tree. Of course it took hours to find her!

JKJ

Re: OT - old hands

john lucas

I can relate today. The big front came through and I had trouble working out this morning because the big knuckle in my right hand hurt and my left hip hurt. Of course I'm working out at Planet fitness and everyone there appears to be at least 55 or older so we all have aches and pains.

Re: OT - old hands

David Walser

Interesting. I was doing some yard work and was stung by a couple of wasps on my left wrist. The stings certainly didn't make the joints in my wrist feel any better! I don't have arthritis. An arthritic joint must hurt a lot if a wasp sting is better in comparison.

Sting relief

John K Jordan

They say the bee sting doesn't hurt at all if the skin in iced first. Maybe ice down your hand next time before grabbing a wasp's nest and get back to us.

If you don't like the pain of stings, get the venom extractor, "The Extractor" sold by Sawyer Products. I keep one on the tractor, in my little 4wd utility truck, in the beekeepinng kit, in each car, in the house, in the barn, in the shop... I've probably given a dozen to people with small children who live in the country.

The thing is amazing - it pulls the venom out of the sting, the pain goes away, and the effects are minimized if you can use it quick enough. You can actually see a tiny drop of liquid come out of the skin. Just think - removing the venom is FAR better than topically treating the effects of the venom!

I have always been fairly sensitive to yellow jackets: got stung on the back of my hand and my entire arm swelled up to my shoulder. The next time I got stung I had The Extractor and used it - the only effect then was a red spot about the size of a quarter. Amazing.

I buy them at Walmart hanging in the camping section but you can get them elsewhere. They used to be just over $10.

https://www.amazon.com/Sawyer-Products-B4-Extractor-Pump/dp/B000AU9PEC

Good for venomous snakes too.

BTW, I was reminded recently there are NO poisonous snakes in the US. There are only venomous snakes. If you eat a rattlesnake you will not die. Well, not from eating the rattlesnake, anyway.

JKJ

Re: OT - old hands

mikeee12345

There is a big difference between bee stings and wasp or yellow jacket stings.

For thousands of years man has worked with bees to harvest honey and wax,

I would assume we have built up some immunity to the venom.

Re: Sting relief *LINK*

George Balock

John,

I find this product works great for the itching after the sting.

BTW, I don't have any connection to this product, just a satisfied user.

George


https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0015B2RAO/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1

Re: OT - old hands

John Jordan

Me too, Clay, but you know that. I had surgery on my left hand yesterday that is hopefully going to help. The best thing is to rub them on my wife when she's nice and warm (and nekkid).

I want that shirt

John

Re: Thanks for the reminder JK

Jorge

Keith,

The wild bees very seldom sting. The honey bees do to defend their hive. You don't need to put bees in the fridge, just place yourself close to the hive and maybe stretch your hand so it is in the flight line

Re: OT -wait until you turn 80😎

Hope i get to 80

Re: OT - old hands

clay foster

I'll give that a try.