Alan Lorenzo brings the sting to your home
Photo credit: Jacqueline Burt

The buzz of a stinging honeybee probably signals you to do one thing: Run away. Not so for Alan Lorenzo, traveling Bee Venom Therapist. A branch of apitherapy, Bee Venom Therapy is the therapeutic application of honeybee venom, through live bee stings, to relieve and heal various muscular-skeletal ailments such as MS, lupus and fibromyalgia. That's right - we said live bee stings.

"The pain of the sting only lasts about two minutes, then it tapers off to a dull ache," says Lorenzo, also a de facto beekeeper. As one of his own patients, he should know. Lorenzo discovered BVT in a quest to treat his own maladies, which ranged from bursitis to rheumatoid arthritis to herniated discs. 

"Over several years, I applied bee stings to various areas of my body and my pain was gradually eliminated," he says. "The success I had encouraged me to help others - it's an affordable healthcare treatment and it works for a lot of people who aren't getting better with traditional medicine."

Now a member of the American Apitherapy Society, Lorenzo trained with Dr. Theo Cherbuliez and Dr. Amber Rose to learn how to treat himself and others. He's been in business since 2003. "Bee Well Therapy" is based in Stamford, but Lorenzo makes house calls throughout Fairfield County and Westchester. 

Wondering how BVT works? (We bet you are.) Here goes: After a bee sting, the adrenal gland is stimulated to produce cortisol, a natural human hormone with anti-inflammatory properties. This triggers the immune system to start healing the injured area; meanwhile, endorphins (pain killers) kick in. Bee venom contains antiviral and antibacterial properties as well, but what Lorenzo calls the substance's most "remarkable" characteristic is the presence of the neurotransmitters dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine. By facilitating nerve transmission, these are helpful to people suffering from nerve disorders, which are notoriously difficult to treat. There's even evidence that bee venom can kill cancer cells. 

In a testimonial, former NY Mets Pitcher and Old Greenwich resident Craig Swan said: "In just a few weeks [of treatment with Lorenzo], bee venom therapy has helped relieve the arthritis in my knees so I can climb down stairs easier. It also improved intestinal function by stinging along an appendicitis surgery scar where nerves were damaged."

For a free phone consultation, call 203-322-7872. Still skittish? Check out a video demonstration of Lorenzo's BVT here.