Patients that undergo bee sting therapy need to understand how the bee venom works on the body. Bee venom contains melittin which is known to be an anti-inflammatory substance. For a patient with multiple sclerosis (MS) this can give them back some muscle coordination, help with their mobility, and relieve some of the pain and sensitivity that comes along with this disease.

MS is a difficult disease to treat and it often takes many different kinds of medications that the patient tries and fails on to find the right medication therapy. This is what leads many patients to try bee sting therapy to help relieve some of the symptoms of this very debilitating disease.

I had the pleasure of meeting a bee keeper when he removed several bee swarms from my yard. He told me of a woman with MS who sought him out so she could buy eight bees from him weekly for her bee sting therapy. He declined to sell them to her, but instead allowed her free therapy. When he first met her she couldn't walk, but after several weeks of therapy she was walking comfortably. I was so intrigued by his story I wrote a short story called "Vitamin Bee" that was published in Heroic Stories.

Bee sting therapy is also known as apitherapy in some medical circles. Bee venom contains many different components that can aid in various medical conditions, including MS. There are at least 18 different active ingredients in bee venom that may have medical benefits. Research is still being done to find the full effects of bee venom for patients with existing medical conditions.

Bee sting therapy is most effective when live bees are used and the venom is most effective during the spring and summer months when pollenization is in full swing. The venom during the late fall and winter months is not quite as potent. In some homeopathic preparations, a venom solution is used and is injected in such a way as to imitate the live bee sting.

When bee sting therapy is begun, it is important to first determine whether the patient has an allergy to the venom. This is determined by administering a small amount of the bee venom into the patient and then gradually increasing the dosage. Bee sting therapy is normally given three times a week in differing amounts until symptoms are relieved or treatment is ended because it's not working.

Other conditions that are treated with bee sting therapy include arthritis, spinal injuries, muscle injuries, and injuries that benefit from a decrease in inflammation. Although many medical practitioners claim the danger of this therapy is greater than the benefits that may be received, many patients swear by bee sting therapy for relieving their pain and allowing them to return to normal life.

Bee sting therapy is not something that patients should do themselves. It should be carefully administered and monitored by a medical professional that is familiar with this form of medicine. By using it properly and under the right conditions, it can give a patient back their life.