Wednesday, February 13, 2008

'Bee Lady' Uses Stings to Treat MS

Bee Sting Therapy: Healing from the Hive
Discovery Health

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a disabling illness that affects well over one million adults worldwide.
For many sufferers, MS means a lifetime of taking medications that offer little relief for a body that progressively gets worse. Such was the case for Pat Wagner of Waldorf, Md., until her mother suggested that she get stung — by a bee. Pat is now known as the "Bee Lady" for her practice of using bee stings to treat the debilitating symptoms of MS. For Pat, it's been a miracle, one that she's been happily sharing with people from all over the world — by stinging them…

Q: How does bee venom therapy work?

A: Bee Venom therapy (BVT) uses bee venom to relieve the symptoms associated with multiple sclerosis. A bee is held to a person's skin and allowed to sting, releasing its "venom" into the recipient. The principal active component of bee venom is melittin, a powerful anti-inflammatory substance, said to be 100 times more potent than hydrocortisone.

Melittin also helps to activate the body's adrenal glands, which causes one's own natural healing response. Another component, adolapin, is known for its painkilling properties. These compounds seem to greatly improve vision, coordination, mobility, and sensitivity to touch, among other things, in MS patients. They also decrease pain, can add to a feeling of overall well-being, and even boost energy levels...

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