1,500 bee stings help MS sufferer

Saturday, August 28, 2010 by: David Gutierrez, staff writer
Tags: multiple sclerosis, bee stings, health news

(NaturalNews) Multiple sclerosis (MS)-patient Sami Chugg says that an experimental therapy involving deliberately stinging herself with bees was responsible for helping her reverse the course of the degenerative disease.

In MS, the immune system attacks the protective sheath around nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, disrupting nerve signals and leading to a variety of different symptoms. Chugg was bedridden and numb until she decided to take a chance on Bee Venom Therapy, also known as Apitherapy.

Researchers have speculated that the chemicals in bee venom can reduce pain and inflammation, and that they can stimulate healing both by reinvigorating the immune system and by distracting it from attacking the body's own nervous system.

"You use a pair of tweezers and get hold of a single bee," she said. "Then you gradually de-sensitize your body to the sting by injecting it in and out of your skin a few times. You have to be very careful, in case your body is prone to anaphylactic shock -- which can be fatal. You can't just walk in there and encourage the bees to sting you randomly."

The therapy must be performed by a trained practitioner, who can regulate the dosage of the venom to keep it safe and effective. In addition, the stings must be placed at specific points near the spine.

"Most people would be terrified by the prospect of being stung by a bee," Chugg said. "But when you have a condition like MS, that involves the numbing of the body, any kind of sensation is welcome -- even if it's from a bee sting."

After being stung roughly 1,500 times over the course of 18 months, Chugg regained feeling in her body and is now able to walk again

"Sadly bees are killed by stinging," Chugg said, "so you certainly only want to do this for a very good cause. But the relief it gave me was tremendous."

Chugg now campaigns for bee preservation.

Sources for this story include:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-12....