Title: Bee Sting Therapy for Multiple Sclerosis
Headings: Bee Sting Therapy for Multiple Sclerosis
Bee Sting Therapy for Multiple Sclerosis
Questionable Benefits and Definite Risks Associated With Using Bee's Venom
How Bee Therapy Works
What Happens During Treatment
Effectiveness of Bee Sting Therapy
Risks of Bee Sting Therapy
Death
Optic Neuritis
Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis
A Word From Verywell

Content: Bee Sting Therapy for Multiple Sclerosis
Brain & Nervous System
Multiple Sclerosis
Complementary Therapies
Bee Sting Therapy for Multiple Sclerosis
Questionable Benefits and Definite Risks Associated With Using Bee's Venom
By
Julie Stachowiak, PhD
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Julie Stachowiak, PhD, is the author of the Multiple Sclerosis Manifesto, the winner of the 2009 ForeWord Book of the Year Award, Health Category. Learn about our editorial process
Julie Stachowiak, PhD
Medically reviewed by
Medically reviewed by Anita C. Chandrasekaran, MD, MPH on March 29, 2021
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Anita Chandrasekaran, MD, MPH, is board-certified in internal medicine and rheumatology and currently works as a rheumatologist at Hartford Healthcare Medical Group in Connecticut. Learn about our Medical Review Board
Anita C. Chandrasekaran, MD, MPH
on March 29, 2021
Table of Contents
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Table of Contents
How It Works
Treatment
Effectiveness
Risks
Bee sting therapy, also referred to as “bee venom therapy,” is pretty much just what it sounds like—getting stung by bees in a controlled setting. More specifically, bee sting therapy is a type of “apitherapy,” a term which refers to the use of bee products to treat medical conditions. Other forms of apitherapy include the use of bee pollen, propolis (a waxy substance produced by bees), raw honey, and royal jelly. 1 ﻿
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How Bee Therapy Works
It's believed that bee sting therapy works by using the patient's own body to reduce inflammation. The theory is that because the bee stings produce inflammation, the body mounts an anti-inflammatory response. Presumably, this would then work to reduce inflammation in other parts of the body, such as in the brain and spinal cord where the protective myelin sheath surrounding nerve fibers is attacked by the immune system in a person with MS. 2 ﻿
What Happens During Treatment
Bee sting practitioners include nurses, acupuncturists, naturopaths, and interested laypersons, including beekeepers. Although, some people just order some bees and perform the sessions themselves.