DMSO (DiMethyl Sulfoxide)

DMSO originally came from a process of making paper from wood pulp. Currently, it is made in a laboratory for higher purity.  It has been safely used in veterinary medicine for joint and eye issues for many years.  People have also found it useful for many of the same ailments that were resolved in their animals. It is also used in sports medicine. Most commonly it has been used topically for injuries or arthritic joints.  From there many other uses have been studied. (See link at the bottom)

Basically, DMSO is pro-circulatory, a dissolver, a penetrant and anti-inflammatory. Although some recommend it can be taken internally, I would discourage that, because DMSO can thin the mucosal lining of the digestive track and result in GI irritation, which many people have reported (this would be dose dependent).  In alternative medicine, intravenous DMSO has been reported to reverse many incurable diseases, but for our purposes, applying it to the hands and the inner wrists is a gentle way to get DMSO into the blood.  Within five minutes of skin application, DMSO can be found in the blood, and within an hour it can be found in the bones, but it does not accumulate in the body and virtually none remains after a week of administration.  Toxicology studies have shown DMSO to be extremely safe, even at high dosages.  I would consider the maximum strength to be applied topically would be less than 40% DMSO.  Many books and websites giving DMSO recipes for every ailment under the sun, generally recommend higher than 40% but I believe the body responds better with lower concentrations (and more frequent applications) avoiding potential for possible health setbacks as well as local skin irritation. (Remember “The poison is in the dose”.)

To make a 35% DMSO solution, purchase a 70% pharmaceutical grade DMSO and pour half of that bottle out into another glass container, cover and set aside. Then fill the original bottle back up with filtered water. The mixture will get warm and when it has cooled, it is ready for use.  A dropperful can be placed in the palm of the hand and then rubbed into the hands and inner wrist surface for best absorption into the blood. This also helps arthritic joints in the wrist and fingers.  It can also be applied like this to other painful or arthritic joints By applying it did the muscles and tendons around the joints.  

(If you have, or can only find 99.9% DMSO, empty about 2/3rds of the bottle and follow instructions as described above.  Avoid sourcing DMSO from China.)

DMSO topically has usefulness for circulatory impairments such as in Raynauld’s and burns, including x-ray, sunburns and kitchen burns, in peripheral neuropathy, thrombophlebitis, and diabetic ulcers.  In a summary of DMSO uses, the 'Midwestern Doctor' reports that individuals who were applying DMSO for musculoskeletal, or pain issues often experienced a permanent improvement of stroke symptoms and other circulatory issues.  These changes, however, may take time but can occur with consistent application. 

Other studies showing good results for DMSO include Downs Syndrome, traumatic brain injury, and cases where misfolded proteins are at the root cause of the symptoms. 

For practitioners the approach could be to (1) test whether DMSO can make an improvement in a specific symptom, (2) where to apply it, (3) at what strength (%), (4) what dosage (df), (5) frequency of application, and perhaps, (6) if it would be beneficial to mix it with another ingredient.  Mixing DMSO with other substances can improve the absorption of those substances, but it can also impair the absorption of DMSO by binding to it. These things can be tested before the course of treatment begins.

Click here for a detailed article on the many studies and uses of DMSO with references