DMSO

Other Names: Dimethylis Sulfoxidum, Dimethyl Sulfoxide, Dimethyl Sulphoxide, Dimethylsulfoxide, Diméthylsulfoxyde, Dimetilsulfóxido, Methyl Sulphoxide, NSC-763, SQ-9453, Sulfoxyde de Diméthyl, Sulphinybismethane.
See also :

• DMSO and MSM
• Escharotic salves
• Sulfur

Dimethylsulfoxide, or DMSO, is a byproduct of wood processing for making paper. It is a liquid that resembles mineral oil and has a slightly garlicky odor. DMSO is used topically and orally for a variety of health-promoting purposes. Talk to your health care practitioner before using DMSO.

Special Precautions of DMSO

• DMSO has been shown to cause neural damage in animals, and the topical application of DMSO may result in a garlicky taste in the mouth.
• Don't use products that are not prescribed by your health professional. There is concern that some non-prescription DMSO products might be “industrial grade” and are not intended for human use. They can contain impurities that can cause health effects. To make matters worse, DMSO readily penetrates the skin so it carries these impurities rapidly into the body.
• Some side effects of taking DMSO by mouth or applying it to the skin include skin reactions, dry skin, headache, dizziness, drowsiness, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, breathing problems, vision problems, blood problems, and allergic reactions. DMSO also causes a garlic-like taste, and breath and body odor.
• Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Not enough is known about the use of DMSO during pregnancy and breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.
• Diabetes: There are reports that topical use of DMSO can change how insulin works in the body. If you use insulin to treat diabetes and also use DMSO, monitor your blood sugar closely. Insulin doses may need to be adjusted.
• Liver problems: DMSO might harm the liver. If you have liver conditions and use DMSO, be sure to get liver function tests every 6 months.
• Kidney problems: DMSO might harm the kidneys. Kidney function tests are recommended every 6 months if you use DMSO and have a kidney condition.
• DMSO may also interact negatively with certain drugs and it may cause dry skin, urine discoloration, agitation, low blood pressure, sedation and dizziness. Due to inadequate evidence for the safety and efficacy of DMSO, DMSO is not approved orally, for over-the counter use.
• Medications applied to the skin, eyes, or ears (Topical drugs) interacts with DMSO (DIMETHYLSULFOXIDE)
• Medications given as a shot (Injectable drugs) interacts with DMSO (DIMETHYLSULFOXIDE)
• Medications taken by mouth (Oral drugs) interacts with DMSO (DIMETHYLSULFOXIDE)

The benefits of DMSO are

When DMSO is applied to the skin or taken orally, it is rapidly absorbed and enters the bloodstream. The DMSO is then distributed through the circulatory system and eventually eliminated via urine. DMSO is thought to promote immune system health, and "Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation: Principles and Practice" states that DMSO has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and analgesic properties.

• Bladder infections (interstitial cystitis) when used as an FDA-approved product.
• Inflammatory bladder disease.
• Reduce Pain and Promote Healing : Due to the anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties, topical DMSO application can speed up the healing and reduce the pain of sprained ankles, pulled muscles and dislocated joints. According to Phyllis Balch in her book "Prescription for Nutritional Healing," DMSO may also treat musculoskeletal problems and sciatica and other back problems. It may also treat arthritis, but no clinical trials have been done to support the use of DMSO for arthritis.
• Interstitial cystitis, or IC, is a chronic, painful bladder disorder characterized by an inflamed or irritated bladder wall. The exact cause of interstitial cystitis is unknown, and there is no cure for it, but DMSO is approved as a prescription drug for the treatment of IC. To reduce pain and manage other IC symptoms such as urinary frequency and urgency, IC patients are administered a DMSO catheterization once weekly for at least six weeks, according to Reviews in Urology.
• to treat brain and spinal cord damage, Down syndrome, keloids, acne, burns, sinusitis, headaches, skin ulcers, herpes, cataracts and gastrointestinal upset, Balch writes.
• may reduce side effects from chemotherapy drugs.
• Cancer : it may also slow down the progression of cancer cells and be a useful adjunctive treatment for a variety of cancers. There is evidence that DMSO can cause cancerous cells to become benign. DMSO can pass through human skin like water and enter cells. It can also stop or slow the development of cancers, such as breast, skin, bladder, colon, and ovarian cancer. Some people use it for cancer prevention. DMSO is used to help patients in withdraw from conventional cancer treatment and is promoted as an immune system booster. (See also : Escharotic salves
• may relieve peripheral neuropathy, which is a condition characterized by pain or in an inability to control muscles due to a problem with the nerves that carry information to and from the brain and spinal cord to the rest of the body.
• When applied topically, repeatedly, it flattens a raised keloid scar. It also prevents the contracture of scar tissue that accompanies burns.
• Studies show that it protects against the tissue damage induced by radioactivity.
• as an excellent antifreeze, preventing tissue damage ordinarily caused by freezing conditions.
• It minimizes the swelling of the brain and spinal cord following traumatic injury.
• hemorrhoids : In the literature, there is one anecdotal study in which a physician used DMSO topically for hemorrhoids. By his report, a 70 percent solution of DMSO will dissolve blood-engorged hemorrhoids almost overnight. It may be worth trying.