DMSO

See also : DMSO and MSM
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. 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.

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.

• 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.
• DMSO has been used to treat brain and spinal cord damage, Down syndrome, keloids, acne, burns, sinusitis, headaches, skin ulcers, herpes, cataracts and gastrointestinal upset, Balch writes.
• DMSO may reduce side effects from chemotherapy drugs.
• it may also slow down the progression of cancer cells and be a useful adjunctive treatment for a variety of cancers.
• DMSO 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.
• It is used 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.