DMSO Uses and Benefits

What Does Dimethyl Sulfoxide Do?

DMSO relieves pain, reduces swelling, inflammation and much more. See 30 DMSO uses, from burns to scleroderma, plus directions, side effects, safety.

What is DMSO used for?

DMSO alternative pain relief is most frequently for muscles and joints. Applied to the skin, DMSO is an excellent anti-inflammatory and has many uses as a general pain reliever. It has been used with varying degrees of success in a great variety of medical ailments.

Possible applications include:

    amyloidosis

    arthritis

    athletic injuries

    back pain and disc problems

    burns

    bursitis

    cancer pain

    cardiovascular diseases

    cerebral edema

    cuts

    fractures (pain)

    frostbite

    frozen shoulder

    gouty arthritis

    hemorrhoids

    herpes

    injuries

    interstitial cystitis

    joint pain

    multiple sclerosis

    muscle spasms, including night-time muscle cramps

    neuritis

    osteoarthritis

    osteomyelitis

    peyronies disease

    phantom limb pain

    phlebitis

    post-operative pain

    prostatitis

    pruritis ani

    respiratory disorders

    rheumatoid arthritis

    sciatica

    scleroderma

    sprains, strains

    tendonitis

    trauma injuries

    urinary tract disorders

    varicose veins

    whiplash

    and more. 

Specific DMSO uses for selected applications are given below. Anything listed above but not covered below can be found with an Internet search on “condition DMSO” where “condition” is replaced with your problem.

Please read this entire page before starting to use DMSO, including the side effects and cautions at the end.

Note that, unlike prolotherapy, DMSO, also known as dimethyl sulfoxide, and also sometimes misspelled as DSMO, is not usually a cure but rather is used for symptomatic relief.

See this article: Medical use of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) from the U.S. National Institutes of Health regarding uses for DMSO.

How to use DMSO

DMSO uses for humans require consultation with your medical professional first! The following information is taken from the medical sources listed below.

Clean your hands and the area to be treated

Wash your hands and under your nails thoroughly before using topical DMSO. You should always clean the area for which you plan a DMSO use, just in case there is some harmful substance on your skin with a molecule small enough to go through. Note that only those substances that could penetrate by themselves if left on the skin long enough can be transported through (more quickly) by dimethyl sulfoxide. Bacteria and viruses are too large and thus are not able to pass through, and bacteria cannot grow in dimethyl sulfoxide of 25 percent strength or more.

Test a patch first

DMSO can irritate the skin, so before the first treatment, apply it to a small area on your arm to test your sensitivity. Robert J. Rowen, M.D. recommends a 70 percent solution, or, for fair-skinned or sensitive people, a 50 percent solution of liquid, gel or cream.

DMSO application instructions: How to apply DMSO topically

DMSO application can involve applying it directly to your skin with your hands. If you prefer not to use your hands, you can use a cotton ball or a paint brush. If you are using liquid dimethyl sulfoxide, allow it to dry for about 20 minutes. Then you can wipe off any excess. If you are using cream or gel, be sure it has soaked in.

Remember, DMSO is a solvent that can dissolve other substances, so make sure your skin is dry before you put on your clothes. So far, the only fabric I’ve had a problem with is with acetate, which it will quickly melt into a hard glob.

DMSO dosage

In applying the dimethyl sulfoxide for DMSO alternative pain relief, apply it to an area larger than where the pain is. If your knee is painful, it is recommended that you apply it to six inches above and below your knee, all around the circumference of your knee. If your hand hurts, apply it all the way to the middle of your forearm, and so on.

Most of it will penetrate within 15 minutes, and the pores of the skin may be open for another half hour or so. Just to be safe, it is recommended that you avoid contact with all toxic substances for three hours after DMSO use.

There is no need to worry unduly about DMSO’s ability to open the pores and penetrate the skin, according to my sources below. Other products on the market also go through the skin, such a patches for nicotine, seasickness medication, and creams/lotions that deliver such things as MSM or capsacin for arthritis through the skin. With any of these products, you should avoid exposure to toxic substances after you have applied the cream or just after you have removed the patch.

Dabbing it onto your skin may reduce irritation from DMSO use. However, rubbing it in may help it to work quicker and make the effects last longer. You might want to experiment with the amount you use to see how it affects your pain. By experimenting, you’ll find the minimum amount that eases the pain.

DMSO Treatment

Frequency of DMSO use depends on whether your problem is acute (something that happens, gets fixed, and does not come back, like a sprained ankle) or whether it is chronic (ongoing, long-term pain, as with arthritis).

Although it relieves pain in both acute and chronic arthritis, DMSO for alternative pain relief works best in the acute forms. Dimethyl sulfoxide works for arthritis because it is an anti-inflammatory and because it reduces autoimmune antibodies that damage or destroy tissue. It also prevents free radicals from destroying lubricating fluid in the joints.

Acute conditions: For acute conditions, my sources recommend that you apply it every two hours for six to eight hours immediately after the injury occurs. Following that, for the next five days or more, apply DMSO every four to six hours. Most of the benefit from DMSO uses will come in the first three weeks.

Chronic conditions: For chronic conditions, it takes longer to take effect. Although you may notice some easing of pain right away, it may take six to eight weeks, or even six months to a year in some cases, for the maximum benefit to be achieved. It depends on the person and the condition. One application a day is recommended.

The length of time that DMSO use is necessary to relieve pain will vary. In some cases, injection (by an enlightened doctor) of dimethyl sulfoxide is indicated, along with topical application. To find such a doctor, contact acam.org, “the voice of integrative medicine.”

Take some time off regularly from DMSO use

Dimethyl sulfoxide exits the body in about 24 hours. Nevertheless, in both acute and chronic cases, it is recommended that you take some time off on a regular basis, say two days in a row each week. For example, just take Saturday and Sunday off every week. If you are using it daily, long term, take two to four weeks off, in a row, every six months. Or, you could do 30 days on and 30 days off.

DSMO uses

Here are some DMSO uses, according to the sources listed below.

DMSO for pain

DMSO treatment is most frequently for pain relief. It is a better anti-inflammatory than aspirin and is safer than steroids. It is usually used topically, on the skin.

In addition, you get the good effects without the bad effects of narcotics (like morphine), which include loss of sensation, drowsiness, nausea and other nasty side effects.

It gives relief for both acute and chronic pain, and that relief may last for six hours or more. A little bit goes a long way, and, unlike other remedies, the body does not develop a tolerance for it, requiring increasing amounts. If anything, it is just the reverse; less and less is needed.

Here’s my DMSO testimonial: DMSO uses for me always involve alternative pain relief. I have used it successfully for pain in my elbow, knees and for the tendonitis in my right foot. And one night, when I woke up with pinging pain in my lower abdomen, I prayed for healing, and then it occurred to me that if the pain was due to inflammation that it might work (thank you God, for that revelation). I applied it and the pain lessened and lessened and it was finally gone in 15 minutes and I went back to sleep.

Note that I had already had this abdominal pain, which happens only occasionally, checked out by my doctor and determined that nothing was wrong.

I used it once a day for the chronic tendonitis in my elbow, and it took about two to three months for all of the pain to go away. The good news is that when I got lazy and stopped using it, the pain didn’t come back for many months. Remember that it doesn’t work for every kind of pain, although I have had 100 percent success with it, so far.

The professional researcher/reporter who writes this site has no medical training.  Use DMSO only under the supervision of a doctor who is skilled in its application, and only use pharmaceutical grade, not industrial grade. Everyone is different, and what might be good for some people might be bad for you. The information, suggestions and instructions below are from the sources listed at the end of the page.

Other DMSO uses

Burns

A 50 to 100 percent solution, applied as quickly as possible after the burn, can ease pain and diminish scarring.

Bursitis

Dimethyl sulfoxide relieves acute bursitis 80 to 90 percent of the time. Even in chronic bursitis with calcium deposits, dimethyl sulfoxide brings good results in weeks to months, and the calcium deposits eventually fade away.

DMSO research: A study (John and Laudahn, 1967) involving 293 patients with acute bursitis showed complete relief in 136 patients, partial relief in 121, and 36 with no change. In the same study, of 782 patients with chronic bursitis, 345 enjoyed complete relief, 321 showed partial remission, and 116 saw no change in three months. The protocol was five milliliters of 90 percent solution to the affected and surrounding area two to four times daily.

Frostbite

People using DMSO even up to 24 hours after the frostbite showed total recovery.

Frozen shoulder

A 70 percent solution of dimethyl sulfoxide can relieve pain and increase mobility. Apply for up to a month.

Gouty Arthritis

This disease, which affects mostly adult males, is caused by a nutritional and metabolic disorder. DMSO research: In a study (John and Laudahn, 1967) of 19 patients, 16 enjoyed total elimination of symptoms and three had partial remission. In another study (Blumenthal and Fuchs, 1967) of five patients, two had excellent results, two had good results and one saw no change. Dosage is usually 5 milliliters of 90 percent solution applied topically to the painful area and the surrounding area two to four times daily until relief of symptoms occurs.

Hemorrhoids

Apply a 70 percent solution to the hemorrhoid for quick relief of pain and swelling.

Injuries

Strains, sprains, bruising, bone fractures, whiplash, athletic injuries etc: DMSO produces really impressive results with these types of injuries with its anti-inflammatory capabilities and its ability to relieve pain and increase circulation. The sooner the treatment after the injury, the better the result.

There is usually pain relief in 20 minutes or less, and pain and swelling often go away almost completely within a few hours of application. Topical application of a 90 percent solution two to four times daily is the usual protocol. “I’ve seen swollen ankles shrink in size in less than an hour,” says Robert Jay Rowen, M.D., who practices in San Jose, California.

Interstitial cystitis

In the study that led to FDA approval, 64 percent of the men and 54 percent of the women obtained relief of symptoms.

Muscle spasms, including nighttime muscle cramps

Dimethyl sulfoxide helps remove toxins and waste material and improves circulation in the muscles to help relieve muscle spasms.

Neuritis

The pain of the this nerve inflammation is relieved from 50 to 95 percent of the time.

DMSO for arthritis

DMSO can relieve joint pain, increase range of motion and increase grip strength. Many studies have been conducted, both in the U.S. and in other countries, on the effects of dimethyl sulfoxide on arthritis. All found it to relieve pain and inflammation.

DMSO research: In the largest study, in Germany, over 1641 patients were given two to five milliliters of dimethyl sulfoxide topically two to four times daily for the first week, then twice daily for the remainder of two to six months, until remission of symptoms occurred.  Eight hundred fifty one patients enjoyed full remission, 553 had partial relief, and 237 reported no benefit.

In another study (Steinberg 1967) with 152 patients, a 90 percent solution was applied topically four times a day to the joints and surrounding areas. Patients reported considerable pain relief just minutes after application, lasting four to six hours. Almost 85 percent reported significant results.

In a Russian test, scientists concluded that “the use of DMSO for inflammatory and degenerative joint disease is well founded. Treatment with DMSO in different combinations is tolerated well by patients and adverse side effects are seldom encountered.” Dimethyl sulfoxide is most effective for those who have had arthritis for a short time.

Although it relieves pain in both acute and chronic arthritis, it works best in the acute forms. Dimethyl sulfoxide works here because it is an anti-inflammatory and because it reduces autoimmune antibodies that damage or destroy tissue. It also prevents free radicals from destroying lubricating fluid in the joints.

DMSO works best of all in osteoarthritis. Patients of all ages get good results, no matter how long or how severe the condition. Larger joints–hip, knee, shoulder–may require longer treatment. Dimethyl sulfoxide injections (rather than application to the skin) may be indicated in really severe conditions.

Peyronies disease and DMSO

Topical application to the penis removes pain about 50 percent of the time.

Phantom limb pain

Apply topically.

Phlebitis

Relieves some of the pain and superficial clotting when applied to the skin.

Post-operative pain

Topical treatment.

Prostatitis

About 75 percent of those treated may get relief from associated pain.

Pruritis ani

Up to 90 percent of those affected find relief from rectal itching and pain from the application of 70 percent dimethyl sulfoxide to the anal area.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

DMSO produces best results with early treatment in rheumatoid arthritis. It is not a cure for RA, but it gives relief in the majority of cases. In severe cases, a series of intravenous infusions of dimethyl sulfoxide may be given. Check with  your doctor.

Studies in Germany and Japan showed significant results in over half of patients–from complete remission of symptoms to less joint pain, better grip strength and better range of motion–using topical applications of 90 percent solution for six months in the German study and four weeks in the Japanese study.  Sometimes it works for RA, sometimes it doesn’t, but considering the disabling effects of that disease, it may be worth a try.

Sciatica

Apply topically.

Scleroderma

Two studies, one at the Cleveland Clinic and one in Russia, found that DMSO brings the best results of any kind of therapy for this condition. More than 50 percent of those treated showed major improvement.

Sunburn

Apply to the burned area.

Tendonitis

The pain of tennis elbow, golf elbow, tendonitis of the foot/ankle are eased when dimethyl sulfoxide is applied regularly. Sometimes it takes several months. A study (Steinberg, 1967) of 50 patients showed significant results in 94 percent of patients. A 90 percent solution was applied to the area every four hours at the beginning, then decreased for the remainder of the treatment period. Patients usually found relief within ten to fifteen minutes following the treatment.

Varicose veins

Those treated with a 70 to 90 percent solution applied to the skin experienced prompt relief from pain, cramping and swelling.

DMSO uses not FDA approved

When drug companies tried to patent dimethyl sulfoxide, beginning with studies to obtain official FDA approval, the FDA strongly resisted. Since the necessary studies to get FDA approval were (and are) very costly, and because of the FDA’s mysterious, unexplained hostility, the drug companies gave up.

Only one FDA approved DMSO use exists: to treat a bladder condition called interstitial cystitis, for which no other effective treatment exists. Except for this one approved treatment, dimethyl sulfoxide does not have FDA approval for use in human medical conditions.

Here is a lengthy but easy-to-read article on uses of DMSO from Life Extension magazine, July 2007: The Untapped Healing Potential of DMSO https://www.lifeextension.com/magazine/2007/7/cover_dmso

It was their cover story, and it is well worth your time.

DMSO safety

You might think that there would be dangers in DMSO use, but it is remarkably safe. One of the reasons that it’s not more widely used today is that the medical profession disdains panaceas, and although it doesn’t cure everything, there are so many DMSO uses, that is, it has a positive effect on so many conditions, that it seems too good to be true.

And, of course, there is the major drawback that it is a natural substance and cannot be patented, thereby limiting profits. Finally, the mysterious resistance of the FDA nearly eliminated it as a widely-known, mainstream remedy, despite the published evidence of its safety and effectiveness.

Discovered by a Russian researcher in 1866, DMSO uses didn’t exland until almost a century later, when horse trainers used it on injured animals and sports trainers followed suit with their athletes.

In the 1950s, an M.D. at the University of Oregon, Stanley W. Jacobs, M.D., discovered that it had the ability to pass through the skin’s barriers to both water-based and oil-based substances and take itself (and other substances, if desired) through the skin into the bloodstream, without causing any damage to the skin.

On April 3, 1965, in an editorial, the New York Times called it “the closest thing to a [health] wonder produced in the 1960s.” In 1980, the TV show 60 Minutes did a story on DMSO, featuring startling, positive testimonials from users.

Dimethyl sulfoxide has been widely used for over 30 years, and a number of human studies have been done. At the time of the writing of this report, there are no studies indicating that DMSO use is toxic during short-term use with the recommended amounts.

Over 100,000 articles have been written about medical DMSO uses. In 1963, when the FDA approved human testing, all studies showed it to be safe and non-toxic. One study revealed changes in the lens of the eye in specific lab animals; however, when a number of human studies were done around the world in the late sixties, no human eye damage was found.

After two human studies done on human volunteers in prison, Dr. Richard Brobyn stated: “A very extensive study of DMSO use was conducted at three to 30 times the usual treatment dosage in humans for three months. DMSO appears to be a very safe drug for human administration, and, in particular, the lens changes that occur in certain mammalian species do not occur in man under this very high, prolonged treatment regimen. I am very glad to be able to present these data at this time, so that we can permanently dispel the myth that DMSO is in any way a toxic or dangerous drug.”

What is DMSO?

Dimethyl sulfoxide is a colorless liquid byproduct of the process to make wood into paper. DMSO uses include application as an industrial solvent.

Early human studies showed that dimethyl sulfoxide had an amazing ability to relieve a variety of kinds of pain and even quicken healing of muscle injuries and burns. In fact, there is no better substance available that you can just rub on your skin to relieve pain. One study at the Emory University School of medicine showed that it was equivalent to morphine for relieving pain in rats, and the relief lasted up to three times longer!