DMSO (For Muscle Tension)

I've been applying DMSO (Dimethyl sulfoxide) topically for the past couple of months for severe muscle tension.  I now feel confident enough to say that it has helped loosen things up a notch.  I'm a particularly stubborn case, so for me to notice even the tiniest of improvement is *huge* (still a long way to go though).

 

I'll keep this post short and sweet for now and let everyone do their own research.  Note, there is some controversy surrounding DMSO and there are safety measures to be taken.  From my own comprehensive googling (and the severity of my symptom), I obviously felt comfortable enough to use it.  But caveat emptor, do your own research and decide for yourself.  FYI, the products I'm using are by Jacob Lab (Dr Stanley Jacob, "The Father of DMSO").

 

I can try and expand more if there's any interest.  Also, if anyone else has used it, I'd be very interested to hear your thoughts/experiences - both positive and/or negative.

I would be cautious with this product. It has only been cleared for

To date, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has officially approved the use of DMSO in humans for only one purpose: to treat interstitial cystitis. https://www.healthline.com/health/what-is-dmso#research3

What is DMSO?

 

DMSO (dimethyl sulfoxide) is a simple organic compound found in most animals and plants. Most DMSO is produced as a by-product of the wood and paper manufacturing industry. It has been in use as a commercial solvent since 1953.

 

You can buy it as a liquid. It is cheap, cannot be patented,

and has many healing and therapeutic properties.

Approximately 10,000 articles have been written on its medical and clinical properties.

 

from this article....below.. In australia we have it with aloe vera added

 

https://www.biovea.net/au/product_detail.aspx?PID=3788&TI=GGLAU&C=N&gclid=Cj0KCQjwybvPBRDBARIsAA7T2khCv8Nf83Jjh28y2biI8N04oEyxTxD1IxTis8ZvJaB--BGPe1GMd80aAtQ6EALw_wcB

 

https://growyouthful.com/remedy/DMSO-dimethyl-sulfoxide.php

I would be cautious with this product. It has only been cleared for

To date, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has officially approved the use of DMSO in humans for only one purpose: to treat interstitial cystitis. https://www.healthline.com/health/what-is-dmso#research3

 

Hi Rose. 

 

The FDA is actually at the heart of the decades long controversy (think marijuana, for example).  It does also happen to be used on humans off-label, under medical supervision, to treat various other conditions.  No different from all the antipsychotics, antidepressants, and other dangerous meds we see abundantly being used for non-FDA-approved purposes.  Remember, also, the supplement industry is not FDA regulated. 

 

In any case, everyone needs to decide for themselves how much stock they want to put in an FDA stamp of approval in general.  Personally, it carries no weight with me at all and, IMO, that's not a good reason to be cautious with it.

 

One really would need to do a bit more reading than just glossing over one article from a commercial website.  And, as I say, if anyone has a genuine interest in perhaps trying it, I can go to the trouble of elaborating more at that time. 

 

 

What is DMSO?

 

DMSO (dimethyl sulfoxide) is a simple organic compound found in most animals and plants. Most DMSO is produced as a by-product of the wood and paper manufacturing industry. It has been in use as a commercial solvent since 1953.

 

You can buy it as a liquid. It is cheap, cannot be patented,

and has many healing and therapeutic properties.

Approximately 10,000 articles have been written on its medical and clinical properties.

 

from this article....below.. In australia we have it with aloe vera added

 

https://www.biovea.net/au/product_detail.aspx?PID=3788&TI=GGLAU&C=N&gclid=Cj0KCQjwybvPBRDBARIsAA7T2khCv8Nf83Jjh28y2biI8N04oEyxTxD1IxTis8ZvJaB--BGPe1GMd80aAtQ6EALw_wcB

 

https://growyouthful.com/remedy/DMSO-dimethyl-sulfoxide.php

 

Hey merrysage, yes, it's widely available on the internet.  Interestingly, I don't know that I've come across an aloe vera combo before.  Thanks for sharing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

abcd,

 

I was interested in trying this for my muscle, body pain and severe rigidity. Can you elaborate more what your problems have been and how DMSO has helped with them. 

 

Thanks for your help, Marcia

I have a good friend who's used it for years and her mother before her used it for decades, lived into her 90s.  It's a carrier, so if you're using it topically, be sure your skin is clean because it'll take internally whatever's on your skin.  We use it to help our salve get deeper into the tissues.

I have a good friend who's used it for years and her mother before her used it for decades, lived into her 90s.  It's a carrier, so if you're using it topically, be sure your skin is clean because it'll take internally whatever's on your skin.  We use it to help our salve get deeper into the tissues.

 

Thanks for sharing, Chal.  Dr. Jacob, the guy who pioneered and fought for the use of DMSO, passed away a couple of years ago at the age of 91.  He, apparently, used it every day for decades.  (Don't want to turn this into a sales thread, though, lol, people need to read up for themselves).

 

Dr. Stanley Jacob, surgeon and researcher at Oregon Health Science University, believes in the power of DMSO (dimethyl sulfoxide). Any why shouldn't he? He founded the use of DMSO for a wide range of uses, including the treatment of interstitial cystitis (IC). Dr. Jacob has also been swallowing a teaspoon of DMSO every day for the past 32 years, and hasn't had a cold or flu during that time.

https://www.dmso.org/articles/interstitialcystitis/icu.htm

 

Do you know what condition/s your friends were using it for?

 

 

 

abcd,

 

I was interested in trying this for my muscle, body pain and severe rigidity. Can you elaborate more what your problems have been and how DMSO has helped with them. 

 

Thanks for your help, Marcia

 

Hi Marcia, I have to come back, and will respond in detail, okay, not ignoring you.  Short version, severe 24/7 upper body muscle tension, i.e. from top of head/face down to neck/shoulders/upper traps.  There's no doubt it's doing something positive for me or I wouldn't have posted.  Not a miracle (YET - fingers crossed) but I've been in this deal for a long time, so I have to be realistic that I won't see overnight results.

 

Hang in, will come back. 

abcd,

 

Thanks for getting back to me and helping me out.  I placed an order with Amazon and will be getting the DMSO Sunday. 

 

I have severe pain & muscle rigidity in my body but harder hit in head, neck, face, eyes, teeth, back and shoulders.  Can I put the DMSO in one location and will it work on my whole body.  I am not sure how you are using it since you are in severe upper body muscle tension in a lot of areas, too.

 

Thank you again, Marcia

 

 

Hey Marcia, sorry for the delay.  Darn symptoms, it often takes me much longer to respond than I'd like, but wanted you to have the info in time for your shipment.

 

So, anyhow, let me try and give you the full low-down on my experience.

 

I've actually used topical DMSO sporadically for several years now, but had never trialed it regularly/consistently the way I'm doing it this time.  I apply it once/day, needing to take a day off here and there to give my skin a break.  I've been using only the 99.98% pure DMSO solution this time (ran out of the gel) and along the way experimenting with different percentages and combining it with other topicals such as 99% aloe vera gel/cold pressed castor oil/organic avocado oil/etc. in attempts to make it gentler on the skin.  I've just recently started absorbing magnesium flakes in the solution.  I've had to settle on a 50:50 ratio DMSO-distilled water as anything higher in solution formula is too much of a skin irritant for me when using it daily. 

 

I make up small batches at a time and apply it using a paintbrush (long handle for good reach).  I apply it very generously on the lower occipital muscles, the SCM (sternocleidomastoid), back of neck, shoulders and upper-mid back.  Note, as it starts to dry (within about 3-5 mins), so it can start itching/prickling, the higher percentage solution for me was intolerable, the prickling was super intense, I could barely last 5-10 mins, yikes!  I try to leave it on for 20-30 mins or as long as I can stand it.  When 5 mins is a stretch, lol, that's when I know to take a day off.

 

A tip for fast relief if necessary: 

Apply either 99% aloe gel - or - pure cold pressed castor oil - or - magnesium gel.  Calms things down very quickly for me.

 

In the past, the gels I've experimented with have been the 70% and 90% - all Jacob Lab products.  I felt the most comfortable going with Stanley Jacob's company as he was the passionate guru after all, but I think they may be winding down business since his passing, so will need to source a different brand.  I see his 99.98% solution is no longer available.  For peace of mind I'll only consider pharmaceutical grade.  Can dig up the info I found on pharma grade vs. industrial, if you're interested.  The gel for me is a lot gentler on the skin and obviously easier to apply, but the solution allows more flexibility. 

 

The main area I've noticed the big difference in is, interestingly, my temples, that tight forehead band.  The improvement in that area is significant.  In fact, I notice it more now when I have a bad day than when I have a better day, always used to be the other way around, meaning better days were so rare.  The extreme muscle pulling in the temples/eyes makes standing for any length of time a nightmare and I feel very unsure/unsteady on my feet, just "off".  The difference in my footing now is huge, I can "almost" jay walk again with confidence, lol, and just step on and off a low curb like a normal person, without fear of stumbling.  Oh, and up and down stairs too, big difference.  I'm going to remain guarded about the other muscle groups and not talk about the blissful couple of days in a row I had recently where the occipitals didn't feel like they had blocks of concrete in them.  Where it has been disappointing so far is with the nerve-type pain I get on my right side occipitals/neck/shoulder/back/arm.  It gives less than an hour immediate relief after application, but nothing to report, unfortunately, regarding any overall improvement.  Yet.

 

Lastly, as Chal points out, and which you'll have read about - Be sure to use it on very clean skin as it's such a powerful skin penetrant and can absorb/carry other substances with it.

 

I really hope this helps you get started, Marcia.  I'll come back later regarding your question about whether it'll work on the whole body, am all typed out now, but will throw down a couple of links.  Curious which brand/formula you purchased.  Good luck, I soooo hope it works for you, this muscle stuff is not for the wussies, so darn debilitating.  Let me know if any other questions, okay. 

 

Just stumbled upon this.  Interesting.  Apparently in 2011, Canada revised their Food and Drug Regulations - Schedule F, to allow nonprescription status for DMSO use in humans and pets. 

 

It looks as if there's presently only one company in North America with a legal license to sell medicinal grade DMSO products, and their pricing is super high.  Available online as well as retail locations including Walmart.  Well, that's progress. 

 

 

"Manufacturers will be able to apply for market authorization for products containing the exempted strengths, uses, routes of administration or dosages of these medicinal ingredients as natural health products pursuant to the Natural Health Products Regulations once the regulatory amendment comes into force. There are no known market-authorized health products containing these medicinal ingredients whose status will be affected by this regulatory amendment.

 

Description of the medicinal ingredients:

 

Dimethyl sulfoxide — The current listing in Part Ⅰ for dimethyl sulfoxide (also referred to as DMSO) is revised to retain prescription status for dimethyl sulfoxide for veterinary use, or when sold for the treatment of interstitial cystitis or scleroderma in humans. All other human uses for dimethyl sulfoxide at any strength and in any dosage form are exempt from prescription status. Dimethyl sulfoxide is found in many natural sources such as broad beans, alfalfa and garlic.

 

Drugs containing dimethyl sulfoxide for human use are available in Canada with a prescription for treatment of interstitial cystitis (a urinary bladder condition) and scleroderma (abnormal growth of connective tissue that supports the skin). Several products are currently available as prescription drugs for veterinary use to treat conditions such as ear inflammation in dogs. These products would retain prescription status.

 

Dimethyl sulfoxide is sold as a prescription medicinal ingredient (without exemptions) in the United States (US), the United Kingdom (UK) and Australia. Revising the listing for DMSO on Schedule F results in the retention of prescription status when the ingredient is sold for specific indications that require diagnosis and treatment by a practitioner while at the same time allowing exemptions for nonprescription drug products containing DMSO that come from natural sources such as garlic and alfalfa that would not require practitioner intervention.

 

Regulations Amending the Food and Drug Regulations (1656 — Schedule F)

http://www.gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p2/2011/2011-12-07/html/sor-dors275-eng.html

I have this but haven’t put it to good use. I’d like to try it orally but I’m concerned of course.