the DMSO that I use: link
Since my Long Covid battle, I’ve come a long way on DMSO – we’re best buds now. And I keep discovering new and amazing uses for DMSO. For example, about a month ago: Literally, nothing works to get rid of my dairy-related headaches – but DMSO worked! Yay! More on that below.
For starters: what IS DMSO: Dimethyl Sufloxide (DMSO) is a byproduct of the paper making process. Yay. There are several theories about how it works, but very little understanding. Long story short, it’s basically the closest thing I’ve found to a universal remedy. Mind-blowing. In short, it helps things flow – helps your body get things where they need to be. But, the downside is that it helps things flow – it carries the bad and the good. So be careful not to use it in conjunction with exposure to toxins – oil-change hands, artificial dyes, alcohol, etc.
Is it safe?
Other than skin burns for waaaaaay overdose-applied amounts, there are no known adverse reactions to DMSO if topically applied or ingested. The main reported side effect of DMSO is a Herxheimer reaction. If that happens, it’s a good thing – that indicates toxin clearance and bad cell dieoff. Consider lowering the dosage and spacing it out more. (*there are known adverse effects for DMSO administered intravenously, probably due to too much all at once, chemical burn – so don’t inject yourself).
If you’re interested in knowing more about DMSO, you can find some fantastic articles on it by A Midwestern Doctor (he’s got several great posts on it – DMSO is one of those fascinating advances that have been suppressed by the FDA/Pharmaghanda machine).
In short: DMSO is like Homer Price’s ever-so-much-more-so. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, ignore that last sentence – it’s an amazing carrier that shuttles everything around your body, especially oxygen. Which, if your body could have everything perfectly flowing and uninjured all the time, you’d be 100% healthy all the time.
I primarily use it topically and orally, especially in conjunction with Sauna (it’s like the chemical equivalent of a Sauna – helps your body ebb and flow to get things where it needs to be – somehow, apparently, they also compound each other’s effects).
One thing that DMSO is phenomenal at is protecting cells from death – in fact, the main industrial use of DMSO is in the medical industry to preserve tissue or cells for research. DMSO is so helpful in its protective effects, that it’s been demonstrated in many cases to help alleviate or even nearly eliminate Down’s Syndrome effects – the injuries stemming from the misplaced chromosome.
So, if you suspect you have an injury resulting from a genetic cause or genotoxic cause: I would (a) do AIP, and (b) apply DMSO to the area you suspect will be most helpful.
I recently found that applying DMSO like a band across my forehead (5-10 drops-ish) is the only thing that will (mostly) relieve my dreaded dairy-related headaches. Voila. And, as an added amazing bonus, it happens in (literally) about 5-10 seconds. Mind blown.
I’ve also given myself magnesium toxicity with DMSO – careful. Your armpits and groin are the most absorptive parts of your body. I applied DMSO, then high-concentration magnesium lotion to my armpits, then did sauna, on an empty stomach – and an hour later, was having a nightmarish meltdown that comes with magnesium toxicity (I’ve had it before so I was able to identify it). Won’t do that again – but it underscores the effectiveness of DMSO as a carrier that helps bring in whatever it’s topically paired with.
Dose: I’ve tried a range of doses with DMSO. I went from a cautious 1-2 drops, to 5-10-15 drops. I don’t notice any adverse effects, and I’ve become relaxed about my dose: whatever. The more the merrier, within reason (I keep it small).
Skin “Burns”: speaking of adverse effects, if you use 99% DMSO on your skin, you may experience redness, itchiness, and a burning sensation. I’ve had this many many times, and every single time it goes away in about an hour. Whatever. But I’ve ALSO noticed that sometimes I don’t have this. The only correlation I’ve noticed is that if something is off/unhealthy (sickness, feeling icky, been eating sloppy, etc.) then 99% DMSO on skin irritates me. If I’m feeling tip-top, getting lots of sun, eating super clean, etc. – DMSO doesn’t seem to both my skin. Not sure why.
My Dastardly Dairy Headaches: I recently discovered that DMSO is the only thing that kicks my stupid dairy-related headaches. As I’m (*was; restarting from scratch now, long story) getting back dairy, occasionally I’ll get a horrific blinding dairy headache that is literally crippling. DMSO applied across my temples is the only thing that relieves the headache, by about 80% – and it does so within about 5-10 seconds.
In addition to what you apply it with, I’ve also noticed that where you apply DMSO makes a difference (as well as the dilution concentration, if you dilute it – I occasionally dilute mine to 80%, 20% water; use a dropper). If you try and nothing seems to happen, try again, on a different area, with a different dilution, and with a different adjunct (i.e. essential oil, colloidal silver, etc.)
My favorite adjuncts: colloidal silver, tallow, magnesium lotion.
For adjuncts: apply DMSO first, then your adjunct. Enjoy.
Caution: DMSO will amplify negative as well as positive adjuncts. If you drink alcohol before/after taking it (say, 12 hours on either side), you’ll get smashed way quicker than you might think. I also used DMSO once, on one side of my back, before using a Vitamin D lamp (Joovy) – the side I didn’t use DMSO was unperturbed, but the side I used DMSO on was sunburned.
I’ve also found that if I take DMSO daily in the morning, a few drops ingested orally, I think more clearly, and experience less distraction-brain. Yay.
I can’t endorse DMSO enough – every time I experiment with it, I find something amazing and new (another pro tip: read the Amazon reviews, about what people use it for; and Youtube comments. Probably the most informative about how amazing it is.).
For Long Covid (What I did)
- Morning:
- 1 drops in plenty of water, as soon as I wake up
- Wait 15-20 minutes before eating anything else (drinking water is fine)
- Evening:
- Shower if need be
- Apply adjunct (C. silver, gold, essential oil, etc.) to skin, dilute if necessary
- Apply DMSO topically on top of adjunct
- Begin infrared sauna within 5-10 minutes of DMSO application
- GENERALLY:
- One week on, one week off – and I discontinue ingestion and only apply topically if I start to feel queasy.
I go into how DMSO helped me a bit in my Long Covid book. If you’re here because of Long Covid – this is a miscellaneous list of things that have been shown to help dissolve β-Amyloid clots (for citations, see the PDF):
- DMSO1
- HSP 10423
- Colloidal Silver4
- Colloidal Gold5
- Nattokinase6
- Green Tea7
- (specifically EGCG)
- Turmeric8
- Resveratrol9
