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Holistic & AlternativeOctober 11, 2026· MK Wellness· 5 min read· Part of the Holistic & Alternative guide →
DMSO: The Solvent That Became a Medicine, What the Research Shows, and How to Use It Safely
DMSO has one of the longest research histories of any holistic therapy, an FDA-approved use in the bladder, and a devoted following for pain and inflammation. Here's the history, what the studies show, and the safety rules that matter most.
MK Wellness InsightsFounded by Danielle Cordova, Cypress, TX
On this page (9 sections)
DMSO (dimethyl sulfoxide) started as a byproduct of the paper industry and became one of the most studied, and most debated, compounds in holistic health. It has an FDA-approved medical use, and a devoted following for joint pain, muscle pain, and inflammation.
Here's the history, what the research shows, and how to use it safely.
At a glance
Research stagePromising
Positive randomized or controlled human trials; still being confirmed.
What it is
A clear liquid that passes easily through the skin and carries other substances with it.
Why people choose it
For joint and muscle pain, sports injuries, and inflammation, usually on the skin.
What the research shows
It's FDA-approved for a bladder condition, it's used in hospitals to protect skin after chemotherapy leaks, and it carries the medicine in an FDA-approved arthritis gel.
Know first
Use only pharmaceutical-grade DMSO, on clean skin, because it carries whatever is on your skin into your body.
Where to get it: Pharmaceutical-grade products. DMSO for the bladder is a prescription medicine.
What It Is
DMSO is a byproduct of wood pulp processing. In 1963, Dr. Stanley Jacob at the University of Oregon Medical School (now Oregon Health & Science University) reported that it passes through the skin, carries other substances with it, calms inflammation, and supports wound healing. He spent the rest of his career studying it.
His research led to its FDA approval in 1978 as a treatment placed in the bladder for interstitial cystitis, a painful bladder condition. Hospitals also use DMSO to protect stem cells when they're frozen for transplants, and it's widely used in veterinary medicine for inflammation.
How It's Thought to Work
- It crosses the skin. DMSO moves through the skin and cell membranes, and carries other molecules with it.
- It calms inflammation and may reduce pain signals in nerves.
- It's an antioxidant, neutralizing some damaging free radicals.
Why People Choose It
- Joint and muscle pain, including arthritis
- Sports injuries, sprains, and strains
- Inflammation in a specific area
- A long track record: more than 60 years of research and use
What the Research Shows
1978the year the FDA approved DMSO for bladder pain (interstitial cystitis)
554patients in a 2025 review: bladder symptoms and pain dropped on DMSONeurourology and Urodynamics, 2025
0 of 20patients developed skin ulcers after chemo leaks treated with DMSOJournal of Clinical Oncology, 1988
- Bladder pain (interstitial cystitis). A 2025 review of 14 studies with 554 patients found that DMSO placed in the bladder lowered symptom scores and pain. Side effects were common (about 37%) but mostly mild (Neurourology and Urodynamics, 2025).
- Protecting skin after chemotherapy leaks. When certain chemotherapy drugs leak out of a vein, they can badly damage skin. In 20 patients treated with DMSO on the skin, none developed ulcers or needed surgery (Journal of Clinical Oncology, 1988).
- Arthritis gel. DMSO is the carrier in an FDA-approved topical diclofenac solution for knee arthritis, helping the pain medicine get through the skin (Postgraduate Medicine, 2011).
- Pain on its own: much of the support for DMSO alone on sore joints and muscles comes from decades of clinical experience and the people who use it.
What to Know Before You Start
Know first
- Pharmaceutical grade only. Industrial DMSO can contain impurities, and DMSO will carry them into your body.
- Clean skin, clean hands. Wash the area first, and don't apply it over lotions, perfumes, dyes, or chemicals.
- Expect a garlic-like taste and breath. It's harmless, and it's a sign the DMSO is in your system.
- Skin reactions. Burning, itching, redness, and occasionally blisters can happen. Stop if your skin reacts.
- Medicines. DMSO can increase the effects of some medicines, so check with your doctor or pharmacist first.
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding: avoid it unless your provider directs it.
- Keep it out of your eyes, and away from children and pets.
- By mouth: the FDA has approved DMSO only for use in the bladder. Taking it by mouth isn't an approved use, so talk with your doctor first.
We don't share doses or dilutions. A knowledgeable practitioner can guide you.
How to Find a Practitioner
Integrative and functional physicians, naturopathic doctors, and some sports medicine practitioners use DMSO. The Natural Health Network directory can help you find holistic practitioners near you.
Questions to ask
- Which product do you recommend, and how do you know it's pharmaceutical grade?
- How should I use it for my situation?
- Does it interact with any of my medicines?
- What reactions mean I should stop?
Common Questions
Why do I taste garlic? DMSO is broken down into a sulfur compound that you exhale, which causes the garlic-like taste and breath. It fades.
Can I mix DMSO with other things? Only with guidance. DMSO carries whatever it's mixed with into your body, so the other ingredients matter as much as the DMSO.
Is it the same as MSM? No. MSM (methylsulfonylmethane) is a related compound that forms when your body breaks down DMSO, and it's sold separately as a joint supplement.
How This Fits at MK Wellness
For pain and inflammation, our in-spa therapies support the body's own repair:
- PEMF and red light for pain and recovery
- Compression boots and the Cryo Float after hard training
When you need something we don't offer, we connect you with people we trust.
Go Deeper
- Holistic Therapies: The Basics, for the short version of every therapy in this series
- Every holistic and alternative guide
MK Wellness services are non-medical and not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any condition. This article is general education, not medical advice, and deliberately includes no doses or dilutions. Talk with your doctor before using DMSO, especially if you take medications or have a health condition.
Put This Into Practice
The Recovery & Healing Protocol at MK Wellness
We build this goal around modalities that work better together. The core of the protocol:
About MK Wellness
MK Wellness was founded by Danielle Cordova after years of searching for real answers for her own family. Our Insights follow The MK Way: root cause over symptoms, the whole body as one system, and honest reporting on what the evidence does and doesn't show. This article is for general education, not medical advice.
Read our story →The MK Way Letter
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