DMSO, also known as dimethyl sulfoxide, is an alternative treatment that can be used to treat rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis is a painful form of arthritis that typically affects the wrists, ankles, feet, fingers and knees. Because rheumatoid arthritis is caused by inflammation, treatments such as dimethyl sulfoxide, which may relieve inflammation, may help reduce some of the symptoms, though you should talk with your doctor before using DMSO.
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is caused by an aberrant inflammatory reaction in the body. If you have rheumatoid arthritis, your immune system misidentifies the tissue around your joints as a foreign substance, like a virus, PubMed Health explains. This causes your immune system to attack your joints' surrounding tissue, resulting in inflammation. The inflammation causes swelling and tissue damage, resulting in pain and stiffness in the affected joints. Doctors do not completely understand what triggers this response in the immune system.
Rheumatoid Arthritis and Free Radicals
The theory behind DMSO as a treatment for rheumatoid arthritis is its effect on a type of molecule known as free radicals, which are molecules that can damage the DNA, proteins and membranes of cells. A 2008 study in the "Indian Journal of Rhemuatology," found that people with rheumatoid arthritis typically had more free radicals in their joints, which could contribute to the inflammation and tissue damage.
Dimethyl Sulfoxide and Rheumatoid Arthritis
Dimethyl sulfoxide can be used to treat rheumatoid arthritis because it works to reduce inflammation. Some researchers think that this is because dimethyl sulfoxide is a potent antioxidant, ArthritisMD.com states. Antioxidants are substances that can neutralize free radicals. If free radicals are responsible for triggering the inflammation that leads to rheumatoid arthritis, antioxidants such as dimethyl sulfoxide would help eliminate this trigger. Dimethyl sulfoxide can be applied topically to the affected joints because it quickly penetrates the skin.
Considerations
One risk of using dimetyl sulfoxide is that the most readily available forms are industrial grade, which means that they may not be safe for medicinal purposes. You should talk to your doctor before using DMSO preparations for treating rheumatoid arthritis to make sure that the product you are using is safe. DMSO can also cause an unpleasant taste in your mouth, even when applied to the skin. In addition, because DMSO penetrates the skin so quickly, it can transport any chemical it touches into your skin, so be very careful when handling this product.
