Interstitial cystitis is a common disease characterized by recurring discomfort or pain in the bladder and sometimes in your pelvis. The cause of interstitial cystitis is multifaceted. As of 2011, there is no cure, but treatments may provide some relief from the symptoms. For patients who do not respond to oral therapy, a medication called dimethyl sulfoxide, or DMSO, may be used for the treatment of interstitial cystitis. Talk to your urologist before using DMSO.
Research
Most of the clinical studies regarding DMSO's effectiveness for interstitial cystitis were published in the 1980s and early 1990s. A study published in 1988 in "Urology" found that nine out of 10 people with interstitial cystitis reported improvement after self administration with DMSO. Another study conducted in 1988 in "The Journal of Urology" found that DMSO may prove to be superior to placebo in the improvement of patients with interstitial cystitis.
DMSO Work
According to the father of DMSO, Dr. Stanley Jacob, DMSO acts as a free radical scavenger in your body. Free radicals are damaging compounds in your body. DMSO also passes the bladder wall, reaching the bladder tissue and blocking the nerve fibers that transmit bladder pain. To slow the frequency and urgency symptoms of interstitial cystitis, DMSO works by reducing the number and rate of muscle contraction, notes the National Kidney and Urologic Disease Information Clearinghouse.
Treatments
DMSO is one of the mainstays in the treatment of interstitial cystitis, according to a study published in 1997 in "Urology." DMSO has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for bladder instillation, also called a bladder wash or bath. The treatment involves placing DMSO in your bladder through a small, thin and flexible tube called a catheter, which is inserted up the urethra into the bladder. The injected DMSO liquid is held in the bladder for 15 minutes before being expelled through urination. Treatment may be given weekly for six to eight weeks and then repeated as needed, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Side effects
As with other medications, DMSO has some side effects. The most common side effects include a garlic-like taste and odor on the breath and skin. These side effects may last up to seven hours after treatment, according to NKUDIC. In some people, DMSO may also affect the liver, according to the Mayo Clinic.
References
- "Urology": Self-Administration of Dimethyl Sulfoxide (DMSO) for Interstitial Cystitis; Robert D. Biggers; July 1986
- "The Journal of Urology": A Controlled Study of Dimethyl Sulfoxide in Interstitial Cystitis; R. Perez-Marrero et al; July 1988
- "Urology": Intravesical dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) for interstitial cystitis--a practical approach; J. Parkin et al.; May 1997
- "DMSO": An Interview With Dr. Stanley Jacob: Discussing DMSO; Shirley Kengla
- Mayo Clinic: Interstitial Cystitis
- National Kidney and Urologic Disease Information Clearinghouse: Interstitial Cystitis/Painful Bladder Syndrome
