Today’s post is about DSMO plus other personal health observations. As has been done many times on The QTree, helping each other leads to a better life for all of us. We have gained much from each other. One of the many things I have appreciated about a resource we follow on here at times, midwesterndoc, is his truth telling that is supported by experience, research and other documented findings in the medical field. This is longer in that I am including the most asked for information that he provides later in the body of the thread.

What Led To My DSMO Journey

As usual, I have a winding story to tell. I will keep it relatively short.

I have posted previously that over the years I developed moderately sized bone spurs in the lumbar region of my spine. I only have myself to blame as it is a direct result of a lack of exercise in my personal time when not playing desk jockey in my career. I compounded the problem by being overweight by 20-30 lbs. during much of the period. After taking early retirement, my weight increased another 25 lbs. by eating like a pig as I decompressed from the stress of those working years. I felt I was entitled to doing whatever I wanted. Some 13-14 years ago it all came to a head and became a bigger problem that impacted daily living. I did not see it at the time, however, I was being disobedient to God and derelict in my responsibilities to my family by acting in that manner.

The Lord woke me up, convicted my spirit and helped me realize what I was doing was wrong headed. This led to a complete makeover. I knew I needed to get off my tail, cut the bad eating, and become more fit. Playing a round of golf with the other old farts a couple times a week was not enough. So, I did what I knew would work from previous times when I was in better shape – start a better diet and get back to fitness walking. It took awhile to build back the stamina, however, over time it led to 3-5 miles per day at a 15 minute/mile pace on the gradual slopes of our neighborhood for 5 days per week on average. In inclement weather I used our recumbent bike. I continued to golf even more frequently and added an every other day training routine with dumbbells. I paired the fitness with the original Weight Watchers points oriented nutrition plan that wifey had used in the past.

A little over a year later I had dropped 50 pounds and was in the best physical shape I had been in for a long time. My golf game improved dramatically. I could play about any course and break 75 for 18 holes. All was good – for about four to five years.

I posted awhile back about the misery the back caused me after driving to a lowcountry vacation one spring. I managed to old man hop into the rental unit at the condo project, consume large amounts of Aleve, and endure until I could arrange to see a great local chiropractor a couple days later. It changed how I thought about my situation. In the process of the treatments I was soon restored to being able to do 10 K steps of daily fitness walking by the end of the two week vacation. That made the trip home much easier to accomplish. She taught me appropriate stretches and exercises. She told me to lay off golfing for a couple of months as well as to find a good local chiropractor to assist going forward.

Of course, I did not do much of what she said when we returned other than I did lay off golf for a few weeks. What can I say, it’s a stupid guy thing, right ladies?

😀

That is until I contracted shingles a year later. Awful. Next up, immediately after recovery my lower back started getting cranky again. At the time I was not aware of the spurs, I just believed that Father Time was catching up to me. Like many people I blamed it on my sciatica acting up. That slowed my roll. Golf began taking a back seat along with a reduction in fitness walking to allow time to recuperate. However, the back never really felt right for a long time.

Then one day wifey and I decided after a great deal of research and talking with other parents and grandparents that Grandson #1 probably needed the services of a good chiropractor to assist with his physical issues. Daughter and SonIL agreed and so began his journey I reported on here. We scheduled him with a highly competent local chiropractor who utilized similar methodology as the one in the lowcountry. She also had additional medical school related education on the brain and CNS. We used the opportunity to receive treatments for ourselves with the side benefit of helping #1 feel comfortable. Collectively, our lives changed for the better. In particular to this post, the comprehensive nature of the scans, techniques, and explanations helped shape how I viewed my spinal, hips, etc. condition as well as overall well being.

This eventually led to our more recent efforts to retool our bodies as cholesterol reported on blood tests crept up annually for both of us and wifey’s BP spikes were becoming more troublesome. We had our weight creep up with it. As I already posted, we went Keto. This was wifey’s first time doing it and my second. Wifey did not need to lose as much weight as a percentage, so she modified hers to include high fiber multigrain toast that she enjoys in the mornings.

We’ve had excellent results. We both also truly enjoy our food choices again. Neither of us desires to go back to the sugar and bad carbs.

We continued the supplements we discuss on here including the Berberine/Cinnamon that completely changed wifey’s health condition as I previously posted. Her dose has gone down to 500 mg daily. Long gone are the prescribed BP meds she took with zero spikes for about five months now. By all measures she is done with needing them. We both plan to shift to Hawthorn Berry at Aubergine’s suggestion. We will begin soon since we have likely achieved our lower LDL cholesterol goals as well as lowering wifey’s borderline high glucose. Gone is much of her vertigo. Her BP is ALWAYS in the 110-120/60-75 range now, which has helped with that greatly. When she has occasional short term bouts of dizziness we have determined it is allergy and sinus related.

Our energy levels have jumped and we sleep much better. We are both in traditional healthy weight ranges for our heights and ages now. It feels good to be back to my college athlete weight range again. We no longer dread the results of future physicals or blood tests. We actually look forward to the looks of our formerly smug healthcare providers not being able to say anything negative or attempt to justify additional tests, drugs and vaccines. It has also been kind of fun to build a new wardrobe of inexpensive old fart clothes that fit while donating the previous to those who need them.

These experiences have obviously proved very beneficial, but have not been the complete answer. They were major milestones on the journey as we continued to seek more answers that would not only help us, but also assist others.

Which Led To More DSMO

Wifey’s great response to DSMO drops for her eyes after the serious infection from two years ago has already been discussed here. In the process she rid her vision of annoying floaters and reduced the cataracts that were forming. She is wearing lens from four years ago. Her eyes are healthy and vision clear. Her optometrist is amazed. The drops assisted me by also eliminating floaters and combined with IVM seem to have eliminated the former macular degeneration concern. The retina specialist I once saw that determined I had it has been eliminated from my contact list. The early stage cataracts he also said were forming are nowhere to be found per my last two annual comprehensive eye exams. Funny how that works. I start using IVM and DSMO and now there is no evidence of cataracts formation or MD in my optometrist’s comprehensive eye exams that include imaging. I reduced the use of DSMO eye drops to once per week maintenance for reasons I explain below. Wifey uses them one day per week to maintain.

As I posted recently I have been applying a DSMO gel/aloe vera gel/essential oil combo to my spurred lumbar region for about 9 weeks. Combined with morning stretches and exercises along with reduced weight, my mobility without pain has improved strongly. The tests for me are with the golf swing and after working in my gardens. The latter are on our sloping lot. If something is going to go awry with my back, it will be from those two activities as the hips are tested as well. The good news is there has been no pain and really good mobility for my age. There have been no returns to the chiro. As a result this approach will continue.

There are many other applications of DSMO as most know. We also use on osteoarthritic joints and it really helps. There are literally thousands of reports from people who do the same thing. I tried to use it topically with my tinnitus issue to no avail. When still using the chiro she adjusted the cervical spine region for the purpose and it provided moderate relief initially, but no additional in follow-ups. This led me to believe, along with midwesterndoc’s research, that it is a neural issue since the condition first appeared after catching the Wuhan.

To address I chose to ingest the 99.995% filtered liquid version with fluids. I started with half a teaspoon daily and recently increased to a teaspoon. I greatly reduced the use of DSMO eye drops when I began taking orally. The net result with the eyes continues to be that I have zero floaters with no other noted negative changes. My vision is better and more sharp when taking it in combination with the VisionEdge Pro vitamins I recently began using. I am sure that the occasional prophylactic use of IVM assists as well.

I have detected a significantly improved tinnitus condition recently, not nearly as loud and much more manageable. If I had to estimate I would say 50% less than its high point. There have been no adverse side effects unless you believe growing more hair in previously declining locations is a negative side effect. Wow. Wifey is calling me an old bear now, which means the shaving blade purchases have increased. My nails are healthier and I need no sunscreen. It seems to have improved other body conditions and functions as well. Some of those are covered in the research from midwesterndoc and do not need elaboration by me here. User experiences may vary of course.

😀

Will see how all of this goes over time and report back. At this stage I am very encouraged by the progress.

I have also followed a recommendation from one author for a topical nerve repair oil for #1 to apply to his cervical spine area, which has been a trouble spot per the chiro treatments and provides a good path of entry to his CNS. It is DSMO liquid, Arnica Massage Oil, Almond Oil and essential oils of Lavender and Chamomile. We are monitoring. He has exhibited less neck soreness with a calming effect since we started. We hope it will work into his CNS and provide benefits with his sensory issues over time.

midwesterndoc

The information below was take from a substack article of midwesterndoc. As many know he is regularly cited for his work recently even in the medical research industry as well as by noted physicians such as Pierre Kory. He has over 368,000 subscribers now. I have been very pleased with the information he has provided. Here is a link to his substack.

https://substack.com/@amidwesterndoctor

I have used other sources I found on Kindle for recommended mixtures that use additional ingredients such as aloe vera gel, essential oils, shea butter, various massage type oils, etc. for topical applications. Experiment with some and use the ones that prove effective for you. Below is the part that matters most if you choose to use it. It is a copy/paste direct from his 8/29/26 article titled How DMSO Heals The Blood Vessels and Could Save Millions From Strokes. In the article he lists three recommended suppliers of DSMO. I have only purchased from The DSMO Store, both direct and through Amazon. It is the most popular brand.

Note: Wifey and I have stayed within the quoted parameters you will read below.

DMSO Dosing:

One of the things that’s very challenging about using DMSO is the significant variation in what each individual responds best to. Because of that, throughout this series, I attempted to provide a very detailed explanation that could account for each possibility, which was too complicated for many readers (but I would still advise reading).

However, most of it boils down to the following:

•If you use too high a dose, you risk having a bad reaction (which dozens of people have now told me made them not want to use DMSO anymore), whereas if you use too low a dose, the effect will be much less than desired (which may also lead to them abandoning DMSO). In turn, I’ve had many people here who:

• Applied 100% DMSO topically and had trouble believing anyone couldn’t tolerate that.
• Applied 70% DMSO topically, had a bit of irritation, but thought it was manageable [this is the most common optimal topical dose].
• Applied 30% topically and felt it was too strong.

Similarly with oral dosing, I’ve had people who:

• Thought 1 teaspoon in a glass of water [the most common optimal oral dose] was decent, but quickly took more for a greater effect.
• Found that a few drops was the optimal dose for them (and greatly benefitted), whereas 1 teaspoon while initially good, ended up feeling like it was too much for them and caused their sensitive system to react.

Because of this, you essentially have two options, and have to decide which is right for you:

•Be patient and start with a low dose, then build up progressively.

•Start with a strong dose, and agree not to hold it against me or DMSO if you don’t tolerate it.

Note: in some cases it can take a while (a few weeks, and sometimes a few months) for DMSO to significantly improve an issue like chronic pain, but normally the response is much faster at the correct dose.

In the previous articles, I’ve advocated for the former. Still, many understandably started with a high dose as they did not want to wait for the results, and a few of them then shared they’d had a skin reaction that made them hesitant to continue using DMSO.

Similarly, when using DMSO, there are two common routes of administration: oral and topical. Orally, it is much stronger, but likewise, the GI tract is more sensitive to higher concentrations of DMSO. For this reason, I typically suggest starting with topical DMSO before doing oral DMSO. However, for more systemic issues (e.g., joint pain throughout the body or low energy), oral use is often necessary (and in many cases, works well when combined with topical DMSO).

Likewise, there is a minimal risk (1 in 2000) of an allergic reaction, so it’s generally advised to begin by patch testing DMSO on the skin before taking it orally.

So, What is Patch Testing?

Patch testing is a method used to determine how a product reacts when applied. It’s a smart way to test a small area first before applying the product to larger areas, helping identify any adverse reactions.

How to Patch Test:

•Select a Small Area: Choose a discreet spot.

•Apply a Tiny Amount: Use a small quantity of the product.

•Wait and Observe: Leave it on for 24 hours unless you notice irritation sooner.

•Proceed if All’s Good: If there’s no reaction, feel confident to use the product as intended!

*If in contact with the skin: some experience itching and tingling sensations and irritation, which are normal. If there are any signs of an allergic reaction (e.g., swelling), wash the area immediately and discontinue use.

That said, for general DMSO use (without going into all the nuances and additional details), I advise the following:

1. Start with 30-50% DMSO and see how you tolerate it. If applying to the face, make sure all makeup has been washed off (and ideally that you are only using natural cosmetic products) and use a lower initial concentration (20%).
2. If you have no issue, gradually raise it to 70%. Many find 60% suffices for most musculoskeletal issues, while 30% is often needed for sensitive skin.
3. Only raise it past 70% if you are certain you are one of those people who are fine with 100% or you are using it for a specific application that can justify a higher concentration (e.g., a collagen contracture, a scar, an internal adhesion, or an acute stroke).
4. If you have immediate issues with topical administration (e.g., burning or redness) that you cannot tolerate, wash off with water and try a lower dose. If your skin becomes cracked or dry after repeated use, take a break and hydrate the area with aloe or a natural oil.
5. Until you are comfortable with topical applications, avoid oral applications, and only use them if you think you need them (or topical does not work for a reason besides an allergic reaction).
6. For oral dosing, start with a teaspoon of 70% or 100% DMSO mixed into a glass of water (you may also want juice, a smoothie or milk to eliminate DMSO’s taste), as a heavily diluted solution is best to start with (and consider having it away from meals). If you consider yourself to be a “sensitive patient” instead start with a lower dose.
7. If you have issues with that, lower the dose to half a teaspoon and then to a quarter teaspoon (or to drops).
8. Otherwise, stay at a teaspoon for at least three days, and then if you think you need a more substantial effect, go to 2 teaspoons.
9. More than 2 teaspoons in a glass of water is excessive, and at that point, you are better off dividing the dose throughout the day. A case can also be made that more than 1 teaspoon is excessive (especially if you also use smaller glasses).
10. With both topical and oral DMSO, people generally find that as time goes on, their reactivity to it decreases (so they better tolerate it). Conversely, if it’s used too frequently, particularly for chronic pain, a tolerance can develop, so it’s generally advised to skip 1-2 days a week if it needs to be taken long term.

Regarding concentrations, I generally advise buying 70% DMSO because people rarely react to it (e.g., the DMSO community found this concentration offered the best balance between safety and efficacy). It doesn’t require any significant calculations to dose appropriately (e.g., you can apply it topically as is, or mix it with equal parts purified water to roughly 35%). However, you can also do all of that with 100% DMSO (e.g., dilute it to roughly 50% by mixing with equal parts purified water, or to roughly 33% by mixing with 2 parts purified water). Finally, certain parts of the body, particularly the face, tend to be more sensitive to higher concentrations of DMSO, so you should start at lower strengths in those areas.

If you are applying DMSO to the face (which is more sensitive to DMSO), start at 30% and do not use a higher concentration, as this can cause significant skin irritation. For example, I had one reader who started with a 70% gel on the face and contacted me about a reaction she had (although after the surface layer of skin peeled off, her face underneath looked much younger).

Since DMSO concentrations can be difficult to calculate, one reader made an excellent online calculator that can guide you through how to achieve any target DMSO concentration with the DMSO you have (which can be viewed here).

Additionally, a challenge in dosing DMSO is that it weighs slightly more than water (1 mL of DMSO is 1.1004 grams). Since DMSO has a relatively wide range of tolerability, I’ve bypassed that issue by treating it as having the same density as water and suggesting a slightly lower oral dose.

When applying DMSO topically, there are two options. The first is to use a liquid that you directly apply (e.g., I like to use paintbrushes made from natural hairs to dab it on, but sometimes when needed, I just dip my finger in it and then rub it onto the target area, whereas the DMSO field often uses sprays for sensitive skin conditions or hard to reach areas). The second is to use a gel that is rubbed into the skin.

Note: DMSO will leach many plastics at concentrations above 15%. For this reason, 15% or lower is advised for situations where it has to come into direct contact with them.

I personally prefer the liquids because they’re easier to control the total dose with, more of the substance gets into the body, and liquid DMSO tends to be less irritating. That said, gels hold the advantage of continually releasing DMSO into the body over a prolonged period and are much easier to apply. As a result, the choice you make is largely a matter of personal preference.

Note: as mentioned above, when applying DMSO topically, it is essential first to clean the area where it is being used.

Lastly, since many readers have requested it, this is a general guideline on what doses of DMSO tend to be appropriate for each part of the body:

Internal Use (Oral):

• Starting Dose: 1 teaspoon in an 8 ounce (or greater) glass of water.
• Increase: Up to 2 teaspoons (~10 ml) twice daily for treatment.
• Body Weight-Based: 0.05-0.1 g/kg/day (e.g., 7 g for 70 kg, ~1.5 teaspoons), with higher doses (with up to 2 g/kg) advised by some for emergencies (e.g., heart attack, stroke or cancer).

Note: I essentially do not know what the upper or safe limit is for longterm oral use, as typically users either do 1 tsp with good results, reduce it because they are sensitive to symptoms standard doses create for them (e.g., a few people had headaches) or go much higher than the doses recommended by the DMSO community to address chronic symptoms (typically pain or arthritis) and report no issues. Presently I believe the most important consideration is ensuring oral DMSO is sufficiently diluted as higher concentrations (especially above 20%) can irritate mucous membranes (which exist throughout the GI tract). Additionally, while I see the 2g/kg figure floated around a lot (which I believe originated from Morton Walker’s book), I am not sure if this dose is too high.

External Use (Skin):

• Concentrations:
  • Legs/Feet: 50–80% (70% typical).
  • Arms/Torso/Neck: 40–70% (50% typical).
  • Head/Face: 25–35%. (some go up to 50% for the head)
  • Wounds: 40–60%.
  • Warts/Boils: 75%.
  • Sensitive Skin: Start at 30%.
• Application: 2–3 times daily, adjusted based on skin sensitivity and response.
• Precautions: Avoid >15% on surgical stitches to prevent brittleness.
• Ideal routes of application include with natural hair brushes (dabbing creates less irritation than rubbing), with your own (clean) fingers, or with a spray bottle (particularly for open wounds or areas that are otherwise hard to reach on your own body). With spray bottles, glass ones which have been pre-washed with DMSO are ideal.
  Note: gloves should never be used to apply DMSO to the skin (as very few gloves are DMSO resistant and as such the chemicals in them will be leached into the skin).

Mucous Membranes:

• Mouthwash: 5–15% solution, swish for 2–4 minutes (can go higher if no dental implants).
• Ear/Nose Drops: 15–40% (15% minimizes irritation).
• Other (e.g., oral, rectal, vaginal): around 10% is often recommended due to high tissue permeability.
• Gum issues/inflammations: Use 5–15% mouthwash.
• Aphthous ulcers/cold sores: Dab directly (often with 100% DMSO).

Injections:

• Concentration: 15% for subcutaneous, intraarticular, intraperitoneal.
• Intramuscular/Intravenous: 3-25% in an isotonic solution (we tend to use 3-5%, 7.5% is frequently recommended, most of the published studies, particularly in acute emergencies used higher doses).

Eyes: 3% isotonic solution has the best balance of safety and efficacy (although many go up to 40% or even higher which I feel is a bit too high—20-30% should be the maximum—however the eyelids can tolerate higher doses than the eyes and applications there will also help the eyes).

Nebulized: 1% isotonic solution (although some go much higher—e.g., numerous readers have been using 50% with success).

Note: be sure to clean the nebulizer thoroughly before nebulizing DMSO (and consider prerinsing it with concentrated DMSO to draw DMSO soluble chemicals out). Ideally, use a concentration below 15% with plastic nebulizers to prevent leaching of chemicals from the plastic.Regarding dosing, a theoretical risk exists that nebulizing higher doses of DMSO could cause a pneumothorax by disrupting pulmonary surfactant. However, the only known case I am aware of occurred in a tall, slender individual with a narrow chest — the exact body type known to carry the highest risk for spontaneous pneumothorax. Lastly, quite a few of the people using DMSO for COPD (who have been using fairly high doses) report breathing difficulties immediately after the nebulizing—after which breathing significantly improves from baseline (which again argues for not using excessive doses).

Lastly, in some cases, particularly for injuries, 50% DMSO is applied by soaking a bandage in it (or a DMSO mixture), placing it on the affected area, and then wrapping it with other bandages to ensure continuous DMSO exposure. In those instances, due to the prolonged exposure lower concentrations can be required, and if so, it is ideal to use a natural material (e.g., cotton).

Note: after prolonged DMSO exposure, DMSO can cause the fingers to wrinkle in a manner similar to being in water for a prolonged period but will recover in a few days.

Conclusion

Our approach is to never give up. We desire to think outside the box and consider all options, especially since we all know we have been deceived and manipulated by the traditional medical industry, Big Pharm, FDA, CDC, etc. for so long.

Please remain watchful and expectant of God to lead you on the journey of life. The same Lord who created the vast universe cares even about the seemingly smallest details in your life. Love Him in a similar manner to how He loves you. Blessings to all.