Dimethyl Sulfoxide Therapy in Subjective Tinnitus of Unknown Origin

Has anybody read this study on DMSO:

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1749-6632.1975.tb25389.x/abstract

Does anyone have a PDF?

From another source, I think this is the study's abstract:

"In fifteen patients affected by essential nonvibratory tinnitus, local applications in the external auditive canal of 2 ml medicated DMSO spray were made. The spray solution contained DMSO integrated with anti-inflammatory and vasodilatory substances. This application was repeated every four days for a month. At the same time each patient was administered a daily intramuscular injection of a preparation that contained DMSO and a vasodilatory component. The therapeutic effect was evaluated through the subjective modification of the symptom and functional tests of the auditory system. Of the fifteen patients treated, the tinnitus symptom completely disappeared in nine, and did not return during a one-year observation period. The patient's symptoms diminished in two cases, and in four cases the permanent tinnitus became occasional, triggered principally by environmental cold. It is important to note that among the concomitant signs, the five patients with vertigo noted improvement. Hypacusis diminished in three of the six patients affected. Insomnia disappeared in eight and diminished in seven cases. The rise in the average tympanic membrane temperature from 36.8 degrees C before to 37.9 degrees C after treatment was noteworthy. This could indicate an improvement of the blood flow in the inner ear."

This looks hopeful but it's a very old study... any follow-up? I can't find any.

 

Hi, what is "essential nonvibratory tinnitus" ?

 

Judging from the paper, it means subjective rather than objective tinnitus.

 

This is a really interesting read. Why hasn't this been followed up on? Seems most directly relevant to non-noise-induced tinnitus. All patients had tinnitus for 6+ months before the study. 9 of 15 had complete relief, 4 more partial. Any thoughts on the drugs delivered with the DMSO vehicle?

 

Anyone know anything about this stuff? There's a couple bottles sitting on the free shelf at my work right now.

 

Dmso is an industrial solvent right??

 

It is indeed, but apparently it's also a homeopathic remedy for pain. Everything I'm seeing online is very hippy-dippy, and knowing my line of work it's most likely snake oil.

 

Sounds interesting but I don't know why no one talks about it. Is there any one in the forum already tried this treatment?

 

so, DMSO on its own probably won't do much. DMSO crosses the skin barrier and carries other molecules with it.

I'm looking at the full text of the article. The concoction they actually used was:
Phenylbutazone (NSAID), moroxydine (antiviral with action against HSV), hydrocortisone (steroid), lidocaine, propyl carbinol (an alcohol, I'm unclear on its use here), and DMSO. The injections they received contained GABA, chlorhydrate, GHB, l-actylglutamine, and lidocaine.

There's a whole lot of active substances going on there. It would be interesting to see this replicated. If one were so inclined, making a solution of an anti-inflammatory in DMSO should be possible. However, I think it's pretty interesting that an antiviral was included, given speculation about the role of the herpes virus in inner ear pathologies.