DMSO is an acronym for Dimethyl Sulfoxide. DMSO is colourless and translucent. It came into prominence in the 1960s and remains actively used in hospital-settings due to its ability to penetrate the skin and act as an anti-inflammatory agent.
Because of the powerful anti-inflammatory properties of DMSO, beginning in the 1960s folks ranging from pro-athletes to the elderly began to use DMSO to relieve discomfort in their joints and muscles. DMSO has continued to stay very popular as an alternative form of finding relief for localized sources of pain and discomfort. For example, a common use case has been using DMSO to alleviate inflammation and "joint bulging" as a result of arthritis of the hands.
DMSO is non-toxic and when mixed with a base - like aloe gel or distilled water - it is rarely irritating even on sensitize skin. The effect of DMSO is temporary: relief lasts typically between six and twelve hours before your previous discomfort will begin to occur again.