Castor Oil: Relief From Pain And Swelling
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The term castor oil may trigger an intense aversion associating it with use as a laxative or labor inducer. I was introduced to castor oil in a completely different guise however.
I had a bad case of pain, stiffness and swelling due to inflammation, and my naturopath Dr. Kelly Upcott had suggested I approach the problem with a castor oil pack.
If I hadn't felt so desperate I might not have tried it. But I'd had flareups for 20 years, and each time they'd steal six weeks of my life. I'd spend a month and a half in my housecoat, crippled and in pain.
Sometimes it would be an arm, sometimes a leg. Occasionally the main area of inflammation was a hand or a foot. The area of inflammation would determine how hampered I'd be for the next weeks.
Lower extremity -- no walking other than hobbling to the bathroom for the first week. Upper extremity -- I'd learned how to type with my left hand when my right was affected.
So despite the obscurity of castor oil, and no frame of reference for its use, I took a deep breath and poured. There are a few different ways of administering a castor oil pack, partly dependent on what you have at hand, and partly depending on the area of the body it's meant for.
Recently I had a flareup in my left arm, which affected me within hours from neck to finger tips. I drenched a hand towel with castor oil, and laid it on my arm, covering the gooey mess with two more towels to minimize transference to my sheet and pillowcase. I watched TV or read for an hour in bed during the afternoon, soaking, and then again before bed.
Improvement showed up the next morning. Just enough to encourage me to do it again. For four days, I followed this regimen and now feel lucky to have a sore gimpy arm, rather than a swollen immobilized one, which normally would be the case.
Dr. Mehmet Oz has discussed using castor oil on the skin, wrapped in cellophane to prevent staining. He recommended a heating pad for half an hour, for back pain related to disc injuries.
An article on Umm.edu also reported use of castor oil on the skin, covering it with a cloth and plastic wrap.
We value and respect the experiences of all of our HERWriters, but everyone is different. Many of our writers are speaking from personal experience, and what's worked for them may not work for you. Their articles are not a substitute for medical advice although we hope you can gain knowledge from their insight.
Add a Comment2 Comments
Wow, Jody, I remember my grandma chasing me around the room when i was a kid with a tsp of castor-oil. haha. Had no idea it could help with pain relief. Thanks for the eye-opening article. :)
January 9, 2012 - 8:32amThis Comment
I love this stuff, Vonnie. In the last year I've used it on my right arm, my left, and my right foot, and cut off a month of being crippled each time.
January 9, 2012 - 8:35am