The Castor plant is a prickly plant that grows wild besides ponds and rivers here in Mexico, and the people consider it a noxious weed. The Castor Oil is pressed out of the bean of the Ricinus communis/Palma Christi plant.
Despite being considered a weedy nuisance, I have found it second to none for reducing pain in my joints because of its deeply penetrating qualities and anti-inflammatory properties.
In fact, it has so many properties it is a bit of a wonder plant. I am going to do a series of articles to share how I use it and what I have experienced and researched in the hopes it provides an economical alternative to suynthetic drugs and beauty products for others too.
How to Use Castor Oil to Relieve Inflammation and Pain: A Beginner’s Guide
Disclaimer: I am not a doctor and am not providing any medical advice. I am simply so impressed with this often ignored plant that I want to share my experience with the world.
It has no odour and is a light yellow colour. It doesn’t smell as powerful as you would expect from such a powerful medicinal plant.
It’s a thick and viscous liquid, stickier than extra virgin olive oil, but it absorbs completely into the skin surprisingly quickly.
I just rub it across my achey, clicking knees (they lack cartilage) and within a minute or two I can walk without pain, moving so easily I can consider doing yoga or going on a long walk.
I have tried many essential oils and prescribed medicines, but the pain and inflammation relief I have experienced after using castor oil is more long lasting and has no irritating side effects, such as drowsiness.
Some people like to put some drops in their belly button at night to alleviate cramps. Putting this in your belly button assists with absorption deep into the body.
For deeper penetration, try using a compress instead of rubbing it on your skin. Check out my upcomig article about how to do this, based on my personal experience and experimentation about what works best and is most comfortable.
Why Castor Oil Works to Relieve Inflammation
According to Dr. Berg, castor oil packs have been used since ancient Egyptian times for their therapeutic benefits and there is ecvidence it helps lower inflammation, promote detoxification, and alleviate pain. It is high in Ricinus communis, which is a known anti-inflammatory compound.
There is scientific evidence that castor oil works to reduce pain as well as ancient history and anecdotal evidence. Researchers Maier, Staupendahl, Duerr and Refior conducted a study to test which method reduced pain and they found that the use of castor oil resulted in significantly less pain compared with ultrasonographic gel.
Ricinoleic Acid is a significant natural compound found in castor plant seeds. According to scientific studies , ricinoleic Acid is a significant natural compound found in castor plant seeds, constituting about 90% of the total fatty acids in the seed oil.
The Castor plant seed produces the only commercially available oil that contains Ricinoleic Acid .
I like it that using castor oil to manage my joint stiffness and pain is not harming my liver as synthetic commercial pain killers do. In fact cast oil is used often as a liver detox.
Who should avoid castor oil?
If you have appedicitis, IBD (Irritable Bowel Disease), obstructions in your gastrointestinal tract or perforations of the bowels, you should avoid a strong laxative such as castor oil.
Pregnant women should avoid castor oil in order not to accidentally induce labour.
As with all things, some people may have an allergic reaction , so do a small test on your skin first to see how your body reacts.
Sources
Buist,P. Chapter: “Natural Products Biodiversity-I Secondary Metabolites: Organization and Biosynthesis”Ricinoleic Acid- an Overview. Comprehensive Natural Products II, (2010).https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/neuroscience/ricinoleic-acid#:~:text=Ricinoleic%20Acid%20is%20a%20significant,unique%20properties%20and%20potential%20value.
Dr. Berg, E. “Castor Oil Packs: Benefits and How to Use“. 27 Aud. 2024.https://www.drberg.com/blog/castor-oil-packs?queryID=42c167cabd36397e4b58d22698ea103e&objectID=blog_5515
Dr. Berg, E., “The Therapeutic Benefits of Castor Oil” 14 Mar 2024. https://youtu.be/AlUNBHMDoIw?si=6f2rArQrLwPdd_Ve
Healthline. “Castor Oil: 4 Benefits and Uses“N.D. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/castor-oil
Dr. Rosenthal, L. “How to Make a Castor Pack“. https://lararosenthal.com/castor-oil-pack-instructions
Maier M, Staupendahl D, Duerr HR and Refior HJ. Castor oil decreases pain during extracorporeal shock wave application. Arch Orthop Trauma Surg. 1999; 119: 423-7