Unlock Castor Oil Benefits: Guide to Hair Growth, Pain Relief, & More!

I don't often combine herbs or oils but someone asked about a broken bone and it got me thinking...one could get comfrey tea, as in comfrey tea BAGS, soak one (or more) with castor oil, place it on the break and cover it with a piece of parchment paper (or plastic wrap or whatever one uses), and a piece of muslin and place one of those disposable handwarmers on it to warm it up. Cover it with a tube bandage or otherwise wrap it with a bit of K-tape to hold everything in place, if necessary.

And, of course, this got me to thinking about eucalyptus tea bags soaked with castor oil as a chest pack, for colds and whatnot, or any specific herbal tea as a castor oil patch over a problematic area.

I've been trying to think of some way to try herbal tea bags employed in this way...but I don't have any issues to which I can apply it, at the moment. I DID purchase some handwarmers and, of course, I have a wide variety of herbs and reusable mesh tea bags so if something comes up...I'll try it and let you know.

Today I was using a hand held infrared device when I was applying castor oil on part of my abdomen. Most infrared devices are just too expensive purchase. The one I had I bought on amazon (infrarex st-302) for $20 and it works for a small area. It comes with an extra bulb. Before I bought it I wondered why it was so cheap and why the other products couldn't bring down the price so I was leery. I have had it a couple years and it's worth every penny. It gives one more options in treating various situations.

I saw a infrared device in a chiropractors office but expensive model. Instead of someone paying $50 a treatment, I had them use this cheap device themselves and they got positive results. It's a good addition to your medicine chest at very low cost.

Many people have difficult financial situations so any DIY approaches to pet care are very helpful.

I have used castor oil packs for many, many years. As to your question about how long you can use an opened bottle of castor oil?... til it is gone.. Lol. After I have my heating pad laid out, plastic on top of that and flannel on top of that.. I trickle more castor oil from the bottle onto my pack and turn on the pad, letting the whole pack heat up a little. Then I apply it to my tummy.. flannel pack first, then the plastic, then the heating pad.

"how many times should you use the fabric pack until discarding?" I have used mine for years. If it gets too runny/sloppy/messy, you will probably have to discard it and start over. And not because there is anything wrong with it but just because it will make a big mess and leak out everywhere.

"is there any need to continue adding castor oil for "refreshening. " At what point do you throw the oil out and begin again?" Unless you have just absolutely soaked the pack, you do need to renew/refresh the castor oil each time you use the pack. I have never thrown out any oil that I can remember, except for a bottle or two maybe some years ago. I used to buy the drugstore variety and, if it had been a while since I had used a pack and if the castor oil smell was really, really overwhelming AND if I had plenty on hand, that smelly bottle might hit the trashcan. But if you are a regular user of the packs, you will probably use up your supply on hand long before you have to worry about it getting too old to use.

One trick I use is... I try to rub the castor oil into my skin directly where I will be putting the pack. Continue to rub in the oil, letting the skin absorb as much as possible. If you rub briskly, everything gets a little warm and enhances the absorption. Then I apply heating pad/pack as usual with renewed oil on the pack also. I think it just gives you/your pack a jumpstart.

Just let me know if you have anymore questions, my friend, ok? phoenix23002

A few months ago I decided to experiment and apply Castor Oil to my face, neck, torso and legs before starting my work-out. I figured since I sweat profusely the oil would absorb into the skin as the pores opened up. I find that it does completely absorb into the skin with the exception of my legs. They feel tacky since they do not sweat as much as the rest of my body. I do not use a towel as I would normally do to dry my face and neck as I begin to drip, instead I rub my hand over the area as little as possible but as needed because I do not want to rub off the oil. Clothing will get stained slightly but tends to come out in the wash because it is watered down with sweat. To be safe, do not use "good" clothing. I work-out (jog) at home not outside. Getting greased up to go outside may not be a good idea although by the time you are finished there is no grease to be seen. So start making your work-out do double duty with the use of Castor Oil or any other oil for that matter! I have not noticed any benefits I just do it because the oil is good for the body in general. Maureen

I have suffered from pain for years - first endometriosis, and now full-blown fibromyalgia, neck (both muscle and lymph), gall, and kidney pain (which I now know all stems from Lyme infection of 15 years...). Ever since using a heating pad for the debilitating monthly cramps in my teens, I have found heat to be an aid. In addition to the over-used hot water bottle, I also use an infrared heat lamp that a Chinese Medicine Practitioner gave me, which I place over whichever organ/area I wish to treat (he uses one to increase the effectiveness of acupuncture). It's about 8-10" in diameter and has a swing-arm stand, which holds the light about 8-12" from my body, resulting in an approx. 12" treatment area.

This has been very helpful to me. Apparently, the infrared wavelength of light penetrates a couple of inches into the body, vibrating at a wavelength that resonates with fat cells (the water in them?), and can cause them to mobilize and excrete toxins (much of our toxic load is attached to fat cells, and hard to remove). It has a greater impact on my pain than the water bottle (greater muscle relaxation, I think), and I find it soothing, especially as it does not have to be particularly hot to work (it works because of its particular wavelength of light, not just the heat).

The reason for my post:

I have recently been using the lamp as a means of Castor Oil application, with the thought that it might produce deeper penetration (and much less mess) than simple Castor Oil packs. I just slap some on my skin and apply the light for 20min-1hr, then wipe/wash it off. I have nothing to compare its effectiveness to (I never tried castor oil packs after a few messy, unhelpful PMS cramp-releif attempts in my teens), but it does seem to ease my uterine and gall bladder pain, and my sore/swollen groin-area glands.

As both therapies are purported to mobilize toxins, I'd like to think they potentiate each other, and together pull out some of the stuff that is giving me trouble.

I would be interested in hearing what someone with more Castor Oil know-how thinks of my practice, and perhaps other infrared lamp owners could give it a try.