The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Broad Benefits
Posted by Cassandra (Dundas, Ontario, Canada) on 09/19/2008
★★★★★
I have been on a castor oil patch on my back where I had surgery (4 years ago this past August 18th) for my ruptured disc for over 1 1/2 years now. I have found it very benefitial for my back and most excellent for keeping the toxins out of my body. I tend to wake up in the morning with loose or liquid stools if I eat processed or "bad for me" foods the day before.
At the beginning of this year I decided to increase the times I put the patch on to every night. The damp and cold weather plays havoc with my back. The pain, decreased mobility, increased sciatic problems, etc. are enhanced by the cold, damp weather (basically the end of August to May). Thus why I hate 8 months of the year here.
Using the castor oil patch (cotton flannel swatch with a piece of plastic between the cotton and a hot water bottle, with a quarter size drop of castor oil on the flannel - flannel soaked with castor oil is the best - laying the castor oil against my scar area) has helped reduce the pain, increase my flexibility and mobility (when I first wake up and throughout the day), which is a BIG YAY for me!
But this summer I have found it has helped in other areas, too!
1) I have been working in my parents garden quite a bit (for me) seeing as this would be year 3 that my mother hasn't been out there working in it due to her Alzheimers. The mosquitos have been horrendous and I have been bitten like crazy. Normally I end up with tons of mosquito bites from head to toe and I scratch them like a raving lunitic. This year I think I have had less than 10 bites stay, with only a couple getting even the least bit itchy. I've even rubbed a bit of the castor oil on the ones that do itch and they stop itching!
2) I have had etopic eczema since I was a youngster. Doing dishes has had to been done with rubber gloves on. Leaking rubber gloves causes a burning feeling on my hands, then itchiness, followed with my hands either going raw, cracking, loosing their finger prints, or a combination of all. Sometimes I get lazy, forgetful or I don't have any to put on but I need to do the dishes and end up with this within minutes of my hands being submersed into the dish water or touching the soapy cleaning cloth or sponge. Well, I was at the Community Centre where I work and no gloves were to be found, so I went ahead and washed, anxiously anticipating the outcome but nothing happend! Hours later I still didn't have any repercussions!!! I now sometimes wash dishes without gloves, but I try to make sure I still use them because I am so concerned that the spell will break! lol!
3) For the last while... long while... I have had yeast infection after ever period cycle I get. Monostat, etc., etc. doesn't do a thing for me. I've tried putting yogurt up there. I've tried changing my diet. I've tried adding cottage cheese to my diet. Nothing helps. So one day I decided to use some castor oil up there. Within 2 to 4 days later it's gone!
A couple of weeks ago I told one of my friends I see at our Senior Centre about castor oil patches as he as M.S. and it causes him a great deal of back pain. He used it for 4 days (without the hot water bottle because being hot is something M.S. patients find hard to handle), but couldn't use it any longer because with M.S. he tends to get loose bowels, and the castor oil was cleansing the toxins out of him so much (he smokes) he couldn't handle it! He said the pain was easing, though, before he stopped using it.
Tonight I am going to use it on my throat as my throat is raw and I have laryngitis. I am praying it works well!
This stuff is AMAZING!
Burns, Serious
Posted by Sharon (Redding, California) on 08/26/2008
★★★★★
My daughter sunburned the shins on both legs. They had 3rd-degree burns. Big yellow blisters. She could walk for about 3 days. I was told by an elderly man to soak gauze in Castor Oil and wrap her legs with the gauze and leave it for 3 days. The next day my daughter was able to walk. The 3rd day I removed the gauze and she was healed. Blisters gone. Her legs we just a shade pink. It left no scars. Awesome stuff.
Dogs
Posted by Francine (Playa Del Rey, Ca) on 07/19/2008
★★★★★
I wanted to share my experience with castor oil. One week ago I discovered a large lump on the throat of my dog, the size of a golf ball. Remembering I had found info about castor on your site, I quickly started aggressively applying it to the tumor. I personally have been brewing and drinking essiac tea for years. I keep the left over sludge and started putting that in my dogs food. Remarkably, the tumor is now gone. A little of a week has passed and after applying the castor oil almost 5 times a day. Thank you so much. On a side note, I have been using the oil on my face for beautiful skin, on my strained veins on my legs, which have been disppearing, and my mother in law's dog with tumors also as well as an enlarged liver, has been applying it to her dogs tumors and liver area, after a visit to the vet, the second tests showed the liver had shrunk to normal.
Beautiful Skin
Posted by Olivia (Brooklyn, New York) on 06/23/2008
★★★★★
I had hated castor oil for many years because growing up in South America it was a quarterly cleansing ritual by my mother and many others. This website has helped me to see castor oil in a new way. I have been applying it occasionally to my face at night. Every time I do so, I absolutely love the way I look in the morning. My skin looks toned and fresh. Yesterday I attended a function and saw a woman whom I had not seen for about two years. She kept saying "you have to tell me what you are doing, you look ten years younger. I have also been doing facial exercises. She asked her daughter for my number because she said she is determined to find out what I had done to my face. Many people were in the room and she was quite vocal so I just replied that I had been taking care of myself. I will tell her privately. I think the castor oil definitely helped my skin plus the facial exercises helped tone the muscles under the skin. I used to hate the mirror, now I glance at it ever so often. Thanks for the castor oil tip.
Knee Pain
Posted by Al (Collinsville, IL) on 06/13/2008
★★★★★
Call it what you wish, Voodoo, Witchcraft, "BS", whatever, but it DID work for me.
Having recently torn the cartilage in my left knee, simultaneously diagnosed "with a little arthritis" in the same, and swelling behind the knee. My Sport's Ortho said that the swelling was common with the torn cartilage but should go down in time. I began searching on the Web for a magical pain relief remedy (other than my already supplementation of Glucosamine Sulfate, Chondroitin, Taurine, Collagen, HA, Cats Claw, Bromelain, MSM, etc., etc., etc - .all of which I have been taking for years due to 27 yrs of cycling but at almost 68yo, something had to give).
One subject that kept surfacing on the Searches was an old time remedy of Castor Oil. I'm not in terrible pain, but it is a 24/7 aggravation, as anyone who has similar discomforts can attest to.
I decided to give it a try; purchased a package of ladies' cosmetic, cleansing pads (~3"x4") and a small bottle of Castor Oil (CO), I placed a pad on a saucer, saturated the pad with CO (not dripping) and popped it into the microwave for about 35 secs. I, then placed the (105F) warm pad on my knee; wrapped my knee-pad with plastic wrap (to keep the CO from staining the heating pad) and then applied a heating pad, set to Med. heat. I left it on for about 1 hour and when I removed everything,
I did a "test walk" -not only was my knee not stiff, and the swelling was 95% GONE!! I could walk with 100% less discomfort and this was 10x more effective than the Cortisone or three Hydraluronic Acid injections I had received in a two months period. The other nice thing is that you don't have to throw the saturated pad away; place in a Ziploc bag for the next application and just add a little more CO.
I generally apply this treatment daily, each time the knee feels better - I know it's not going to remedy the situation 100%, but has made my life much better.
Swollen Lymph Nodes
Posted by Moorea (Santa Fe, New Mexico) on 05/06/2008
★★★★★
I am so grateful for this site! Last night I woke with a swollen lymph the size of a tennis ball and was terrified. I'm 24 and have never had something like this happen before. But, did a google search and found your site and Castor Oil recommendation. It REALLY works! I placed castor oil on the area and placed a flannel rag over it and a heat pad. This morning my lymph was still slightly swollen, but after a bath of epson salts, baking soda, and apple cider vinegar as well as eating miso soup (a very alkalizing food) I feel 100% better. I had been sick with a cold for about two weeks and these remedies seemed to cure that as well. I think it is also important to note that these remedies work really well when you have a frame of mind that supports curing yourself, by re-focusing on the things that give you joy and the things that you love, can only help you be more grateful and less focused on the thoughts that created this illness to begin with. Thank you so much!
Toenail Fungus
Posted by Ann (Algonquin, IL) on 04/17/2008
★★★★★
I have successfully used castor oil to treat toenail fungus. My baby toenail was completely taken over by fungus. It had a black line running through it as well (another sign of fungus). I did this treatment twice per day until the nail grew out: First, I put two drops of vinegar on the nail. Then I placed a bit of cotton soaked in castor oil directly on the nail and kept it in place with a bandage. The nail is completely healthy. It's been almost two years since the treatment.
Tumors
Posted by Mi (Danton, TX) on 03/10/2006
★★★★★
I had a non-cancerous tumor on a salivary gland. I tried castor oil packs before surgey to no avail, but 2 weeks after surgery I had fluid build up in my neck, I had my doctor drain it and it came back. I did a castor oil pack for one hour and when woke up the next day and the fluid was gone. I have since continued the packs every other night to help me not form keliods or scar and every night I do one I see an acceleration in healing the next day.
Abdominal Adhesions
Posted by Ellie (Durham, NC)
★★★★★
I had major abdominal surgery and a few years later knew I had adhesions as a result. I used the packs for an hour each day for about 2 months. One day I actually felt it break loose! It felt like being hit with a huge rubber band and was painful for only a few seconds before feeling better. No longer did I have the painful pulling sensation in my side. My doctor is from India and agreed with me that the castor oil packs dissolved the scar tissue. This saved me from more surgery, that would have created more scar tissue, and on and on and on.
Increase White Blood Cell Count
Posted by Donna (Aspen, CO)
★★★★★
Increase your white blood cell count: rub your whole stomach with castor oil every day. My sister has cancer, and her doctor cannot figure out why her white count is climbing while the other blood counts are falling. He won't believe the castor oil story....hahaha
Broad Benefits
Posted by Sue (Oregon) on 09/20/2006
★★★★★
I have been using a Castor oil pack for years. I just apply the oil to my stomach area and cover with plastic, then put a heating pad, set on low, over the area for 1/2 hour a day. I have gotten relief this way for hiatel hernia, indigestion, and constipation. I have also used this method for for healing joint injuries and to gain relief and healing in arthritic joints.
Arthritis
Posted by Carolyn (Inverness, FL) on 02/27/2007
★★★★★
Castor oil packs driven in with heat. Arthritic condition (back out). Will cure various problems. Famous Edgar Cayce cure. Look at Una da Gato a Peruvian rain forest herb -- other name Cats Claw. Also for arthritis and other ailments, Edgar Cayce said 'Castor oil will leave the body in better condition than it found it.
Cysticerci
Posted by Lhyn (Dubai, UAE) on 03/11/2007
★★★★★
I had cysticerci in my upper abdomen (left and right) in my calculation it is almost 60 cyst with the size of mung beans each of the cyst. After I zapped it with hulda clark zapper and put castor oil pack and the heating pad, some of the cyst was gone... i'll continue zapping and castor oil packs.
Calcified Bursa
Posted by K.C. (Portland, Oregon) on 06/25/2007
★★★★★
I had a calcified bursa on my right shoulder that had become so painful that, after six months of physical therapy, it was no better and I was scheduled for cortisone shots. I did not want them because of the immuno-suppressant tendency of cortisone. One night I had the impression to try a castor oil pack on it, just out of the blue. So I did. I wrapped my shoulder and underarm (after washing it) and left the pack on all night. In the morning the problem was 95% better. I did it four more nights and have not had the problem since. About five years now.
Gut Issues
Posted by K.C. (Portland, Oregon) on 06/25/2007
★★★★★
I have had gut problems for years. (I have an extra-long colon, like twice normal length.) General inflammation, sometimes burning an inch or two below my sternum ( a good remedy for that is pancreatic enzymes), a pointed ache in the gall bladder area (just below right ribs) whenever I ate anything with fat, and a pain in the left lower corner of the abdomen aftter eating. I did an all night castor oil pack and all of these symptoms have disappeared and have not come back.
