Castor Oil for Gout

My husband had recurring gout near big toe area. Last time he had it, we put castor oil pack (spread oil on foot area affected, covered it with oil-infused sock. covered that with plastic bag (used food baggie), covered that with clean sock. He wore it overnight and part of next day. Repeated this for 2-3 days. Foot was very much improved after 1st application and after 3 days healed. The time BEFORE that when he had gout, we did nothing - he had it very painful for 3 months ( a very long time to have gout).

This has been my 3rd severe attack since my 1st attack in 2012. I follow a pretty healthy diet, so I think I have been able to avoid more attacks. I tried EVERYTHING for this attack! I cannot say for sure what worked except the castor oil wrap. Perhaps my attack cleared up faster as a result, 6 days as opposed to the normal 10, but I thought I should share this.

I wrote myself up a plan and took:

• Lemon juice and water first thing in the morning
• ACV 1Tbsp/8oz water 3X
• Fresh pineapple juice / 1 oz ginger juice 3X
• Celery / Cucumber Juice 3X
• Charcoal Based bowel cleanser 3X
• Soaked in warm Epsom salts and ACV baths

This in addition to normal supplement regiment. As some of you may attest to, it was very disconcerting knowing this was coming on and I could not stop it. I had not tried the castor oil wrap before, but wow, it was the only thing that seemed to make a difference. I will say, I did not try this until day 3 and I also started cherry juice and safflower tea at the same time which may have made a difference as well.

I put a good dollop of oil on the area. (This time being on the outside of my left foot as opposed to my large toe before) I also covered the area with a soaked cotton pad. Then covered with a loose white sock. I wrapped the area in plastic wrap to prevent staining. I then put on a loose thermal sock and went to bed. Each morning I noted improvement. Prior to this, each morning was met with a decline.

I will definitely do this again if/when I have another attack.

I first suffered with gout unexpectedly 3 years ago. I had not been eating the 'typical gout inducing diet' nor do I drink alcohol. It was extremely painful and it took a couple of months for my foot to return to normal. Since that first time, I have suffered with gout every year, starting at the same time (May/June). Each time my diet varied from the previous year, still no rich foods or high purine foods and still no alcohol. Water is my sole intake of liquids apart from an infrequent coffee (3 or 4 cups a month at most).

Trying to prevent any attack this year I ate mostly just raw vegetables/salad and light foods, and drank only water. Completely avoided the 'typical gout diet' that people are constantly told cause it. Lo and behold, towards the end of May, regardless of my diet, my foot starting showing signs of gout. At first it only hurt when I put pressure on it whilst walking etc. But the next day when I woke up it was hurting whilst still in bed and felt very stiff, very heavy and 'big' and like the bones in the top of my foot beneath my toes were fractured and was throbbing around the big toe joint and also underneath. I couldn't believe it after all my efforts! I have never been able to stop a gout attack once it has first showed signs and was dreading what was coming (anyone who has suffered the terrible pain of gout will know the dread I mean). I was so furious that after all my dietary efforts I was still getting gout, that I said to my body (sounds weird, I know) "Right, I am NOT putting up with gout this time, I AM going to prevent its spread and cure it" and I said it with a deeply held faith and belief that I could.

With that, I got out of bed, went downstairs to get my castor oil, propped my foot up on the settee and rubbed a nice big dollop of the oil all over my foot. The gout hadn't progressed to the point where I couldn't touch the skin yet, so it felt ok. After massaging the oil into my foot for a few minutes, I wrapped it quite tightly in cling-film and then put 2 loose-fitting socks on my foot to keep it warm. I then spent the rest of the day sitting with my foot raised, putting no pressure on it. I took the juice of 1 lemon with half a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda with water added and drank it down and also drank water throughout the day. The first food I ate was in the late evening whereby I had a mix of raw peppers, apple, raw onion, raw carrot and a baked potato with olive oil drizzled on it. I then went to bed at around midnight with my foot still wrapped up, and I actually slept!

When I awoke in the morning there was no longer any pain in my foot. I gingerly got up and put pressure on it and to my delight found the pain had more or less disappeared apart from a slight tenderness from the pressure when walking. My foot no longer felt heavy and big and the feeling of the bones being fractured had gone. My foot and ankle were very skinny as opposed to it being swollen at the onset of the attack. Not being one to count my chickens, I was very wary of it being 'cured' so I rubbed more oil into my foot again, wrapped it securely with new cling-film, placed the socks back on and kept my foot up.

I decided not to eat anything hoping to give my body the chance to heal and was worried about risking the attack coming back. I again took the lemon and bicarb and water mix. Whilst I was sitting relaxing with my foot resting up, I kept reaffirming in my mind that I was healing. I was able to move my foot freely with no pain or heavy sensation and kept remarking to my boyfriend how amazing it was - that this time maybe I had actually stopped a gout attack in its tracks. But I wanted to still be careful so kept it rested. I was so amazed by the incredible healing properties of the castor oil and the remarkable effect that it had on my foot but a part of me dared not tempt fate by believing the gout had gone so I continued sending healing and loving thoughts to my foot.

I ate a potato-based meal in the late evening and re-wrapped my foot in the castor oil and cling-film and went to bed, socks on. The next morning there was still no pain in my foot but continued to do the castor oil wrap. I moved a bit more on my foot to test it out and it felt fine but still kept it up and rested as much as possible just to be sure. I continued with this castor oil regime each morning and night for the next few days. My foot stayed pain free. It has now been nearly 4 weeks since the attack started and my foot has remained pain-free even though I have not put any castor oil on it for nearly 3 weeks! It truly has been amazing and I am extremely grateful that I managed to prevent the spread of the attack before it got to the very painful stage and have a true belief in the healing properties of castor oil.

Previously I had tried cherries and other dietary changes to cure the gout but nothing worked until the castor oil - and it worked extremely quickly. The castor oil I used was organic and I believe is cold-pressed.

I apologise for the lengthy feedback but I know what it is like desperately trawling through forum posts trying to find some help and hoping to spot similar experiences to other people, so thought it best to detail a timeline of events. I do believe it will help arthritic conditions too as gout is a form of arthritis - at the very least it is a natural product so is always worth a try. I truly hope this helps someone and wish you all well in your own recovery and prevention.