Castor Oil Master Guide 2026: Packs, Pechoti Method & Healing

Sprains

Posted by Clairevg (Cumbria) on 10/07/2016
★★★★★

Editor's Choice

Castor Oil is amazing for any kind of sprain. Yesterday my husband sprained his ankle whilst out walking and by the time we were home he couldn't put any weight on it, I was very worried and thought a trip to the doctor would be necessary. We rubbed Castor Oil around the swelling and on the bottom of his feet and this morning the pain is very much reduced and the swelling gone. He can now walk fine on it (with much reduced pain) but I am amazed as it was very serious last night, even to the point I thought he had broken a bone as he could put no weight on it at all. The other thing he mentioned was that the leg which we rubbed oil into has less muscle fatigue than the other which we didn't (we walked over 20 miles in the last 2 days over mountains before he twisted the ankle) and so it seems to have helped the muscles to recover too.

Love Castor Oil and wanted to share our story as I find this site really helpful. We have used Castor Oil in the past to help painful fingers when they have crushed accidentally or hit with a hammer by accident and that has helped which is why we thought of it last night. Give it a try, it can only help!

Warts

Posted by Becky From Ohio (Ashtabula, Ohio, Usa) on 12/18/2010
★★★★★

I had great success with castor oil and baking soda. I believe it is an old Edgar Cayce remedy? You add enough castor oil to baking soda so that it makes a thick paste (to where you can roll it into a little ball like gum) and put it on the wart. Cover with bandaid. It took me probably a month or so for it to work, but I was not religious about appplying it every day. Sometimes I would forget for a few days.

About the last week (when I could see that it seemed to be dying) I got serious and applied it every day. I think if I had applied it around the clock (instead of just for 8 or 12 hours) it would have disappeared much quicker. I had had that wart for about 10 years (between my toes). I had tried just about everything- over the counter and a foot doctor. I thought that wart and I were going to grow old and die together! After 10 years I was so thrilled to finally be rid of it!

Beautiful Skin

Posted by London (Sandusky, Ohio) on 08/08/2010
★★★★★

My Mother uses Castor oil on her skin and she looks great, her skin glows. She uses it at night.

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.

Beautiful Skin

Posted by Tina (Princeton, New Jersey) on 09/12/2010
★★★★★

I agree that castor oil is an amazing face oil. I have been using it as a night-time treatment for nearly two months now. I use a tiny amount which I thin down with a few drops of almond oil which makes it easier to pat onto the skin, since castor oil has a thick consistency. I have also noticed that my eyelashes are growing longer!

Deep Sleep

Posted by Jen (Maryland) on 02/18/2016
★★★★★

It brings blood up to the surface making your eyes feel heavy and tired. I make products and am studying to become an esthetician, it's how I learned iit.

Beautiful Skin

Posted by Len (Seattle, Wa) on 06/11/2011
★★★★★

No--the castor oil will not clog your pores. In fact, it has made my pores clearer and smaller. I was very leery about using an oil on my face (I thought I'd break out terribly) but after the first application, I realized that it helped get rid of any blemishes or inflammations not caused them. And I have less clogged pores.

Application Tips

Posted by Cindy (Illinois, USA) on 02/23/2024 563 posts
★★★★★

Castor Oil Trick - UNTESTED

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.

Urinary Incontinence

Posted by Cindy (Illinois, USA) on 05/29/2021 563 posts

Day 7 - coughing fit - coughed up a lot of phlegm from the lungs that I didn't even realize I had. I had sinus issues after covid and some other sort of "thing" about a month after that went straight to the chest after madly working to keep covid from going down into the chest. Expelled a large amount of clear phlegm with no sign of infection but I hadn't even realized I still had "stuff" in the chest. Probably because I was focused on a quite significant form of all-over muscle weakness that went on for almost a year after covid. Until I started rebounding.

Anyway, kind of sore from a LOT of coughing but my lungs and throat are very..."open" so...interesting.

Also had "activity" in the lower left quadrant of the abdomen, which was interesting. Possibly an adhesion dissolving but, of course, I have no way of knowing. Another "issue" I didn't know I had, apparently.

Aside from the hydration - 8 oz every two waking hours - the "Belly Rub of Happiness" 2 or 3 times per day, a little castor oil on a couple of itchy spots, a bug bite of some sort and a spot on my arm that was like a new mole that turned black, then a larger, ugly dead-looking gray but is now pink - no idea what it was - but the castor oil and hydration is all I've been doing so...interesting results.

Oh! And when I started rebounding, it cleared up edema in my lower legs except for two "knots", one on the outside of each leg, a couple inches above the ankle. I would guess it's swollen lymph nodes, possibly "clogged" or something but they've been changing as well. The one on the left is smaller and the one on the right was flat, this morning, so I figured I'd rub some castor oil in while it as flat and was able to detect a small lump so, perhaps applying castor oil while it's flat, in the mornings, will help that along. We'll see. The rebounding didn't seem to be shifting it but maybe it's just a slower process.

And here I was, thinking I didn't have any "real" issues! Very interesting...I suspect the mole on my arm may have been a skin cancer and God only knows what the swollen knots on my leg are...no idea what the gut activity was but it's gone for now.

Can't wait to see what happens next!

Eye Injury

Posted by Mama To Many (Middle, Tennessee, USA) on 05/31/2013
★★★★★

My teenage son was doing some woodworking yesterday and got a piece of wood in his eye. He was outside for another hour before he came in. I think the piece of wood had absorbed the fluid on his eye because now it was stuck to his eyeball. It was the size of a pin head. I could touch it but it woudn't move. First we tried rinsing it out with any eyecup I have for this purpose, but it woudn't budge. I put a drop of castor oil in his eye. After a few minutes, the piece of wood was able to move again. We were able to carefully work it to the corner of his eye and remove it. We would probably have not worked with it had the wood not been on the white of his eye. We would have waited for blinking and such to work it to the corner of his eye.

His brother once got some sawdust in his eye. His eye was very irritated. I think the sawdust worked its way out, but his eye was still very uncomfortable. (And he isn't a complainer. ) I tried an over the counter product that was supposed to sooth they eye and it seemed to help. When that has happened since, I just use castor oil. I think it is safer and more natural and also something I always keep in the house.

Diabetic Feet

Posted by Diabetesguy (London, United Kingdom) on 12/26/2011
★★★★★

Castor Oil really works on Sore Feet and Burning Feet - I am diabetic and I massage Castor Oil into the bottom of my feet when sore after walking or exercise.

I also massage Castor Oil at nights to stop BURNING feet - It really works- Hope this helps.

Gum Infections

Posted by Cajun62234 (Opelousas, Louisiana) on 10/31/2009
★★★★★

As a proven believer in Castor Oil, the other morning I awoke with a very sore gum in the vicinity of my right canine tooth. A look in the mirror indicated it was blood red, very tender, but no blood excreted when massaging. I generally 'oil' with Sesame Oil, but thought 'Why not try CO?'... Two 20 minute sessions [about 3-4 hours inbetween] and a session at bed time. I excreted all of the 'oiling', but let the CO coating remain in my mouth over night...the next morning it was 95% better; a repeat of the previous day's treatment produced a 100% recovery by the following evening...no redness, no tenderness and a normal, healthy gum..

Shingles

Posted by Junglegirl (Haiku, Hawaii) on 08/11/2009
★★★★★

Shingles treatment: My mother used a high quality pure castor oil slathered on the worst spots. She applied it most heavily at night and wore old pajamas because it's messy, but it worked immediately for her. We found the remedy somewhere online, years ago, so I can't reference it. But it worked.

Beautiful Skin

Posted by Brooke (Montgomery, TX) on 03/02/2008
★★★★★

I have religiously used castor oil for over 22 years on my face. About three times per week, I put it on my face and neck and go to sleep! It has continually given me a fresh look, and I have no wrinkles. I also rub it on my elbows and knees. I wash my face with Dr. Bronners Castile Almond soap. The castor oil is a little thick, but keep on trying it. You will get used to it.

Arthritis

Posted by Sunny (Sunny CA) on 12/31/2022
★★★★★

Castor Oil for Arthritis

Helps me take fewer OTC meds on days I overdo it.

I started using organic castor oil on my knees and inner elbows. I rub a lot of oil on my knees and place plastic wrap on them and over them with semi lightweight knee sleeves. I add more oil to it a few times during the day.

It's been amazing, more than I hoped for. I used castor oil in 2005 to save my gallbladder, and use it on the gallbladder liver area off and on even to this day.

Worth a try.. I can NOW GET UP from my computer without a cane and without my knees locking up on me for sitting there too long.

Emergency Castor Oil Packs

Posted by Katzie (Calgary) on 08/29/2022
★★★★★

On vacation? Don't have any flannel, plastic wrap, maybe you don't have a hot water bottle? If you cannot make up a castor oil pack in the usual manner, I know of an alternate method.

While on vacay in Mexico, I got some sort of rash on the inside elbow of my right arm. After 3 days of throwing everything I had at it, the darn thing was still there. I also did not have my usual supplies with me - so I improvised.

I used my dog's "pee pads", y'know, those blue & wavy cotton pressed sheets. I cut out an area to cover the area, added a bunch of castor oil, put it on the rash, and since I did not have plastic wrap or a hot water bottle, I simply used my left hand as a heat source and left it there for 20 mins (the plastic wrap is purely for messiness reasons and is not strictly necessary). A few hours later that rash was gone!

So in short, your dog's pee-pads WILL work just fine!! I so glad I remembered that tip and so wanted to share!

Health & healing, everyone!!

Side Effects

Posted by Anna (Austin, Tx) on 08/08/2017 15 posts

Has anyone ever thought that it could be a "Herxheimer Reaction" (healing crisis)? I have been using castor oil for one week around my eye area but not in the eye. The first 4 to 5 days I woke up with a lot of sleep in my eyes, which never really happens. I do not get it any more so I'm assuming my eyes are healing. I am still using the castor oil but will start putting a drop in each eye. Just a thought, as with all natural remedies there is a healing crisis period.

Urinary Incontinence

Posted by Cindy (Illinois, USA) on 05/27/2021 563 posts
★★★★★

Thought it might be a fluke but, day 5 and still NORMAL!!! The Belly Rub of Happiness!! Yeah!!

General Feedback

Posted by Cindy (Illinois, USA) on 05/22/2021 563 posts
★★★★★

The author of the book, The Oil That Heals - Dr. William McGarey - writes, "Our six children have had castor oil applied to various parts of their anatomy so often over the years that they have reminded us that they will put on our tombstones when we die, "Here they lie in spite of castor oil! "

Skin Cancer

Posted by Carolyn (Northwest, OH) on 01/13/2009
★★★★★

Yes, use castor oil on your lips! It was a major ingredient in lipsticks for years and years and is perfectly safe. As for it's effect on skin cancers, one case was specifically mentioned in the book, "The Oil that Heals" where a man had a tumor on his ear which disappeared after using castor oil topically daily. I always keep a bottle on hand and never ingest it--just use it topically.

Ankle Pain

Posted by HisJewel (New York) on 01/26/2024
★★★★★

Hello EC and Everyone,

We had a few dipping cold days and snow in New York. Well I was determined to still go out for my walk and maybe a bus ride. This is what the seniors in New York love to do, after the rush hour we are out there helping others and being young again ( some still get out before day).

Well, on the day of the first frost, my ankle got a few sharp pains for seemly no reason. And that night my ankle hurt so bad I could not get a good night sleep. The next day I put a mixture of oils on it before going out. However, the pain continued, and I had to stop walking serval times because I felt like my ankle was going to give in under me with the stabling like pains. When I got home this time, I remembered Castor oil. The Castor oil stopped the pain quickly and I got a good night's sleep. The next day I massaged in the Castor oil once again, . It's at least a week now and no more ankle pain.

HisJewel