Arthritis has been inflicting pain on human bodies for a long time– as far back as 4500 BC. Even today, after all the technological advancements in medicine, arthritis remains prevalent across borders. More than 350 million people suffer from arthritic conditions globally. However, there are specific natural remedies that have worked wonders for many people with arthritis, and castor oil for arthritis definitely tops the list of these remedies.
So, in this article, we’ll shed more light on why castor oil is so popular for treating arthritis, the best ways to use it, and a secret to speed up your healing process like never before.
What is Arthritis?
Did you ever wake up feeling somebody, somewhere, is poking pins in a voodoo doll by your name? Your joints feel frozen while you cry in pain, and it takes hours for the morning stiffness to ease away.
If yes, then you should get checked for arthritis.
Arthritis does not refer to a specific disease. Instead, it is an umbrella term that includes 100 different types of joint inflammation. People of all ages and sexes live with it.
Arthritis induces swelling, stiffness, and pain and limits joint motion. Though the symptoms can vary from severe to mild, chronic arthritis can result in severe pain and make even day-to-day activities like walking and climbing stairs extremely grueling and painful.
The most common type is rheumatoid arthritis (RA) which occurs when your immune system attacks your joint afflicting uncontrolled inflammation. RA primarily affects the joints in our hands, feet, elbows, and shoulders.
But, irrespective of the type, if not treated immediately, arthritis can permanently disfigure your joints. In fact, it is the leading cause of disability in the U.S.
While medicine is important for treating arthritis, there are also natural ways through which you can speed up the healing process and can even reverse the inflammation in your joints. One of such miraculous natural remedy is castor oil.
Read More: Understanding Inflammation: A Complete Beginner’s Guide
Castor Oil: The Best Natural Remedy for Arthritis?
Arthritis is an inflammatory condition that causes excruciating joint pain (especially in the case of rheumatoid and psoriatic arthritis). Luckily, castor oil is a potent analgesic and anti-inflammatory remedy.
Castor oil is a viscous, flavorless oil produced from the castor plant's seeds. Its use stretches back to ancient Egypt when it was initially employed as lamp fuel before being utilized for therapeutic and cosmetic purposes.
India now produces the majority of the world's castor oil. Many of its traditional applications, including its laxative effects and anti-inflammatory characteristics, are supported by contemporary studies.
Even when applied topically, your skin easily absorbs the castor. And once in, the miraculous anti-inflammatory compounds in the castor oil reduce joint pain and discomfort.
Swelling is a common symptom of arthritis, and the discomfort gets worse on days when you apply some pressure to the afflicted area. Therefore, on days like that, you need medication that quickly reduces inflammation. And castor oil is known to reduce inflammations.
This is why castor oil is often the best natural remedy to treat arthritis. Medical practitioners across India have been using castor oil to relieve joint pain for centuries. However, as growing studies dictate ricinoleic acid (an essential compound of castor oil) as the holy grail to heal inflammation, we can see evidence of why this orderless oil has produced such excellent results.
How To Use Castor Oil for Arthritis?
Depending on your condition and preference, you can use castor oil for arthritis in a few different ways. However, here are our top three favorite ways:
Use Castor Oil Directly on Your Skin
For this, you'll need 100% organic castor oil (hexane-free) and a cotton cloth.
Start by heating the castor oil to a lukewarm temperature. Then, soak the cotton cloth in the warmed oil and squeeze out the excess.
Now, place the cloth on arthritis-affected areas and leave it for 30-45 minutes. This will let the warm oil sink into your skin, relieving pain and reducing inflammation.
How Often: No more than once a week
Massage Oil
Castor oil is a great massage oil for alleviating aching muscles, inflamed nerves, and arthritic joints. Plus, you don't need to be a professional masseuse to perform castor oil massages.
Spread a few drops of lukewarm castor oil evenly on your palm and massage it on the affected area.
Depending on your arthritis, you can do the following:
- Swedish massage: Apply oil to the region that needs to be massaged. On the sore joint, make lengthy, circular strokes with your fingertips. Adjust the pressure to your comfort level.
- Petrissage: Apply oil to the injured joint or muscle. Wherever there is pain, lift the skin and gently squeeze and knead it. It works best for relieving sore muscles.
- Lymphatic massage: To begin, apply oil to the injured joint or muscle. On the afflicted region, use gentle, patterned strokes (going down and out). This aids in cleansing the body of extra fluid that has accumulated as a result of inflammatory processes, such as those observed in psoriatic arthritis and rheumatoid.
How Often: For the best result, massage it regularly for 15 minutes once a week.
Castor Oil Packs
Using castor oil for massage or directly on your skin drenched in cotton cloth can be messy. But there's a better way out: Castor Oil Packs.
Arandi organic castor oil wrap is specially made to allow your body to heal naturally. Made with ultra-soft organic cotton, ensures proper absorption of the castor oil. With no risk of leaks, you can even wear the pack to bed without any discomfort.
Coupled with the organic castor oil, you can easily make and use the castor oil pack that relieves pain and helps treat inflammation from the core.
Here's a step-by-step guide to using a castor oil pack
- In the microwave, warm 3-4 tablespoons of organic castor oil for 45 seconds on a dish
- Place the organic velour castor oil pack over the heated oil, and let the cloth absorb it
- Sit or lie on a comfortable chair or bed, and keep the pack over your affected joints.
- Place a hot water bottle or heating pad over the castor oil wrap
- Let the pack heal the inflammation and take the pain away for 45 to 60 minutes.
How Often: Once a day, three times a week (use for three consecutive days with four days off)
Healing Arthritis: The Holistic Approach
Time and again, castor oil has proven to be a miraculous remedy for fast pacing your arthritis healing process.
But there's only so much relief external influences can provide. In the longer haul, you'll need to adapt to a healthy lifestyle with an appropriate diet and physical exercise to keep your body healthy and diseases away.
At Arandi, we advise you to focus on the holistic approach. To overcome the root cause of any disease, you need to pay close attention to the following:
Know Your Food
Ripe fruits rich in antioxidants, vitamins A, C, and E, and selenium helps reduce inflammation. Therefore, fruits like strawberries, pineapples, berries, and grapes are great choices for arthritics.
Furthermore, make sure to include lots of fiber in your diet. This will help rescue the inflammatory responses that can decrease the C-reactive protein levels.
It's also important to know which food will trigger arthritis. High protein food, including meat, beans, and processed carbohydrates containing saturated fat and transfat, caffeine, and any recreational drug must be avoided.
Exercise
When a person has arthritis-induced joint pains, taking proper rest is vital. But exercise is also an undeniably crucial part of the healing journey.
Exercise improves stamina and flexibility, helps combat fatigue, reduces joint pain, and increases overall movement.
So, consult a physical therapist to get the best exercises per your specific condition. In general, range-of-motion training, aerobics, strengthening workouts, yoga, and breathing exercises works best.
Focus on Positive Thoughts
Studies reveal that patients with RA can often suffer from self rejections. And it's not tough to understand why. When our mind dwells in constant pain, it's easy to let the negative thought take over.
But emotional factors play a significant role in our overall health; hence, emotion management is crucial to a quick recovery.
So, practice distracting your mind away from the pain. Devote time to certain hobbies like dancing, singing, etc., which will help you develop a feeling of happiness.
Spend quality time with your loved ones. Good, deep sleep will further help eliminate toxins and improve your organs' optimal function.
Castor Oil for Arthritis: A Word to the Wise
Love and respect your body. We always have a choice to be happy or unhappy. Choose happy feelings to generate positivity. Develop a let-go attitude to reduce stress.
Using castor oil treatment and developing a holistic approach together will accelerate your recovery and help you live a happy life without allowing the pain and suffering to control you!
Word of caution: Before starting any regime, make sure to consult with a doctor. Some people, particularly pregnant women, should avoid consuming castor oil. Also, you should avoid using castor oil for open wounds.
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