castor oil packs

[Dianne]

I've read about this on the site. Does anyone do this? Does it help? What's the action it works by?

[massagedoula]

I wonder that too! Please, let us know!

[yorkiemom]

I use castor oil packs. I dont know the action that makes it work, all I know is that it does. When I have a flare, I put a garbage bag and then a towel over the reclining chair (or bed) so I won't get any castor oil on the furniture. Next I place a 6" square of flannel over my bladder that has castor oil on it (I just pour a gob of castor oil on the flannel and let it soak in), next the hot water bottle. Have read that heat pad on low is ok, too. I leave it for about 45 minutes and my flare is gone. Every time without fail.

Someone told me that the castor oil pulls out the toxins. The person who told me said that she applied the treatment to her thigh which had no pain, just a normal, healthy thigh. . . nothing happened! But when she applied the treatment to her bladder area, the flannel turned brown . . . evidence that toxins were coming out. All I know is that I get relief every time for my flares. Couldn't do without it anymore.

[yorkiemom]

I forgot one step: I place a large piece of saran wrap over the flannel to keep the hot water bottle from getting sticky from the castor oil.

[poetgirl]

Castor oil packs are also used to help improve liver/gallbladder functioning.

[katya_35]

Oh man, I am so going to try this home remedy, I am in agony and need help.

[katya_35]

I tried it as soon as I read it, I went to Walmart and bought some flannel and castor oil, I wasn't sure when I got there if I was supposed to buy white flannel or not, but I bought a light aqua green color, the lightest they had and went home, pulled out my heating pad and made the pack, thankfully I have an old heating pad made of vinyl so getting oil on it didn't matter, I just wanted it on my bladder area, I have to say, it has been 45 minutes since I applied this treatment and must say I am not in agony anymore, The fllare feeling is still kinda there, but the stabbing and burning is not. Thank you for having posted such a simple inexpensive rememdy. Bless you,.

[ChrissyH]

I'm going to try this out this afternoon. I woke up this morning in a flare. I took such pyridium which is helping some, but after reading this, I'm going to try a castor oil pack. My husband fortunately has the day off today and is out running errands, so I called him up to pick up some castor oil on his way home. I am hoping that it will help.

Has anyone ever tried taking it orally as well? I just did a quick search on castor oil and one site said that it used to be used to treat bladder and vaginal infections. Just wondering if I should take some orally as well as use the pack. For now I'll just try the pack until I learn more or hear from someone else. I'll let you know how the pack works on me.

[katya_35]

I tried the oil pack 2 times that day. Then I found some paper work that I had from my acupunturist and it said to apply a cold pack against the bladder, pubic bone, and genitalia. I had a cold pack from a dentist's office and wrapped it in a paper towel and laid on my couch on my side and held the cold pack against my groin region until I fell asleep, cause as we all know, sleep is a rare commodity with us IC sufferers. The cold pack was fantastic, I started the cold pack at 10:40 at night and woke up at 1:30 in the morning, and went to the bathroom, had a full stream, went upstairs and laid on my back and felt nothing. No pain, no stabbing, not even a hint. I have had to do this every night before I go to bed, my period is coming and this is typical behavior for my bladder nearing my period, but I must say, I have grabbed atleast 4 hours of solid sleep after using the cold pack. I would love to say that the Castor oil helped also, but I can't, I used them both. I got better results using both switching from the castor oil pack and then the cold pack for 20 minutes or so than just a cold pack alone. I am going to stick to using them both. I hope that this helps others, I have a hard time remembering what I have read on paper due to lack of sleep, and stumbled upon the cystitis cold pack after suffering needlessly from a flare that has lasted almost 2 weeks. Let me know how it worked for you. I am excited about this approach for nearly immediate relief. Thanks

[Dianne]

So how do you get it off after?

[katya_35]

It's not hard really, You just soap up and rinse off in the shower, or depending on how much you gob on the flannel, I just stood in the bathroom at the sink and soaped up a wash cloth and wiped it off.

[tulsateacher]

hey yorkiemom--
i tried the castor oil packs and i don't think i did it right--nothing happened--could i email you directly for more specific directions?

[yorkiemom]

Certainly!

[Dianne]

I tried it and nothing happened for me either. Oh well. One of these years I'll stumble onto something that works.
Di

[n2fotography]

A couple of things that are important to know with castor oil packs:


castor oil should be cold pressed
the pack should be warmed before it is put on the body...the microwave works well for this
using the castor oil has a cumulative effect
wool flannel is recommended though not absolutely necessary


I like the Palma Christi oil from Heritage Products. They also have wool flannel available.