Castor Oil Packs as Self-Care
Castor oil packs are something I often recommend for folks who come to see me for Uterine & Reproductive Health Massage, but can be used by other folks as well (but not if you’re pregnant).
Castor oil is made from the castor bean; it contains ricinoleic acid, a fatty acid with anti-inflammatory properties. In addition to decreasing inflammation, castor oil increases circulation and lymphatic drainage, and helps to break up scar tissue. Some people have maybe heard of taking castor oil as a laxative and/or to stimulate birth – all my tips today are EXTERNAL uses of castor oil. Please do not ingest castor oil without the direction of your midwife or doctor.
Castor Oil Packs
A castor oil pack is a non-toxic, unbleached piece of flannel or cotton that has been soaked with castor oil and then placed over a body part (usually the abdomen, or whatever body part you are addressing). The flannel needs to be unbleached and non-toxic/all-natural because otherwise you might absorb the toxins into your body. I prefer using cold-pressed castor oil, because it retains more of the natural properties of the oil. A towel is placed on top of the flannel and then a heat source is applied to help your body absorb the castor oil. Castor oil stains, so you don’t want to use your fancy guest towels.
Leave the Castor Oil Pack on for 45-60 minutes, 4 days on, 3 days off, continuing treatment for at least a month. Longer treatments are sometimes recommended depending on symptoms and health history.
Reasons to Use a Castor Oil Pack
Reduce Scar Tissue from previous abdominal surgery or trauma, including but not limited to:
Cesarean birth
Ectopic pregnancy
Hysterectomy or Oopherectomy
Endometriosis removal
Cyst or fibroid removal
Appendectomy
For best results, regular Castor Oil Packs should be paired with daily self-care Uterine & Reproductive Health massage (I teach this at the Initial URHM appointment.)
Wait 4-6 weeks post-surgery to start castor oil packs, and don’t use on open or infected wounds
Menstrual Cramps
Reduce pain by placing a castor oil pack on the lower abdomen on the days you have heavy cramping
Digestion Issues
Encourages bowel movements – helpful if you have chronic constipation
Reduces inflammation in the gut
Reduces scar tissue and fascial binding in the gut (best results when paired with URHM self-care massage.)
Stimulate Lymphatic Drainage
Encourages your lymphatic fluid to flow throughout your abdomen, flushing out your gut and liver
See our blog post about Lymphatic Drainage for all the reasons this is good for you!
Chronic Joint Pain and Arthritis
Put the castor oil pack on whatever area you have pain; it’s especially helpful for the lower back, sacrum, knees, ankles, shoulders, wrists and elbows
This is a great video that shows you how to do your own castor oil pack.
You can reuse your castor oil pack a few times. After each use, store your used flannel in a Ziploc bag in the fridge. (The bottle of fresh castor oil does not need to be refrigerated.) Next time you use it, warm it up in a heating pad until it’s soft, and then add fresh castor oil to it before putting it on your body. If it has a rancid odor to it, then it’s time to throw it away and get a new flannel.
We have Castor Oil Pack start kits available at the office if you’d like to give it a try!
