Use castor oil to treat knee pain if you want an effective home remedy for your aching knees while you wait for your appointment with your healthcare provider. Castor oil’s antimicrobial qualities can help with a variety of ailments. It is not only an antibacterial compound, but also antifungal in nature. Castor oil is frequently applied topically to alleviate painful illnesses such as arthritis, sciatica, and back pain. The efficacy of castor oil is praised by persons with pain-related disorders and those who suffer from reoccurring knee injuries. It’s an excellent option for over-the-counter pain relievers. For knee discomfort, you can combine this therapeutic oil with prescribed treatment procedures or other home remedies. Continue reading to learn more about how castor oil works and how to use it to relieve your achy knees..

StyleCraze Trivia The scientific name of castor oil, Ricinus, is a Latin word for tick. Swedish naturalist Carolus Linnaeus named it that because the castor seed looks like a tick.

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How Effective Is Castor Oil For Knee Pain?

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Usually, castor oil is applied topically to joint pains, sciatica and knee pain to help ease the pain and provide relief. You can apply a bit of hot castor oil directly to the knee joint and leave it on for maximum benefits, or you can make a castor oil pack. Let’s look at what we need for a castor oil pack and how to go about making one!

What Do You Need To Make A Castor Oil Pack?

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Required Supplies:

• High-quality castor oil (preferably pale yellow cold-pressed oil)
• A heating pad or a hot water bottle
• Plastic wrap, cellophane tape, plastic sheet, cling film or an empty bin-liner.
• Three ‘1 square foot’ pieces of cotton or wool, or a piece large enough to cover the knee.
• An old towel.

How To Prepare:

1. Take the cloth and soak it in hot water.
2. Pour some castor oil on it, but make sure the oil is not dripping from the cloth.
3. Position the cloth on the sore knee, wrap it up with the cling film to hold it in place.
4. Consider wrapping cellophane to prevent oil from spilling on to the sheets. Alternatively, consider using the old towel to prevent oil spills.
5. Leave on for 6 to 7 hours.

Stylecraze Says You may also use black castor oil to treat your knee pain. The difference is that the yellow oil is obtained by cold-pressing fresh beans, while the black oil is obtained by roasting the beans.

This castor oil wrap for knee pain will provide long lasting relief. Soon, knee pain won’t be slowing you down any longer (1).

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So, How Does The Castor Oil Pack Work?

1. Castor oil packs usually increase the number of lymphocytes. The T-cell is a type of lymphocyte that helps increase cell-mediated immunity. The castor oil pack increases the total T-cell count within a 24-hour period. Lymphocytes usually defend the body, creating antibodies for pathogens and toxins.

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2. T-cells are a type of WBC, designed to repel disease. The T-cell identifies and kills viruses, bacteria, fungi and in some cases even cancer cells. Castor oil packs boost the healing of injuries sustained. The only thing to note is that castor oil should always be applied to the wound, where the skin is not broken (2).

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Related: Top 11 Castor Oil Benefits For Health, Uses, & Side Effects

3. Recently, pharmaceutical organizations came up with a less sticky, non-oily version of castor oil. Castiva arthritis pain relief is a lotion that provides all the benefits of a castor oil pack. It has been recorded as equally effective in combating knee pain. It is available for sale online on many websites (3). Many pharmacies also stock Castiva, and you can get it from either source. It is made from a castor oil base.Related: How To Use Castor Oil To Treat Arthritis?

4. Castiva can be either a cooling or a warming formula. Capsaicin is what lends chillies their signature hot flavor. The warming formula in capsaicin has long been used to treat joint pain. Combining capsaicin with castor oil is a popular way of treating knee pain.

The cooling lotion of Castiva is equally effective, yet it has a different chemical composition than the warming lotion. It contains methyl salicylate/menthol. Menthol is known as a cooling agent, and on being combined with castor oil, it forms Castiva cooling lotion. You can buy it online; it’s usually a tad expensive than the warming lotion (4). A recent study on castor oil has helped determine the efficacy of castor oil for knee joint pain treatment (5).

Related: 14 Best Home Remedies To Relieve Knee Joint Pain Naturally

Knee pain can be debilitating and caused due to a variety of factors, including arthritis, osteoporosis, and the buildup of toxins or pathogens. Studies have shown castor oil to treat knee pain effectively when applied in the right method and combinations. Cold-pressed pure castor oil used in a warm compress and left on for several hours can alleviate the pain. You may also opt for cooling or warming formulations in over-the-counter ointments containing capsaicin or menthol and castor oil. Castor oil cannot cure the underlying cause of your knee pain, so it is best to seek medical guidance for recurring or persistent knee pain.