How to Use Castor Oil Packs and What to Use Them For

A Castor Oil pack is one of the oldest natural healing remedies in the world. It was originally used in Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurveda. It has truly stood the test of time which is why it’s still an incredible resource we still use today. In fact, I find that every client that I have use castor oil packs sees a major shift in their health journey!

Castor Oil Packs Help With

• Relaxation

• Optimizing fertility

• Inflammation, arthritis, joint pain

• Hormonal balancing (PCOS, menopause, estrogen dominance, etc.)

• Constipation, diarrhea, bloating, indigestion, IBS, colitis, Crohn’s disease

• Insomnia and other sleep problems

• Stress reduction, anxiety, depression, ADHD

• Period regulation, endometriosis, ovarian cysts, uterine fibroids, fibrocystic breasts

• Thyroid issues (hypothyroid, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, nodules, etc.)

• Liver cleansing and detox, fatty liver

• Cancer side effects

• And more!

How to Make a Castor Oil Pack

Castor oil packs are quite easy to make and put together! You need the following:

1. A piece of flannel 

2. Organic Castor Oil

3. Heating Pad or Hot Water Bottle

I personally really love the Queen of Thrones Castor Oil packs because they’re easy and simple to reuse and put together! Always make sure that your Castor Oil is hexane free, cold pressed and 100% organic.

How to Use a Castor Oil Pack

There are several different options on where to place the Castor Oil pack depending on what is going on in the body and what the focus is. I typically have clients that need support on the liver, abdomen and thyroid. I always recommend starting slow just to make sure you get adjusted to it and that it feels supportive for your body. 

If you’re using the Queen of Thrones Pack, just add Castor Oil to the pack and tie it around your waist, placing the pack over the liver. Once it’s in place, either use a hot water bottle or heating pad to allow the Castor Oil to set in.

If you’re opting for a homemade kit, do the same thing but using the piece of flannel that I linked above. 

If focusing on the liver, place the Castor Oil pack directly on the liver for 15 minutes 3-4 times a week for the first week. And then slowly work your way up to 45 minutes 3-4 times a week over the next few weeks. If you’re looking to add a Castor Oil pack over the thyroid, always start with the liver first. 

How Castor Oil Packs Work

Castor oil packs stimulate 3 important parts of the body: lymphatic and circulatory systems, as well as, the liver. The stimulation of these body systems aids the body in healing the organs and tissues beneath where the castor oil pack is applied.

Castor Oil contains 90% ricinoleic acid, and then 10% is linoleic and oleic acid. Ricinoleic acid has a unique fatty acid structure that is a strong anti-inflammatory agent in our body.

Are Castor Oil Packs Safe for Pregnancy? 

Castor Oil packs are not safe in pregnancy as castor oil can cause uterine contractions and also have the ability to detoxify the body, which is not ideal in pregnancy. 

Are Castor Oil Packs Safe for Breastfeeding? 

Women have benefited from Castor oil pack therapy when used to avert breastfeeding issues (such as mastitis, clogged ducts, and general soreness/inflammation), and also to heal from birth (especially beneficial in cases of cesarean section or other healing from surgery). Castor oil has been used to treat ovarian cysts, fibroids, and heavy menstrual cycles.

When used on a consistent basis, they typically detoxify the body, which should be used with discretion while breastfeeding. I typically recommend that clients use Castor Oil packs quite sparingly while breastfeeding.