Castor Oil Benefits for Joint Health

November 8, 2021

Are you experiencing joint pain? If yes, then don’t worry. Start massaging your joints with castor oil and see the difference.

Castor oil provides numerous benefits to joint health, which you can read about in this article. However, before we dwell on that, let’s first have a detailed insight into problems associated with joint health.

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Joint Pain And Other Disorders

Joint pain is a chronic and progressive process wherein new tissue is successfully produced in response to deteriorating cartilage and joint health. It can be a symptom of several diseases, such as osteoarthritis.

Osteoarthritis is generally a slowly progressive degenerative disease wherein the joint cartilage wears away gradually, making it a major joint health concern. It occurs mostly in adults aged 65 years and older and is more common in women as compared to men. It also accounts for significant disability because of its effects on large weight-bearing joints like the knees and the spine.

How Does Castor Oil Help in Enhancing Joint Health?

Castor oil benefits are known for combating arthritis and other joint health problems. Its primary component, ricinoleic acid, has potent anti-inflammatory properties, making castor oil the most ideal massage oil to obtain relief from joint pain, sore muscles, and nerve inflammation.

Moreover, castor oil helps boost the immune system by increasing the number of white blood cells and thus fighting infections.

What Do Researchers Say About the Benefits of Castor Oil?

A comparative study was conducted to assess the efficacy of hot application and castor oil application in those with joint pain and poor joint health. This study was conducted in selected old-age homes. A sample comprising 50 elderly individuals was selected through the use of a non-probability purposive sampling technique, following which the samples were randomly assigned to the experimental group (Hot Application) and another experimental group (Castor Oil Application).

A pretest pain score was taken prior to using a hot application and castor oil application on day 1 of interactions on both distinct groups. After the pre-test, subjects randomly applied hot application and castor oil application once a day for a period of 7 days.

The post-test pain score was measured on the 7th day of the interaction, using the Wong-Baker FACES rating scale. Wilcoxon test was utilised to assess the comparison between hot application and castor oil application groups on the pain levels in the subjects with joint pain.

The results showed that there is a significant difference between pain score (1st day of interaction) and pain score (7th day of interaction). The mean score (W=4.506) suggests that hot application is effective in reducing levels of pain.

In the other experimental group (Castor Oil Application) a significant difference between pain score (1st day of interaction) and pain score (7th day of interaction) was observed with the mean score (W=4.443). This successfully indicates that castor oil application is effective in reducing pain levels.

The –UI test value of both groups (u=190) indicates that there is a considerable difference between pre-test and post-test pain scores when it comes to both experimental groups. Hence, the results show that castor oil application is far more effective than hot application when it comes to reducing pain levels among the subjects involved in the study.

On a Final Note

Castor oil demonstrates phenomenal benefits when it comes to combating knee pain, arthritis, and joint pain. Moreover, it possesses potent anti-inflammatory properties, which help in reducing pain and inflammation.

Individuals who are aged 50 and above are generally prone to joint pain with decreased mobility and increased stiffness. Castor oil especially helps in reducing stiffness and improving mobility in the joints, thereby boosting their overall joint health.