Castor Oil - Natural Remedy For Swollen Lymph Nodes

Castor oil is used for promoting lymph circulation. It offers a natural and economical way of treating the lymph system.

The Link between the oil & the Lymph System

The lymph vessel, which is located all throughout your body, can sometimes be congested with substances that are caused by cellular metabolism. When this happens, the lymph slows down its activity and fatty substances and waste deposits get stored in your system longer than what's considered normal. As a result, there is a decrease in your rate of metabolism, which may pose risks to your health. Swollen lymph nodes may also surface in the skin due to lymph congestion.

What the oil specifically does is to increase the activity and flow of the lymph throughout the body. By doing this, it helps the body get rid of wastes more quickly and efficiently.

Using Castor Oil for Lymph Treatment

The oil is applied externally to swollen lymph nodes in two ways: either through massaging the oil directly into the skin, or by applying castor oil packs, which refer to pieces of flannel that are soaked in the oil.

Castor oil packs are placed over your lymph glands, which may be located in the shoulders, groin, or near the upper back and neck. Because they are put over your skin, the packs facilitate castor oil's rapid absorption and healing effects directly into the body. There is clinical evidence, which suggests that the packs can help boost lymphatic circulation.

Benefits of the Oil

Once the oil is absorbed through the skin, it causes several improvements to the lymph system. The benefits include:

1. Better lymph flow and movement all through the body
2. Faster removal of toxins that surround the cells
3. Reduced size of swollen lymph nodes
4. Increased production of lymphocytes (these are cells that are generated by the immune system to fight disease and are located in the lymphatic tissue)
5. Enhanced function of the organs
6. Improved overall health

The oil indeed has many therapeutic benefits for your lymph. It is organic, inexpensive and very practical. If you are suffering from swollen lymph nodes, isn't it the best time to try using the oil? Remember to apply the oil for several days to a week to notice a difference in the size of your lymph nodes.By Anders Kristensen

How to Get Rid of Swollen Lymph Nodes With Home Remedies

The most common cause for swollen nodes is an infection, which can be caused due to a bacterium, virus or even a fungus. Generally, when lymph nodes get swollen and inflamed, based on the location of the node, it is possible to guess what is causing the swelling. For example, when a person complains of swollen lymph nodes in the neck region, it is most probably caused due to a cold, respiratory tract infection, mumps, measles or an abscess in the mouth. Likewise, if the lymph nodes in the groin swell up, it could be due to an ingrown toe nail or a foot infection. Infection in the arms or hands will cause enlargement of the lymph nodes in the armpits.
However, there are certain autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and lupus that can cause swelling of the lymph nodes in any part of the body. Even certain types of cancer, such as leukemia or lymphoma, could cause enlargement of lymph nodes in any part of the body.
Generally, when nodes enlarge and swell up, it is best to visit a doctor to get the necessary diagnosis and treatment. However, along with the treatment prescribed by the doctor, you can also try some home remedies to alleviate the pain and discomfort. Some of home remedies that are useful in getting rid of swollen lymph nodes are highlight below.
Hot and Cold Compress: If the site is tender, it can be relieved with the help of hot and cold compress. Take one bowl of warm water and one of ice cold water. Dip a washcloth in the warm water first and place it on the affected site for around ten minutes. Then use another washcloth dipped in cold water and place it on the same spot for another ten minutes. Use this home remedy every hour to get relief from the pain and discomfort.
Massage: It is believed that massaging the affected site can help in reducing the inflammation to a certain extent. The nodes tend to swell up when they are blocked. Hence, a gentle massage can help in clearing the blockage and releasing the contents of the node. This, in turn, allows the inflammation to subside.
Honey: For centuries honey has been used for its curative properties. It is believed that consuming honey can help in reducing the swelling and easing the pain. Dissolve one teaspoon of natural honey in a glass of warm water. Alternatively, you can add honey to some tea. Make sure that no sugar is added to the tea. Drinking warm honeyed water or tea with honey can help to get rid of the swollen.

By Kum Martin

Natural Remedies for Glandular Fever

Glandular fever is caused by an infection with the Epstein-Barr virus - a close relative of the herpes virus. Infection often occurs in teenagers and young adults (although this is not always the case as can be seen from the second case study below). The symptoms of glandular fever include sore throat, headache, swollen glands and exhaustion. The condition is often preceded by a degree of stress. The symptoms can last for months and can recur for several years. A number of abnormalities, including food allergies, changes in the immune system and in cell metabolism, as well as persistence of the virus have been shown to occur after such an infection. Some people are dismissed as neurotic or malingerers - yet they are often very ill.
What you can do to help The remedies for glandular fever need to be directed towards improving the nervous exhaustion situation as well as improving lymphatic congestion most often associated with the condition. This then means:

• Vitamin C, the B group vitamins and zinc to improve the immunity and energy levels. These can be obtained as a part of a good multivitamin and mineral supplement.
• Potassium phosphate to assist the nervous system.
• Herbs to help cleanse the liver and lymphatic system. These include: burdock, dandelion, red clover,violet leaves and centaury.
• Nervous system herbs such as lime (linden) flowers and hops.
• It is important to eat a diet that will support the immune system by cleansing the colon and the rest of the body.

Glandular fever herbal mixture A herbal mixture that can help with intransigent viral infections such as glandular fever - even if the problem has turned into a low level, debilitating weakness, is as follows.

• 2 parts echinacea
• 2 parts poke root
• 2 parts wild indigo
• 2 parts wormwood
• 1 part myrrh

Combine the herbs and using 2 teaspoons of the herb mix place into a cup and pour on boiling water. Allow this to stand for 10-15 minutes. Strain the tea when it has cooled. The mixture should be drunk three times per day. If you do not like the unpleasant taste you can mask it by the use of liquorice.Case Study: Glandular Fever Ian, aged 22 year visited with an acute attack of glandular fever. He had been off work for five weeks and had liver and spleen enlargement as associated problems.
Ian's treatment consisted of:

• a general multivitamin and mineral supplement with additional: zinc, vitamin C and B complex vitamins.
• general colon cleansing, in particular, using dietary and digestive support changes.
• lymphatic cleansing and liver toning herbs: burdock, violet leaves, dandelion root and leaves, hops, lime flowers, centaury and wahoo.

As Ian was an acute case some of these herbs were given more often that the usual three times per day. Ian was seen after two weeks rather than the usual four. By that time he was generally better and the treatment outlined above was continued. On a subsequent visit he reported that all symptoms were improved.Case Study: Post Viral Infection Fatigue Neil was a 57 year old car dealer who had had a severe bout of glandular fever 18 months before. Since then he had been troubled by tiredness and swelling in his glands in his neck. He also experienced weight loss, depression, loss of taste and headaches. Investigations showed that his zinc levels in his blood were normal but at a very low level in his sweat (107 parts per billion - normal range 360 - 680 parts per billion).
His treatment consisted of the following:

• Supplements of zinc and multivitamin and minerals.
• Colon cleansing and changes to his diet to include more fresh fruit and vegetables and a reduction in the dairy produced and refined flours.
• Herbs for his liver and lymphatic system: dandelion, milk thistle, burdock, echinacea and centaury.

Within a week his sense of taste returned and he was feeling less tired. Over the next three months he continued to improve with his energy level nearly returning to normal and his enlarged glands returned to normal size. Deficiencies of zinc, iron and vitamin B6 are relatively common and are important causes of poor resistance to or poor recovery from infections. Sometimes zinc deficiencies can be present even though the blood levels of zinc are normal and a trial of zinc supplements together with multivitamins and mineral supplements and a healthy diet and colon cleansing are well worth while.Glandular fever is a disease that can go on unrecognised with debilitating effect. It can be treated with a natural approach that cleanses the colon, improves the diet, digestive, nervous and lymphatic systems.

Dr Jenny Tylee