Castor oil helps with arthritis.

  Many patients who suffer from arthritis pain are claiming relief from topical castor oil. This remedy is getting a lot of attention since being published in the popular syndicated newspaper column, "Dr. Gott."

  People are told to apply castor oil to the affected joints twice daily. Proponents say it works within hours.

  But this is based on anecdotal success. Those who swear by it don't even have a theory of how it might help.