Waist Pain is quite common, but it can be quite annoying. Around half of all people in the United States suffer from waist pain at some point in their lives, making it one of the most common causes of sick-days from the workplace. Your waist is usually identified as the area of your body between the lower half of your rib cage and your pelvis and houses many of your vital organs, including your kidneys and the urinary tract system.

What Causes Waist Pain?

Waist pains are usually caused by the overuse of the muscles in your waist or as a result of lifting, pushing, pulling or bending in the wrong way or by doing these movements in a repeated fashion. It can also be caused by bad posture or internal issues with the organs in your waist area.

Thankfully, there are many home remedies and activities you can do to help ease any waist pain ranging from herbs to massages.

Home Remedies for Waist Pain

1. Heat Packs

Applying heat packs to your waist can help relieve some of the inflammation and tension in your muscles which will help to reduce the pain you feel. Leave the heat pad on for around fifteen to twenty minutes at three different points in the day and repeat until the pain goes away.

 

2. Massage

Massaging your waist area could be very helpful when it comes to treating waist pain. This can be easily done at home and quickly treats pain caused by the overuse or strain of the muscles in your waist area. If you want a really deep massage you could even get one done professionally.

 

3. Spinal Cord Stimulation

Studies have implied that use of a spinal cord stimulating device can help to significantly reduce your waist pain. They’re not readily available, however, so you will have to consult with your doctor if you have tried other remedies that haven’t worked.

 

4. Acupuncture

Acupuncture can be used as an alternative treatment for waist pain.  A number of studies have indicated its usefulness. However, do not try this at home if you have no experience with it. Instead, see a professional.

5. Stretch Before Strenuous Physical Activity

Stretching helps to loosen any tense muscles and strengthen any that are weaker and need some help. You should approach any stretching gently and immediately stop if you feel any kind of pain or straining.

 

6. Don’t Slouch

Avoid slouching when you’re standing or sitting and try to use chairs with in-built or added lumbar support. This can both help to prevent and treat waist pains.

 

7. Sit Properly

Another great way to combat waist pain is to sit properly and pay close attention to your body position and posture. Ideally, you should try to sucking in your belly and rotating your pelvis upwards. As you do this you should also keep your head back so that your ears are aligned over your shoulders. This will help to align your spine properly and keep your muscles in the correct position.

 

8. Adjust Your Sleeping Position

Sleeping on your side on a firm mattress could help you reduce a curvature of your pain. This will help to reduce the pain in your waist. The more comfortable you are when you sleep, the less likely you are to have waist pains when you are awake.

9. Quit Smoking

Smoking can cause the flow of blood to your spine to reduce which can cause the spinal disc to become degenerative. This could be the cause of your waist pain, therefore by quitting smoking you could significantly relieve waist pain.

 

10. Stay Hydrated

Drinking plenty of water can enhance the height of your intervertebral disks. Because our bodies are largely made up of water, making sure you stay hydrated could help to reduce any stiffness or pain in your waist.

 

11. Devil’s Claw

Some people decide to use herbs and supplements to treat their waist pain and studies suggest that devil’s claw could help. Taking a daily supplement of fifty to 100mg of devil’s claw makes a great home remedy for waist pain in men.

 

12. Willow Bark

Willow bark is another great home remedy for waist pain in men. You can take a daily supplement of 120 or 240mg and over time this should help to reduce your waist pains.

 

13. Cobra Pose

Cobra pose is a basic yogic stretch which can help to stretch out the muscles in your waist and relieve some of the tension and pain. To do this pose, lay on the ground with your stomach to the floor. Put your hands by your waist. Then, push up until your arms are straight. Try to match the picture below as well as possible. Hold this pose for as long as needed.

14. Yoga

A thirty-minute yoga workout is a great way to start your day. It both relaxes your mind and helps to relieve some of the tension in your muscles. It can also help to improve your posture, both of which can help to reduce the pain in your waist.

 

15. Epsom Salt

Epsom salts in your bath can work its way right into your skin and sore muscles, helping to reduce your waist pains. Try soaking for twenty minutes in a warm bath filled with Epsom salts, this works especially well after exercises. You could even take in a small ball (about the size of a tennis ball) You can roll this along with your waist area, this has a massaging effect which helps to loosen your muscles.

16. Try Arnica

Arnica is a homeopathic treatment that makes a great home remedy for waist pains in men. Many people find that applying creams or gels to your skin can help relieve muscle pain, swelling, bruising, and minor muscles tears of injuries. Although there is little scientific evidence to prove that arnica works there has been one study that’s shown that it can relieve the pain caused by chronic osteoarthritis when combined with acupuncture and massage.

 

17. Switch Shoes

Wearing ill-fitting shoes that don’t support you properly could affect your posture and make your waist pain worse. Flat shoes with a cushioned sole will provide you with the right level of lumbar support to reduce your pain.

18. Get Enough Sleep

Research has shown that not getting enough sleep or having disturbed sleep will make your waist pain worse. It will also reduce your tolerance to pain. Try to put a proper sleeping routine into action as this will help to ensure you get a full seven to nine hours which will help make your pain better.

 

19. Mindfulness Meditation

Studies have shown that practicing mindfulness could help to improve the pain in your waist. To practice mindfulness, you should try seating yourself in a quiet place and focus your awareness on your own body.

 

20. Deep Breathing

Taking slow and deep breaths for several minutes, focussing on each breath in and out will help to relax. By reducing the stress in your body, you should find that your waist pain is reduced too.

 

21. Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR)

PMR involves tensing and relaxing each group of muscles in your body one at a time. It works best when down lying on your back. Start with the muscles in your feet and slowly work your way up to the muscles in your shoulders. Try the video below to learn how it’s done.

22. Guided Imagery

Guided imagery is another great way of relaxing your body and relieving the tension in your muscles. This will significantly help to reduce the pain in your back. This technique proves most useful when combined with meditation.

 

23. Limited Bed Rest

Although many people think that getting plenty of rest in bed is the key to curing most problems. However, it’s actually recommended that you reduce the amount of time you spend lying in bed. Keeping yourself active and moving should help to stop your muscles from becoming stiff. try to limit bed rest to just a few hours every one or two days, excluding sleep time.

 

24. Cold Packs

Alternating the use of heat and cold packs will really help to loosen your muscles and treat your waist pain. Apply a cold pack for no more than twenty minutes at a time so that the iciness doesn’t affect your skin.

25. Stay Strong

Once your waist is feeling less painful you should make sure you do plenty of gentle exercises to strengthen the muscles in your waist. This will help to reduce waist pain in the future. Focus on strengthening your hips, pelvic and abdominal muscles but try to avoid abdominal crunches as these can place more strain on your back.

 

26. Watch Your Weight

Maintaining a healthy diet and getting plenty of exercises will help to keep your weight at a healthy level. This will prevent extra stress on your spine and reduce your waist pain.

27. Stretch Your Hamstrings

Your hamstrings need to be strong in order to support your back and relieve the pressure or strain on your waist. Try gently stretching your hamstrings twice a day to prevent you feeling the pain in your waist.

 

28. Engage your Brain

Pain specialists believe that you can control the way your brain recognises pain signals to help reduce the pain you feel in your waist. You can discuss these techniques with your doctor.

 

29. Capsaicin

Capsaicin is the heat-producing substance in hot peppers. When applied to your skin capsaicin helps to deplete your nerve endings and can block pain sensation from being transmitted from the brain. You can get creams and ointments containing capsaicin from most drugstores. Ideally, you want to try one containing 0.075 or 0.025 percent of capsaicin. It may take a while, but regular use of these creams should help to reduce your waist pain.

 

30. Bromelain

Bromelain is an enzyme that helps to reduce blood circulations and reduces swelling in your muscles. This means it makes a great home remedy for waist pains in men. You can take a bromelain supplement of 500 milligrams each day to help combat your waist pain. Remember to wait an hour after eating before your take any bromelain supplements or it’ll have an increased effect on your gut muscles and not the muscles in your waist – this could cause a case of diarrhoea.

 

31. Valerian

If you’re suffering from waist pains you could try taking a 250-milligram supplement of valerian four times a day. Scientists believe that the herb contains an active ingredient which interact with the pain receptors in your brain and reduce the pain you feel. You could also try making a valerian root tea and drinking this several times a day. It should be avoided during pregnancy, however, or if you’re breastfeeding as it can have negative effects.

32. Lavender Oil

Gently massaging a few drops of lavender oil into your waist twice a day could help to soothe the tension in your muscles and relieve your pain. This is because lavender oil has antispasmodic and analgesic properties which will stop your muscles from spasming. It also has anti-inflammatory effects which will further reduce the pain.

 

33. Peppermint Oil

Peppermint oil has a number of soothing qualities and has natural anti-inflammatory properties. These make it a great home remedy for waist pain. Like lavender oil, it also has antispasmodic properties which will relieve muscle spasms and further reduce your pain. Try mixing five drops of peppermint oil with a carrier oil (like coconut oil) and massaging it gently into the skin around your waist. Do this twice a day and over time your waist pain should fade.

 

34. Castor Oil

Castor oil has a high quantity of ricinoleic acid which acts as an anti-inflammatory and has analgesic properties. This helps to relieve your waist pain and speed up your recovery. You can warm a little castor oil and apply this to your waist. Leave the oil on your skin overnight and after several nights your pain should fade.

35. Olive Oil

Olive oil can be used in much the same way as castor oil. Like castor oil, olive oil is known to work as an anti-inflammatory and has analgesic properties. This means it’s great for treating painful conditions like recurring waist pains in men.

36. Fenugreek

Fenugreek has many health benefits which you can read about in our Health Benefits of Fenugreek article. But one of its health benefits is that it can act as a home remedy for waist pain in men. This is all down to its natural anti-inflammatory properties. Simply mix a teaspoon of fenugreek powder with a glass of hot milk and drink it. Drinking this drink at least once a day should help to reduce swelling in your muscles and ease your waist pain.

 

37. Turmeric

The spice turmeric is well known for its anti-inflammatory properties and pain-relieving abilities. You can make a turmeric tea or mix a teaspoon of turmeric and a hot glass of milk. Drink either of these twice a day and over time your waist pain should reduce.

 

38. Vitamins

There are a number of vitamins that can be used as home remedies for waist pain in men. Vitamins B12, C, D and E are all great examples. You can either include more foods containing these vital vitamins into your diet or you could try taking a daily multivitamin supplement.

 

39. Ginger

Ginger contains an active ingredient called gingerol which has potent anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving abilities. You can either make a ginger tea with fresh ginger or buy one pre-made from many stores. Drink the tea whilst it is still warm and you should find that, with regular use, your waist pain will start to reduce.

 

40. Basil Leaves

Basil leaves are packed full of a number of important oils which help to reduce swelling in your muscles and decrease pain in your waist. You can include basil in a number of recipes or you could make a bail tea by boiling a teaspoon of leaves in some water and straining the liquid.

41. Garlic

Garlic is packed full of healthy components which help to reduce swelling in your muscles thanks to their anti-inflammatory properties. Crush eight or ten cloves of garlic into a fine paste and then apply this paste to your skin at your waist. Cover the paste with a clean towel and leave it to sit for thirty minutes. After this time, you can wash the paste off with some fresh water. Doing this twice a day for a week should see your waist pain fade.

 

42. Warm Shower

A warm shower is not only relaxing but could also tackle your waist pain. This works in a very similar way to regular use of heat pads as the analgesic nature of the warmth mix with the healing effects of the water to relieve your waist pain.

 

43. Chamomile Tea

Chamomile is well known for its anti-inflammatory and pain-reducing properties. It can help to reduce pain, swelling and inflammation in your waist muscles simply by drinking a few cups of chamomile tea a day.

 

44. Pineapples

Pineapples are a great source of bromelain which, as we’ve already discussed, could help to reduce your waist pain.

45. Aloe Vera Juice

Drinking half a cup of aloe vera juice each day could help to relieve your waist pain. This is because the juice has potent anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties.

 

46. Magnesium

Magnesium helps to maintain normal muscle and nerve function within your body. This means that getting enough magnesium into your diet or taking a daily supplement of the mineral could help to reduce your waist pain. It does this simply by helping to strengthen your muscles and repairing damaged muscle tissue.

 

47. Hypnotherapy

Hypnotherapy is a mind-body technique that places you into a trance-like state of deep relaxation where you will then be more open to the power of suggestion. In this state, many people believe you could be persuaded to ignore the pain in your waist and be less affected by it.

 

48. Balneotherapy

Balneotherapy is one of the oldest therapies for pain relief and is a form of hydrotherapy that involves bathing in mineral water or warm water. It is thought to act as a home remedy for waist pain.

49. Tai Chi

Tai chi is an ancient martial art that combines slow, graceful movements, meditation and deep breathing. Although research on using tai chi to combat waist pain is limited, there’s some suggesting that practising tai chi could help to relieve your waist pain to some extent. One study found that participating in a ten-week long programme of tai chi that includes 18 forty-minute sessions could help relieve your waist pain.

 

50. Fish Oil

Fish oil is rich in omega-3 essential fatty acids and has been known to reduce pain and inflammation in your muscles and joints. As such, it can help to reduce the pain in your waist and make it easier for you to move about, pain-free.

 

51. Exercise

Completing a regular, general exercise programme will help to improve the strength and flexibility of your muscles. As a result, your mobility and waist pain should improve. By strengthening your core muscles, you’ll help to support your lumbar spine which will reduce the amount of pain you feel. Moreover, by increasing the flexibility in your tendons and ligaments will help to improve your range of motion which will reduce the risk of injury and pain later down the line.

Which of these home remedies will you try to treat your waist pain? Comment below!

References

https://www.epainassist.com/back-pain/lower-back-pain/what-can-cause-waist-pain-and-how-can-it-be-treated

https://www.besthealthmag.ca/best-you/health/natural-home-remedies-back-pain-2/

https://www.stylecraze.com/articles/effective-home-remedies-to-get-rid-of-backache/#EssentialOils

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322582.php

https://www.spine-health.com/blog/6-overlooked-remedies-lower-back-pain-relief

https://www.health.harvard.edu/pain/home-remedies-for-low-back-pain

https://www.healthline.com/health/back-pain-home-remedies

https://www.webmd.com/back-pain/features/manage-low-back-pain-home

https://www.verywellhealth.com/remedies-for-back-pain-relief-89009

https://www.remediesforme.com/natural-home-remedies-treatment-back-pain-relief/

Cobra pose picture by Wikimedia user Kennguru

PMR video