Home Remedies for Lower Back Pain: 7 Tips for Easing Discomfort

Are you struggling with chronic low back pain? You’re not alone. In fact, nearly 65 million Americans report recent episodes of back pain.

About 8% of all adults (16 million people) struggle with chronic or persistent pain. As a result, they’re no longer able to enjoy certain activities.

Health care costs due to back pain can reach over $12 billion a year, though. Instead, consider using these home remedies for lower back pain.

You can learn how to fix a sore back without leaving the comforts of your own home.

Ease the pain! Get started with this advice about back pain today.

1. Adjust Your Diet

You are what you eat! As you use these remedies for a sore back, consider adjusting your diet. You can start adding more anti-inflammatory foods to your routine to ease your pain.

Inflammation is the body’s natural response to illness or injury. Too much inflammation, however, can cause pain symptoms. You can use anti-inflammatory foods to ease the pain around your lower back. 

If you can, determine the root cause of your back first. Then, you can determine what vitamins and minerals your body needs.

For example, osteoporosis could contribute to your lower back pain. You might want to eat foods that are high in vitamin D and calcium. Both can help strengthen your bones.

Foods that are high in vitamin D include cheese, egg yolks, and fatty fish. For more calcium, eat leafy greens, yogurt, and milk.

If you were recently injured, it’s possible inflammation is causing your pain. Consider eating more foods like:

• Olive oil
• Tomatoes
• Fruits
• Fatty fish
• Leafy greens
• Nuts

Look for foods that are high in polyphenols and antioxidants.

In some cases, the foods you’re eating can contribute to your back pain. You might want to cut out:

• Fried foods
• Refined carbs
• Margarine
• Sugary beverages
• Red meat

Consider consulting a specialist before making changes to your diet. 

2. Exercise

When managing back pain, you might feel more comfortable sitting back and relaxing. Remaining dormant could cause your pain to flare up, though. Instead, work up a sweat! 

Exercising will help your body produce endorphins, a natural chemical that keeps pain signals from firing. Endorphins can improve your mood and ease your back pain.

Consider working with a physical therapist to determine which exercises or stretches suit your needs. Exercising can also help you:

• Lose weight
• Prevent re-injury
• Lower blood sugar levels
• Strengthen muscle
• Reduce the risk of heart disease
• Minimize pain in the future

Losing weight, especially around the stomach, can keep unnecessary strain from causing back pain, too. 

3. Take an Epsom Salt Bath

Epsom salt (or magnesium sulfate) can help ease your sore muscles. Consider pouring Epsom salt into a warm bath. Then, soak for about 20 minutes.

Make sure you’re hydrated before getting into the water. Keep the water between 92 and 100°F, too.

Hot water can cause your muscles to swell. Coldwater, on the other hand, can cause them to cramp. Keep the water’s temperature somewhere in between. 

While you’re in the tub, place a tennis ball against your lower back. Massage the ball against your back to loosen your tight muscles. 

4. Improve Your Posture

As you use these home remedies for lower back pain, remember: it helps to determine what’s causing your pain. For example, it’s possible your work environment is causing bad posture. Improving your posture could help fix a sore back.

Consider trading your old chair for an ergonomic option. Otherwise, try using a standing desk. 

Make sure your feet are flat on the floor as you work. Keep your keyboard and mouse within reach, too.

If you notice yourself slumping or leaning forward, it’s time to improve your posture. 

Make sure you’re taking breaks, too. Exercise at your desk throughout the day to keep your muscles from tightening. 

5. Get a Massage

If you have tense or sore muscles, consider loosening them up with a gentle massage. You can use a massage gun or have a loved one massage your back. Loosening your sore muscles could help ease your pain.

In addition to easing back pain, massages might improve your overall back function, too. You can minimize days in bed and avoid using anti-inflammatory medications. 

6. Try Oils

Consider trying pain ointments and rubs to ease your chronic back pain. These home remedies for lower back pain can block the sensation of pain.

For example, you can try desensitizing pain channels around affected areas with capsaicin. Capsaicin is a compound found in chili peppers. It can stimulate pain receptors to reduce your sensitivity to pain.

In fact, capsaicin is already incorporated in many topical pain-relief creams.

Other ingredients to look for in topical creams and oils include:

• Comfrey
• Cayenne
• Lidocaine
• Diclofenac
• Ibuprofen
• Ketoprofen
• Brazilian arnica

You can find gels, patches, and creams to rub against your lower back.

It’s important to note that certain products might cause skin irritation if you have sensitive skin. Make sure to use a patch test first. Apply a small amount to your skin, then wait 24 hours to determine if you experience side effects. 

7. Know When to See a Specialist

Sometimes, managing back pain at home isn’t enough. You might want to consider visiting a physical therapist this year instead.

If your back pain persists for more than six weeks, seek help. Visit a specialist if:

• You experience stomach pain
• The pain keeps you up at night
• Your symptoms get worse (even with these tips)
• You experience tingling in the arms or legs

Physical therapy could help you avoid costly complications. 

Initial treatment costs for patients are 50% lower when primary care is followed by physical therapy. Meanwhile, physical therapy as the first management strategy results in 72% lower costs.

If you choose physical therapy first, you’ll become less likely to receive surgery or injections, too. You’ll also require fewer specialist or ER visits.

Ease the Ache: 7 Home Remedies for Lower Back Pain

Don’t let your pain slow you down! Instead, try these seven home remedies for lower back pain. With these tips, you can fix a sore back and improve your quality of life.

Give these remedies for a sore back a try today!

Remember, you might want to consider visiting a specialist if your pain persists. We can help. 

Contact our team today to get started.