Lemon, honey, and salt mixture, not a waist pain cure

Claim: A Facebook user, Bee Reacts, claims that a mixture of two native lemons, honey, and salt can reduce waist pain.

Verdict: False. There is no scientific evidence that the mixture relieves waist pain or works as a painkiller. Medical experts say it is not a recognised treatment and could delay proper diagnosis.

Full Text

A Facebook user, Bee Reacts, shared a video claiming that mixing two native lemons, honey, and a pinch of salt can eliminate waist pain.

The caption on the video reads, “When the waist pain is becoming too serious and unbearable, do this immediately.” 

In the voiceover, the user instructs viewers to squeeze two native lemons into a glass cup, remove the seeds, add honey, and include a pinch of salt. The speaker adds that adults should take 3 tablespoons daily, while children under 18 should take 1 tablespoon for 3 days.

“Take two native lemons, get a glass cup, slice the lemons into halves, and squeeze them into the cup. Remove the seeds and add the original honey to the lemon juice. That pain will disappear instantly. Add a pinch of salt. If it is an adult, let them take three tablespoons. If it is a child under 18 years, give one tablespoon once every day for three days,” the voiceover transcription reads.

As of Feb. 18, 2026, the video had generated more than 11,000 likes, 467 comments, and over 2,000 shares, suggesting that many users found the claim convincing.

Some users in the comments section sought clarification about safety and effectiveness. Josephine Odey asked, “Can someone with high blood pressure take it?” 

Another user, Moses Oyetunji, requested clarity on the dosage. He wrote, “How many tablespoonfuls of honey is to be added?” while Ibrahim Bello raised a health concern, asking, “What if the person is diabetic?”

Other users, like Mirac Sindi, expressed scepticism about the remedy and called for caution. Mirca wrote, “Raw salt qwa Make una dey calm down OOO. No more soda, forget content, think of people’s health.” 

DUBAWA decided to fact-check the claim because this is a public health issue, and the high level of engagement suggests many users are treating it as a potential medical alternative.

Verification

Waist pain, commonly used to describe lower back pain, can result from muscle strain, poor posture, disc problems, arthritis, or other underlying medical conditions.

Evidence-based approaches to back pain instead include heat or cold therapy, maintaining physical activity, stretching, posture correction, and medical or physiotherapy care for persistent symptoms.

Cochrane assessments of herbal remedies for low-back pain identify only a limited number of plant-based treatments with modest evidence, such as devil’s claw or white willow bark. The ingredients for this mixture are not included in the findings. 

Lemon, honey, and salt are common kitchen ingredients rich in nutrients. When combined, often with warm water, they are widely used as a natural home remedy for hydration, digestive discomfort, and relief of cold symptoms.

What experts say

A gynaecologist, Qudus Lawal, said the mixture cannot be regarded as a medical treatment for pain. 

“These are just things that people come up with without scientific backing. There’s no basis to use it. It’s not an analgesic,” he said.

“There are recognised analgesics that help to address pain. It’s also important to note that not all pains are the same, and a specialist must review the pain to determine the cause and the appropriate medication. Lemon is good, no one will say lemon is not good, but prescribing lemon as a form of analgesic for waist pain is not the right thing to do.”

Also speaking, a general practitioner, Owoeye Ajibola, explained that what many Nigerians call native lemon is actually lime and does not function as a painkiller.

Owoeye explained that what people call native lemons are limes, not lemons, but many people use the names interchangeably. In any case, he said native lemon is not a painkiller but may help with digestive issues. 

“It may only help in situations where the discomfort is related to digestive issues like bloating or bowel problems that create pressure in the lower abdomen or pelvic region. In such cases, it might ease the discomfort indirectly.”

He added that while lime contains antioxidants that support general health, this does not make it a treatment for waist pain. 

“Lime is a powerful antioxidant and can help reduce free radicals in the body. But that does not make native lemon a painkiller. At best, it contributes to general wellness, not treatment of waist pain.”

Owoeye then advised that good nutrition, avoiding carbonated drinks, and eating fruits can support overall health, especially as ageing can lead to bone wear and tear. 

Conclusion

Although lemon, honey, and salt are common food ingredients with nutritional value, there is no scientific evidence that the mixture treats waist pain. Experts warn that relying on such unverified remedies may delay proper diagnosis of severe conditions such as disc injury, infection, hernia, or arthritis. The claim is therefore FALSE.