How to Use Apple Cider Vinegar to Treat Sinus Infections Naturally

ACV Oh heavens yes, I used to work in the home construction trade here in GA and after a hot hard day's work, I often arrived home with leg cramps and a headache.

Then I was reminded that my grandmother would serve my grandfather and me, a drink she called "Switchel" 3 Tbs Apple Cider Vinegar and Honey to taste, for 1. it is a great thirst quencher and 2. for it helps replace electrolytes lost to excessive sweating. I started preparing a gal of this each day and the cramps and headaches stoped.

Sounds like you have"Leaky Gut" is it "Hives?" Your body is overloaded with yeast! Cause that's what your symptoms sound like. No doctor will diagnose you right. They're trained to suppress your malady, not cure it. Totally eliminate white processed sugar from your diet (Go natural) Add banana, or apple to your green veggie smoothies to give you the sweetness. Add Agave. Used bone broth as a soup. remember many natural spices come with their own anti-oxidants and anti-viral properties (Garlic, oregano, Turmeric, etc) there are many recipes on the internet. It will take 3-6 months for your body's yeast to balance out.

With all due respect to David, listing measurements in ML's (milliters) is just pointless here in the USA. It would be better if you'd describe them as a fraction of a teaspoon, or just as drops.

Just wanted to note that Vitamin C is a acid, and hard on teeth when chewed.

Use 6 drops ACV to 8 oz water in a Neti pot for sinus infections. Works well.

I've used apple cider vinegar many times over the years to cure a sinus infection. I am glad to see so many other people have used it too and had success. I put a few drops of organic acv in my neti pot filled with warm, distilled water. I also drink a teaspoon in water a day and two times during allergy season. It is a potent, lifesaving remedy.

What you described would indicate that you used too strong of a concentration..

If you're going to do the neti pot, versus the Palm snort method, I would suggest that you start by ONLY using 5 drops of ACV (1/20 teaspoon) to 8oz of water.. then increase from there if no problems and a stronger concentration is desired/required.

You should not add the baking soda to the ACV to adjust the "harshness." To adjust the harshness, you simply adjust the concentration by increasing the dilution with water. Adding baking soda to the ACV adversely affects its beneficial properties..

Additionally, there is no reason to wait to drink the diluted ACV. In fact, the nose rinse, and the drinking of the ACV work together. People with digestive problems may actually find that it helped us as well..

Yes.. It's sufficiently diluted you can use ACV rinse daily.

If you have a problem you are using too strong of a concentration..

Once you are breathing clearly, you don't need to use daily.. just use on a maintenance schedule that you can determine by how quickly symptoms return.. then, you can fine-tune exactly how often you do it by direct observation of your needs.. once breathing/sinuses seems normal, daily, you can attempt to decrease the concentration to a minimum level that works for you..

Follow the instructions!

It is very important that you dilute the ACV! Start off weaker and then slowly progress to stronger concentrations, if desired..

Most people that are commenting with adverse effects of using the ACV are clearly indicating that they are using too strong of a concentration.

Remember that 3 teaspoons equals one tablespoon which equals 15 mL or grams.. 2 tablespoons is 1 oz or approximately 30 ml.. When using a dropper, approximately 100 drops equals 1 teaspoon, or 5 ml.. this means a half a teaspoon is 50 drops.

So to form the nose rinse, the instructions call for 50 drops, or half a teaspoon into 8 oz of water (240 ml).. some people who use the neti pot have stated that this is too strong for them and have only used 4 to 6 drops with success.. so if you will use the neti pot, START with this and SLOWLY add more if you decide that stronger is needed..

The same with drinking.. 1 or 2 tablespoons in 8 oz of water, or more.. that's only 1/2oz to 1oz of ACV in 8oz of water.. I find that adding stevia makes it quite palatable, even tasty.. and if you want to have it bubbly you use plain carbonated water.. check the label to make sure it has nothing but carbonation and water (I use the Kroger generic cans that come in a 12 pack). You can add the ACV to the carbonated water with the stevia, and even add a squirt of lemon/lime juice. Whatever to taste preference..

I hope this helps people to safely formulate their exact concentrations.

If you use 50% ACV, then you burned the nerve endings in your nose that control the sense of smell. That's why the instructions tell you to dilute it.. it has 5% acetic acid.. and instead of using only 2.5 to 5 ml in 8 oz of water, you used the equivalent of 120+ ml per 8oz!!! Of course it burn your smell receptors... Fortunately they will grow back in a couple weeks or so.

Follow the instructions.. And if you decide to go stronger start from the most diluted form and slowly add.. it's not too intelligent to Simply ignore the instructions and go to a crazy ratio with no idea of how it's going to impact you.. Common Sense tells you to start off easy before you go stronger (and certainly not 30 to 60 times stronger!!! )..

Sounds just like my daughter........ I suspect Lyme and confections as well as EBV but most doctors don't really treat this. ENT also saw nothing wrong with her, so I'd be interested in what your CT scan shows.

For maxillary sinus infections, try garlic capsules.

Love this site as well as all the suggestions listed in this thread. For those of you who have issues with the taste of ACV, add a tsp. of honey and mix both with a cup of your favorite tea. The taste of the ACV is almost indiscernible.

PS Bill - hot, epsom salt baths helped with the itching. 2 cups of epsom salt, stay in the water 20 minutes, as hot as you can stand it. It will detox your body, especially the skin. You can add a cup of Apple cider vinegar too.

I had itching over my body also when I was detoxing from a yeast overgrowth. I also had plenty of sinus problems with the yeast issue. It improved greatly with apple cider vinegar and getting off sugar. 2 tbsp acv, with 1/2 tps baking soda. Let it fizz down and drink, follow with water. You can do this up to 4 x a day.

Hi I have currently Retention cyst in my right mAx Sinus. I also have itching different placed in my body that comes and goes. I also have inflammation areopathy near ears, but MRI shows no other issues.

The pain in the sinuses and itching I got almost exactly the same time last year and then it went away and now have it again but this time I have the tmj without grinding of the teeth. Anyway I am looking for answers too. Got off the honey today thinking that might be the problem. My glucose is 102 slightly high. Might be allergies..Doctors provide no real answers so here I am again doing my research.

I came down with the worst sinus infection I've ever had. Pretty sure it was some virus + sinus combination because not only did I have massive sinus pressure / blockage, but I also had minor aches and chills. I have always avoided ACV because it smells like nasty feet.

So long story short I finally caved. I hit up google for recipes for an ACV sinus rinse and found this website. I used the listed tonic as well as the sinus rinse, and by-golly within 24 hours I was 80% better, and within 48 hours I was 100% better. That's the fastest I have ever gotten over a sinus infection. To top it off this was the worst one to date ... ACV really showed its ability to defeat the nasty.

I'm officially a believer now and make drinking the stinky tonic part of my morning routine. As the saying goes "if it tastes bad, then it must be good for you", in this instance its the smell more than the taste but its all the same.

Side note I only did the sinus rinse ONCE! I mixed as stated in the article and added two packets of neilmed saline packets.

Organic ACV, is the best. Feeling bad with my sinus infection, I just drank 1 teaspoon of organic ACV, 1 teaspoon organic wild crafted honey, 1 teaspoon Sri Lanka cinnamon in 8 oz`s warmed distilled H2o. amazing results! This should be an everyday tonic must! ;-)

I can breathe! Thank you to this site I found the way to attack my sinus infection.

Drinking ACV tonic three times a day (2 teaspoonful Apple Cider Vinegar w 8oz water)

Steaming daily (1/2 cup ACV w 1/2 cup water) for ten minutes.

I agree that using ACV for nasal rinsing can be painful. I hope you didn't use it full-strength! When I've used it I put @1/8-1/4 teaspoon into a 1/2 cup lukewarm distilled water. Even with this amount of ACV, it was difficult to tolerate, but it did a good job of rinsing and I avoided a full-blown sinus infection!

Just used ACV for nasal irrigation. Extreme discomfort however excellent sinus drainage, finally able to clear nose by blowing. To be honest not sure I'd try again but desperate times call for desperate measures. Had chronic sinusitis over 12months. repeated GP visits. Take care all, ongoing sinus issues can have a negative impact on mood/mental wellbeing.

I am pretty sure you just used tooooo much ACV. The instructions were 1/2 to 1 TEASPOON of ACV. More is not always better...and just because it is natural....doesnt mean it can be used in excess. Be gentle with yourself and your care....your total sense of smell will return. Blessings

I think maybe steaming a good dilution is better due to the fact you can stop if it becomes irritating.

Can I use the apple cider vinegar rinse every day? Is it safe every day? Thanx.

It may not have been the acv, but more likely that you moved the infection into your ear canal, which is closely linked to our sense of balance. Infections in the inner ear and head often create pressure which upsets the nerves that give us our sense of balance and result in dizzying spinning sensation. I get dizzy every time I am coming down with a certain virus because it is lodged near my ear canals.

That does not sound good. I know I've used it by steaming it in a pot mixed with water and it can burn but I think it is also from the intense heat.

How should I figure out if I have histamine intolerance..

Apple Cider Vinegar for Sinus Infection... Wonderful!

I tried the rinse for the first time and although I didn't expect it to sting a little, it did clear my sinuses. I also try and drink the ACV tonic daily as I have asthma and allergies! I also know that ACV with the Mother, alkalizes in the body which is a good thing considering most of what we eat is acidic, so ACV has some amazing things that it does and its too bad Dr's don't try natural things first instead of throwing meds that usually creates other problems, but then again, if they tried natural stuff first, they wouldn't make as much money I suppose.

Hi Pamela,

As I reported earlier, in a previous post, my wife's tummy pains have mostly disappeared some time ago, largely as a result of going (strictly) gluten free! It is now three months and she is reporting that her sense of smell has returned after years of having no (sense of! ) smell at all! She is now able to smell some of the stronger smells that she had almost forgotten about. She's a happy chappy, as she felt she had been missing out all these years on an important aspect of life.

Michael

Happy to report that my sense of smell has almost completely returned after about two weeks. Given the experience however, I doubt if I would recommend using apple cider vinegar as a sinus rinse in a neti pot or otherwise.

I have also lost my sense of smell (and taste) after using a more dilute version of apple cider vinegar and distilled water. Please share...Did you ever recover your sense of smell? I'm very concerned about this side effect.

50/50 sounds like too much ACV. Most recommendations I see say 1t. or 1T. ACV to 1 cup of water.

I remember my saintly grandmother using Apple Cider Vinegar for several different healing remedies... this year I fought 'the crud', worse than ever - taken everything I could take - even antibiotic, but to no avail... tried apple cider vinegar and I can honestly say, it worked and I feel so much better - I drink it in water and flush nostrils as well... thanks a million for the article and help...

I did the act nasal rinse using the Neil med bottle and it was excruciatingly painful. Then my nose ran tons of clear mucous changing to darker and I started to feel better but my nose just ran. Then about two hours later extreme sinus pain. I had followed up with a saline rinse twice that night and steamed over hot water. The pain in sinus was extreme. My cheeks were bright red. So I don't know if it was a reaction to acv. Or

I had terrible results with the neti pot. I will never use them again. It seemed to make my sinus issues worse every time I used them. I use drops into each nostril with an eye dropper. I use a product which is essentially a mineral/water mixture that is supposed to help with restoring mucus linings in the body. Also will try salt water with Baking soda today. My infections are from exposure to toxins when I was younger working with the fumes from glue products that I was using with my work.

Please DO NOT force large amounts of water in short periods of time! This can cause water intoxication which is DEADLY! Children and adults die from this. Please Google water intoxication to verify for yourself. Too much water IS toxic!!! Lots of fluids is great, especially when ill. Just don't overdo it. Take care; feel better. ☺

Also make sure you're NOT using tap water. This is very dangerous due to all the "crap" in tap water. Only use filtered or preferably distilled water.

You may have used a bit too much of the ACV. I find it easier, and less painful, to put just the tiniest amount in a glass of warm filtered water and sea-salt, and snort it. I cured my sinus infection in 3 days. I also gargled with the same solution, and did both 4-5 times each day.

I added 1 tsp per 1 cup of water and it was so strong that I had to stop, it hurt so bad. The pain didnt completely go away for a few hours. It was awful!

Steaming ACV worked for me! I came down with a bad cold two weeks ago and it turned into a sinus infection - sinus was bloated, mucus was thick and brownish, and pressure around the nose. Netipot and rest didn't make it better and I was getting desperate. Tried steaming vinegar (didn't have ACV) two nights ago and the next day felt a lot better. Did it again yesterday and now I'm almost completely well.

Thanks a lot to those who posted this remedy!

Hi, can you explain exactly what you did please. Does steaming involve just breathing in the vapour with head covered with a towel? Thanks so much, Denise

Yes it worked for me too. Exact same symptoms going to the end of antibiotics treatment but it didnt cure it so I tried this and it worked just few hours later!

I had sinus surgery 3 years ago, and had not had a sinus infection since. On Thanksgiving woke up with a horrible sinus infection. I'd had symptoms for a couple weeks, like achiness, fatigue, Went to dr next day took 10 days of amoxicillin, did not help at all. Saw your article on ACV, could stand the taste, so tried steaming 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup ACV. Wow! End of lst day, I felt much better, but was coughing up and blowing my nose a lot.The next morning I felt like a new woman. I passed this on to my brother, his results were great also.

My sense of my smell smelled weird during these treatments. It smelled like vinegar most of the time. I am not a medical doctor, so you may want to consult with your doctor on this one.

What about your sense of smell? I just tried ACV and water saline, I must say I added almost 50% Apple Cider Vinegar and 50%water. And now, I can't smell anything.

I have Irritable bowel syndrome (Spastic colon) and I get sinus infections at least once a year.

My doc always prescribes antibiotics for my SI's and every time I take them, I spend too much time in the bathroom. I recently came across your site and tried the ACV for my sinus infection:

I am using three-four drops of ACV, 1/2 tsp of baking soda (to take the edge off of the ACV) and warm water in my neti pot. I do this three times a day and I am planning to do this for five days.

The first day was harsh, but the second day of treatments was less harsh. I am now on my third day of treatments. I am not a 100% better, but I am feeling more better than I did before when I was on antibiotics. This is more effective and faster than antibiotics. I plan to do the ACV health drink after my SI's is over with. Thanks for this helpful information, You saved me a trip to the doctor, lots of bathroom time and some money. Thanks again.

Would the vinegar rinse help if I have a maxillary sinus retention cyst?

Orange mucus? I been dealing with it for several years and can't seems to get it cured. My sinus infection is minor. I have no pressure, just post nasal drip and challenges sleeping my nose playing up I was really concerned about the orange mucus

Thanks for this advice! I only added 6 drops of apple cider vinegar to a nasal rinse of warm distilled water the first time and it did sting a little. The next time, I added 6 drops to the rinse with a saline packet and it was AMAZING! No pain at all, drained well, and I am much less congested! I also started to drink a diluted ACV tonic of warm tap water with 1/2 tsp 2x a day. Had severe congestion for two weeks and took pseudophedrine and decongestant spray constantly. I was going to give in and go to the doctor for antibiotics but am so glad I tried this instead. It's only been 24 hours and I feel much better. Will also try a few drops of melted coconut oil in the nostrils since people on here say that is an amazing cure as well. Thanks for the posts everyone!!

I added 1 tsp of ACV to my neti pot and did this twice on Saturday. I noticed that I felt dizzy for a few seconds afterward but then I was ok and sinus congestion was clear. But on Sunday I began having severe dizziness - like the room was spinning - and it's now Monday morning and it hasn't gone away. Not sure but I think it must have been the ACV added to my neti pot rinse. Don't know why it took 18 hours for this severe dizziness to show up but I know that has to be it.

I'm about to do a regular saline neti pot rinse to see if it can flush away any residue that may still be there lingering. I'll post a follow up. But please be very careful about adding anything to a sinus rinse!