Bladder Infection
Natural Remedies

Effective Natural UTI Remedies for Quick Relief

The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.

Lemon

5 User Reviews
5 star (5) 
  100%

Posted by Jen (Croydon, UK) on 02/04/2007
★★★★★

Fresh lemon cured my bladder infection! This may help those who find that cranberry juice/tablets don't work. I suffered from bladder infections for many years. I used to have it about every six weeks, and it was often triggered by eating food high in salt, sugar or fat, or drinking alcohol - it was a nightmare, I couldn't even have one glass of wine. I tried antibiotics, cranberry, everything - nothing worked. Sorting out my diet and cutting down wheat and sugar helped a bit, but I would still get the infection several times a year. Until I met a former fellow sufferer who told me to eat lemon wedges - as many as I could bear - next time the symptoms started. I followed her advice and I haven't needed antibiotics since! I still watch my diet but if I "have to" overindulge on food & drink, I have one or two lemons squeezed in a drop of water before going to bed and wake up right as rain. Interestingly, my sister, who is also prone to bladder infections, finds that cranberry works for her whereas lemon doesn't. For me it's the other way around, cranberry didn't do anything but lemon works in an instant. Hope this helps someone!


Lemon and D-Mannose

1 User Review
5 star (1) 
  100%

Posted by Siri (London, Uk) on 07/10/2018
★★★★★

Editor's Choice

I have been getting cystitis on average twice a year for over 25 years.. I used to just get antibiotics and drink cranberry juice but they don't work for me anymore so I started trying natural remedies. After over a month of battling with limited success, I tried this:

First I drank a half pint size glass of warm water with the juice of half a lemon squeezed into it.

Then 10 mins later I took a heaped teaspoon of D-Mannose (extract of cranberries).

Within half an hour I could tell it was working, now the infection was a bad one so I had to do it again about an hour or so later. Then again 4 hours later. Then once more the morning after. In the days after that, if I ever felt it threatening, I just drank the lemon water and that was enough to stop it.

It's worth noting that I had been taking D-Mannose prior to trying it in combination with lemon with very limited success.


Lemon, Baking Soda and ACV Tonic

1 User Review
5 star (1) 
  100%

Posted by Watcher248 (Canada) on 03/21/2023 10 posts
★★★★★

UTI infection, March 2023...Well this may be anecdotal evidence from a 70-year-old male but I had a UTI infection, which caused a lot of standing-on-your-tip-toes pain during voiding, and many nightly trips to the bathroom with little to show for it, but the urge was there, I ended up light headed with foggy brain function and with what can only be described as kicked in the balls swollen testicles, I went t to outpatients, they put me on intravenous anti-biotics I did this for 3 days, went home with an anti-biotic prescription for another 10 days, what seemed to be working stopped as soon as the meds were gone, then back to the hospital for another round of antibiotic intravenously, and still, it came back.

Then I thought I remembered from earth-clinic there was a treatment for an acidic body, I tried it again... I used1 decent-sized squeezed lime/lemon juice, 3/4 tsp of baking soda added in small increments (the fizzing never stops), and 1 tablespoon of ACV, mixed in distilled water, within 4 days the results were amazing this may be as I say anecdotal but if it walks like a duck, sounds like a duck, empirical data is much more than what scientist like to claim as not pure science, this worked for me and it worked damn well just throwing this out there...


Lemon, Cornsilk, Oregano Oil

1 User Review
5 star (1) 
  100%

Posted by Lisa (Claremont, Ca) on 06/13/2023
★★★★★

Once again, I got a UTI. I'm older and seem to be getting them more frequently. This time after I had an illness (was told by a cupping practitioner I'd had COVID) and I had had diarrhea for a couple of weeks. This gave me the UTI, even though I clean always with water and soap after using the bathroom and am careful to not do the things I should not. I got it anyway.

I'd gotten other utis in the past couple of years and never want to go on antibiotics but I could never get rid of them on my own. Cranberry never worked for me, I tried D-Mannose without success.

Then I read two solutions that worked for others that also worked for me. I'll post this under each solution.

The first is lemon water. One person said cranberry never worked for them (me neither) but lemon did. Hot lemon water 2x a day. It was so much reduced at the end of the day, I was so surprised! I did it for two more days but I still felt twingey.

I had a doctor's appointment the next week, and I thought I'd have to go on antibiotics because even though lemon helped tremendously and immediately, I could still feel it.

So I came back here and started going through every cure. One woman posted about oil of oregano and cornsilk tea, and that she'd had a bad bout of diarrhea and got the UTI right after that, like me. It helped her so that she did not need antibiotics.

I have both cornsilk tea in the house and oil of oregano and made it right away. This was the solution that kicked the final bit of it out of my system. I had to do it for several days. By the time the doctor appointment came days later, I didn't need to say anything to them about it. I felt a little twinge about three days after I stopped taking it. I took two more cups on two more days.

This is the first time ever I have not had to go on antibiotics for a UTI. I hope this helps someone else.

Also the practitioner I saw said if you have diarrhea and UTI, after using the bathroom, first rinse the area with water, then wash with soap and water. Then mix a teaspoon to a tablespoon in a small container of warm water (like a handheld bucket, mine is maybe four cups max). Use that to cleanse the area well. Don't do it frequently because you don't want to kill the good bacteria in the area, but this can be done as a cleanse on a short term 3days or so basis to keep the area clean to help heal. It helped me feel better right away. It doesn't heal the UTI, but does a great job of sanitizing the area for you.

  • Thank God for this website. May our Creator bless and heal everyone who comes to this site looking for cures, to those who post their solutions and give all of us hope, and blessings to the developer and people who work on this site.

Replied by judith
(USA)
08/16/2024

Do you mean to mix a tablespoon of the cornsilk tea and oregano oil in the bucket of water to wipe with after washing?


Lemon, Vinegar and Olive Oil

1 User Review
5 star (1) 
  100%

Posted by Arizona Mom (Prescott, Az) on 06/12/2016 4 posts
★★★★★

I am 66...6 yrs ago the bloody uti's started......in and out of ER for years and on 3 1/2 years of antibiotics.

Cure: I think it was Dr Grisanti site, an article on uti.... Can't remember exact title... but women are routinely false positive on utis. Turns out it was kidney stones. Years of horrible pain like 1,000 razor blades in the bladder. Once in ER, I saw sand-like stuff in bottom of my urine cup and I asked "Is that kidney stones"?

Dr said, "I don't know. If it is, the lab will pick it up." They did not pick it up~

Years later, all I did was start lemon water 1 qt morning and at night night fresh lemon vinegar and olive oil on food lemon dissolves the kidney stones! No more problem!

Thousands spent trying to get to the bottom of this. Also I suggest you get Dr. Hulda Clark book the cure for all diseases free pdf online or buy on amazon used for $4.


Lime Juice for UTI Prevention

1 User Review
5 star (1) 
  100%

Posted by Hayley (Hanalei, Hi, 96714) on 02/17/2010
★★★★★

Lime Juice as UTI Preventative for Chronic UTI's...

2 tbsp/8 oz. glass of water (2x per day, 1/morning, 1/evening)

I get a UTI at least once/month and they're primarily caused by sex. I've always done the routine of cleanliness (peeing before/after, showering so there is as little bacteria in the area to even tempt an infection etc.) when having sex though an infection always occurred no matter how careful I was. This has been happening for the past 7 years and I've only ever been prescribed antibiotics to cure/prevent. After being sick of taking so much antibiotics to keep up with my libido I started doing my research on alternative treatments and here's what I've found that worked...

If your story parallel's mine, I've found that drinking lime juice in the morning and evening diluted in water prevents me from getting a UTI. Though you MUST do this EVERYDAY. People in my situation are in a critical place considering body maintenance and keeping our bodies clean. Lime is very Alkaline with other beneficial vit.'s and I believe this has a lot to do with disallowing bacteria to develop - hence - no infections. Though once more, you must be discipline and drink EVERYDAY. I promise this will work.

Fresh Lime Juice is always best though there are crystallized forms if you're always on the go like me. I stock up on limes at the beginning of the week, squeeze my lime juice and keep in fridge. When I'm without it I always make sure I have the crystallized packets.


Link to Drinking City Water

Posted by Gramma_elaine (New Brighton, Minnesota, Usa) on 04/03/2013

I get a bladder infection every time I drink city water. I think it is an allergy to either the chlorine or the fluoride. Try drinking purified water and see if that helps prevent bladder infections. My doctors never would acknowledge this fact and just kept giving me antibiotics and I finally had bladder repair surgery, which I would never do again.

Replied by Kathy
(the USA)
04/03/2013

When you would drink city water were you in a place that used colored or a different brand of toilet paper? Just a thought due to the trouble I used to have. If you used any kind of hand lotion, that could be transferred to the tp before you use it... That was another discovery of mine. Over the years I also learned not to use fabric softener and to be sure any detergent is thoroughly rinsed out of underwear. When the rise water is not clear, rinse again.

Replied by Gramma_elaine
(New Brighton, Minnesota, Usa)
04/03/2013

Kathy, I did so much reading about bladder infections and I did not use colored TP and I do not think anything on my hands would have caused it either. I rinse all of my laundry twice and use only a very small amount of laundry detergent, just enough so the water has a slight slippery feel to it. It has been about 15 years since my last full blown infection, and the only thing I am doing differently is the drinking water. IF I have the feeling that one was starting, I did this remedy: 1 tsp. baking soda in glass of purified water, once a day for three days. This remedy works really well.

Replied by Kathy
(the USA)
04/04/2013

GRAMMA_elaine, Sorry... Your post sounded as if it was a current problem. I used to get frequent bladder "flare-ups"/infections and I was just trying to offer what I learned contributed to mine. Constipation seemed to contribute also.


Make Sure it is a UTI

1 User Review
5 star (1) 
  100%

Posted by Lilli (Wa, Usa) on 03/09/2016 13 posts
★★★★★

Before treating a UTI make sure you actually have one. I woke up one morning with all the symptoms: frequent and burning urination, spasms, and achiness. At the urgent care clinic, they took a urine sample that came out negative for bacteria, etc.

What I discovered was that my constipation (due to over use of antacids) was creating pressure on my bladder that caused the same symptoms.

This is what helped: lots of fluids including unsweetened cranberry juice, water, a splash of ACV in filtered drinking water, and non-caffeinated herbal tea (especially dandelion root tea). I added 500mg of magnesium once a day (near bedtime) to aid with the constipation. I added extra fiber to my diet including fresh kiwi, whole bran cereal, and flax and chia seed and honey in plain Greek yogurt. Also, a warm water bottle placed on my lower abdomen really helped calm the spasms.

It will take about 5-7 days, but it does work. Always find out if you have a UTI first before treating.


Make Sure it is a UTI
Posted by Liz (Sydney, Australia) on 02/17/2010

Just in regards to a negative culture for UTI. A few years ago I was bothered by many bladder infections where the culture test was negative. Turns out i had endometriosis over my bladder, quite severely. I went to the gyno for what i thought was an unrelated problem who sent me to an endometriosis specialist who did surgery and found that my bladder was covered. Endo on the bladder can cause symptoms that mimic bladder infection but you will get a negative culture. After the operation the problem went away although it can return as there is no cure for endometriosis. Just a suggestion on a possible cause.


Mangosteen Juice

1 User Review
5 star (1) 
  100%

Posted by D (Oz, KS) on 06/28/2009
★★★★★

Mangosteen juice really seemed to help me, and other times drinking lots of water with lots of fresh lemon juice did the trick.


Marshmallow Root Extract

1 User Review
5 star (1) 
  100%

Posted by Mary (Rural Iowa) on 01/24/2007
★★★★★

Marshmallow Root extract (liquid in dropper bottle). I suffered from these infections for years. Antibiotics didn't work anymore. Tried many of the cures here but nothing worked. Read about Marshmallow Root so tried it and never got another. Haven't in 20 years since. It slimes the urinary tract so the bacteria can't get a grip and slide off. No bacteria, no infection.

Replied by John959
(Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates)
12/29/2008

hello, i want to know if anybody else is using MARSHMALLOW root for UTI and how effective is it? also is it better in capsules or mixed with water? thank you


Methylene Blue

1 User Review
5 star (1) 
  100%

Posted by Rick (Woburn, MA) on 11/06/2024
★★★★★

Had a bad bladder/UTI infection. Pain in the lower abdomen, mild fever and sweating. Tried oil of oregano and black seed oil for about two weeks; no change. Finally checked through my health database and found an article by Dr. Joseph Mercola. Excerpt below:

“Methylene blue has also been shown to have several other health benefits, such as:

Reduces the risk of urinary tract infections (UTIs) — I consider this one of the most significant uses of methylene blue, as it offers a powerful, gut-friendly alternative to antibiotics for treating UTIs. This is especially beneficial for the elderly, who often have compromised gut health.

Since methylene blue isn't metabolized by your body, it gets excreted by the kidneys into your bladder, where it accumulates and eventually reaches concentrations high enough to act as a strong oxidant, effectively targeting and eliminating pathogens in the bladder.”

Started with 10 drops of 1% liquid (5 mg) in a few ounces of water twice a day (tasted terrible). After the first day, all symptoms were done. Continued this dosage for 4 or 5 days to insure that the infection was gone.

Side effect, my chronic tinnitus was dramatically reduced.

Will continue taking at reduced dosage for the tinnitus and as a preventative for infections indefinitely.


Multiple Remedies

15 User Reviews
5 star (12) 
  80%
2 star (1) 
  7%
1 star (2) 
  13%

Posted by Nan (Canada) on 06/29/2019
★★★★★

MULTI-PRONGED TREATMENT

After experiencing a burning, urgent, painfully swollen, agonizing UTI two nights ago, I relieved the symptoms in a matter of hours (approximately 2 to 5-6 hours) using a multi-faceted treatment (see below). Previous remedies I have used include cranberry juice and D-mannose, but they never worked after the 2nd or 3rd time, and I don't like taking antibiotics as they upset the gut biome.

Imo, my UTI'S are a result of an overload of bacteria from excessive sugar consumption (including alcohol, although I personally don't drink) that tips me into the UTI state (pre-diabetic, perhaps, too?). Perhaps those who contract UTIs after sex have a reaction to the bacteria/alcohol glucose in their partner's body fluids?

In any case, I believe that when a person ingests enough “bitter” supplements/food as listed below, those supplements swing the urine PH from acidic to alkaline and help eliminate the horrible, aggravating UTI symptoms.

Here is the protocol I used:

STEP ONE:
– take 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda in a cup of water
– take 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar in a 1/2 cup of water (ugh!)
– sit in a bath in 1/2 cup of baking soda mixed into very hot bath water; afterwards, with a towel, wash vaginal area with a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar diluted in warm water; rinse again with warm water if it stings
– drink a STRONG cup of dandelion or Uva Ursa (or green if you don't have the first two) tea

STEP TWO:
about half an hour later:
– take 3 drops of oregano herb in a 1/2 cup of water
– take 20 to 30 drops of golden seal herb in a cup of water

STEP THREE:
a few minutes later
– eat 1 clove of minced garlic mixed into 1-2 tablespoons of sauerkraut (preferably the probiotic/refrigerated kind you buy at the health food store)
– take 1 probiotic capsule

STEP FOUR:
about 20 – 30 minutes later:
– take several Vitamin C tablets or capsules
– * put a few drops of Frankincense oil on a menstrual pad or tissue inside your underwear — believe it or not this helps create a healing mentholatum sensation!
– mix a couple of drops of Frankincense oil into some olive, castor, or coconut oil and rub onto lower pelvic area and kidneys

Obviously, you'll want to make sure that you have most of these items in the house at all times. I don't think the order of the protocol matters, but I believe that the substances' bitter qualities — especially the oregano and golden seal herbs — help create an extreme alkaline state in the urine that helps kill off the offending bacteria. As with drinking extremely strong green teas, you can taste the bitterness in your mouth with these herbs so you can imagine what they do to your entire body system.

RESULTS:

From an agonizing 2-4 hours starting at 11 pm one evening to about 4 am that morning, my symptoms improved so much that I could finally fall sleep in relative comfort without needing antibiotics. I awoke the next morning with no pain and on PH strips my urine's PH had changed from the previous night's light yellow to med/light green (you can buy PH strips to test your urine- it's very easy to do). I am continuing the protocol and will for the next week or so.

People should be aware that baking soda can increase one's blood pressure and, imo, they should be careful not to take more herb drops than directions on the bottle indicate. Also, if one experiences chills or fevers or aching kidneys or blood in the urine, she/he should go immediately to emergency hospital as that indicates a more serious infection.

This protocol could be repeated over the next 2 or 3 days (cutting back on baking soda and the herbs by half, perhaps) and then by half or less each day for at least another week or so.

* As a precaution from now on, I am going to carry cranberry tablets in my purse to take immediately whenever I have “cheated” on my mostly plant-based diet by consuming too much sugar when eating out. If at home, I will make sure to take a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar or baking soda or golden seal in water immediately after having a sugary treat. I hope to never have a return of a UTI again! My heart deeply goes out to all the poor women in the third world who suffer from this condition and who have no access to these herbal remedies or antibiotics.

Replied by Nan
(Canada)
06/30/2019

Forgot to add that I took several Vitamin C capsules, too.

Nan
(Canada)
07/09/2022

A few other points:

- People who suffer from UTIs frequently might want to carry oregano and goldenseal tinctures (or pills, if available) with them, ready to take with water at the first sign of discomfort.

- Take very hot baths with 1/4 cup baking soda and 1/4 cup ACV (organic, if possible) whenever needed, every hour if necessary - it does help a bit.

- When the infection is healed (or during an episode), a visit to a homeopath/naturopath might be in order. Many people with UTIs are helped by taking Cantharsis or Apis Mellifica, or other homeopathic remedies. Just know that each remedy is specific to the exact kind of discomfort or pain the individual experiences, so it's best to check with a professional.

- With severe chills or fevers or pains, visit urgent care or your doctor immediately.

- My number one tip is that you start on this or some protocol the MINUTE you feel a twinge. The earlier you stop the infection from growing by the hour, the better. Do not go to bed tired, thinking, "I will treat it in the morning." It will be too late by then.


Multiple Remedies
Posted by Tam (Georgia) on 09/26/2018
★★☆☆☆

I began having bladder infection symptoms last month and immediately started using the baking soda and water remedy. It really helped with the intense pain, so I drank alot of it along with Apple Cider Vinegar and water, pure cranberry juice and a no sugar diet. Despite my efforts it just got worse and worse and after a week of this I was seeing blood in my urine and suffering from chills. I had to visit the er. Five hours later I found it had spread and was diagnosed with a KIDNEY infection. My heart rate was also very high and potassium low. I took antibiotics for a week and am now thankfully healed! And making sure to consume plenty of pre and probiotics. Please don't suffer as long as I did or overuse even natural remedies. Learned a very valuable lesson.


Multiple Remedies
Posted by John (Thailand) on 09/19/2015
★★★★★

Hi EC, Urinary Tract Infection. I'm male, so the last 2" of penis stings, hurts like crasy. Don't ask how I got it but it wasn't sex. No sleep, off to the toilet every hour or less for pain and dribbles so next day began drinking water – have never liked it “ plus ACV with Bicarb Soda, Horsetail [Equisetum arvense] tea, Fenugreek tea. Bought a grapefruit and ate ‚ 1/4 before bed. Next day tossed my jockey shorts and wore boxer shorts. Dreamed there must be a reasonable antibiotic by now, they've had enough time, practice and money and went to see a doc at the hospital [corporation] in Thailand. They had a new blood pressure machine that flashes a big red light if it's over their fear figures. I wanted to tell them my BP, 134/70, was lovely - no, no, go down lower. Ha! Saw doc for 30 seconds, true. They did the urine test and found too many white blood cells, so said, your bladder is OK but your penis tract is infected, so eat this, Ofloxacin and Buscopan.

I looked them up and thought, what is it doctors have against other humans. Anyway they eased the pain and I could sleep. I keep in the fridge a packet of Infloran, a German acidophilus that restores the good bacteria taken 2 hours after antibiotics. I started drinking lots of water, plus the ACV, Horsetail, Ginger tea and took a slightly heaped tsp of bicab soda before bed, and 2000 Vit. C powder before bed. I'm 80 and eat vegybubbles, some grains but no dairy, meat, sugar and all the other chemically infested stuff. Pain's gone, I pee lovely and sleep. Stopped the antibiotic and pain and sphincter relaxant after two days, will wait to see if symptoms return due to "rebound" addiction.

Will write if it worked. John

Replied by John
(Trang, Thailand)
10/09/2015

Urinary Tract Infection

I was wrong, when I stopped the drugs, or something else had reared it's ugly head. The side effects of both antibiotics and the pain/sphincter drugs were unbearable and I stopped them, they fogged my brain, tired but no sleep for two full nights, plus, plus. But the penile pain and dribbles every 15 to 30 minutes won. I restarted the drugs. This is along with two a day ACV with bicarb soda, boxed grapefruit juice [tasted like crap], water, nice apple juice, mandarin juice, fenugreek tea, horsetail tea, ginger tea, stinging nettle caps, zinc, 1000mg V.C . So, after all that, the whole bullet may be working. Who knows? Pain has eased, good long peeing but at night after I manage to get some sleep I have to wake every 30 mins - one hour to pee. Nearly forgot, the lovely Lugols Iodine 6 drops in juice once a day and I stopped jockey underwear and use boxer shorts. And now, two weeks later, no problem. John



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