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.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Robin (Lawrenceville, Pa) on 01/18/2011
★★★★☆
I have Earth Clinic in my favorites because I come here quite often for minor health problems. I prefer natural solutions to medications. This past Sunday night got hit with severe Bladder infection pain. I woke up several times during the night because of the pain. I waited until Monday afternoon When the pain got really bad, that I decided to do something. I didn't want to go the ER , so I came to Earth Clinic for some help. I read all the comments about help for bladder infections and decided to use ACV. I do have a bottle of organic ACV.
I put the ACV in a shot glass and downed it as quickly as I could followed with a water chaser. That has got to be the worst stuff I've ever tasted! It burns a little going down and hangs in the back of the throat, but it works!
I took my first dose about 5 pm Monday afternoon. Within an hour my pain had lessened considerably, and I took my second dose about 9pm. I drank glass after glass of water and I took a double dose of Cranberry fruit tablets and extra vitamin C before bed. I even slept through the night without waking up. Today (Tuesday) I've taken another 2 doses and I feel a lot better. I'm not completely cured, I can still feel some discomfort. If I don't feel 100% in a couple of days, I'll go to the doctor then.
ACV does work, it just takes a little time.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Bbrant (Charleston, Sc) on 06/15/2013
I posted of incredible pain after taking the ACV and water.. By 2:30 am I called the Triage nurse at the VA, and after doing all the questions she said I should come in.. It was 3:00am and I just felt like the pain was too great to drive safely, yet not enough to call 911.. I had done grapefruit juice and olive oil 10 years ago, but thought I had to be on a semi cleanse before it.. Last ditch effort, I did olive oil, lemon and 1/2 orange, laid down and went to sleep. Woke up with no pain!
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Francisca (Michelbach-le-bas, Alsace, France) on 08/24/2010
Hi Cindy, I don't know your age but I started getting the infections at around 50. Now I am a lot better and one of the things I do is always use lube when I have sex. Also peeing just after seems to help. I have to say that I have a lot less now, maybe once a year and then the only thing that helps is either drinking an awful lot of water right from the beginning or else, if that fails, penicillin for three days. I had a bladder exam and everything was ok, with my kidneys too but the gentleman told me to wash with a special soap every day: Marseille soap (you probably can't get it). Now I have it once a year-I am not too bothered anymore but of course I would love to get rid of them all together!
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Cindy (Hebron, Illinois) on 08/27/2010
Laramie, Thank you for the info. Am currently on antibiotics for 5 days. I hate to admit that I resorted to this, especially after reading that the antibiotic is used on Anthrax patients. Again thank you for taking the time to help. Will get the capsules for future use.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Cindy (Hebron, Illinois) on 08/27/2010
Francisca, thank you for your response all the way from France. I am 66 years young and in good health. I do get them on an average of once a year as well, and wait too long to get relief. I am currently on an antibiotic but am taking probiotics at different intervals. I will try to locate the soap. Another post recommended Uva ursi capsules that I will keep on hand/ Good luck with your efforts.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by April (Copperas Cove, Texas, Usa) on 01/09/2011
[YEA] I just wanted to reply to this thread because this site was so helpful! I woke up with a horrible UTI on New Year's Day. Of course it being Saturday and a holiday there was nothing open until Monday. Also, this was my fourth UTI in three months. I didn't want another round of antibiotics!
I read through many of the threads and my hubby and I decided we would treat it ourselves. He made me a "cocktail" 3x a day for two days until the symptoms subsided and then I took it 2x a day for another two days. The "cocktail" consisted of 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar in a shot glass mixed with some sea salt (to kill some of the tartness) and cranberry juice. I shot it like it was nasty cheap liquor. (I cannot stand the smell and taste of vinegar. ) I was able to get it down by holding my nose and drinking something else immediately afterwards. I also took AZO cranberry tablets, 2 tabs 2x a day, drank a glass or two of cranberry juice daily, and plenty of water. At night I would take a Vitamin C tablet to increase the acidity of my urine overnight.
Monday I had residual pain and went in for a urine culture and I was bacteria-free! My doctor doesn't believe I even had one when I told him, but as a woman, you know when you have a severe UTI. I also avoided sugar and alcohol while I was treating it to reduce the amount of "food" I was providing the bacteria. :) For maintanence I take AZO cranberry tablets once a day and a vitamin C tablet at night. So far, so good. :)
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Kate (Chicago, Il) on 09/22/2011
Yesterday afternoon, I was showing signs of a UTI (pain, frequency, etc). I tried the mixture of lemon juice, cranberry juice, & ACV. I also mixed a little water in with it as well. I drank 2 glasses before bed. This morning, I feel WORLDS better! Way less frequency, almost no pain. I will continue to drink this miracle juice for the next several days. Probably 4-5 times a day, as I read online that you can't really drink too much of it. I am kind of blown away at how great this has worked! Instead of worrying about seeing a doctor & the negative side effects of taking antibiotics, I will definitely be doing this instead next time!
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Katina (St.louis, Missouri) on 02/09/2010
★★★★★
I had the worst UTI I've ever had. I was in so much pain I could not think or focus on anything else. I took a swig of ACV WITH WATER and in less than twenty minutes the pain was tolerable.. Then I put some in a water bottle and sipped on it for a day. I felt completely. That kind of pain can bring a person to tears.. I don't have insurance and I am sooooo happy I found this sight. Thank You, Thank You, Thank You
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Elizabeth (New York, Ny) on 01/30/2010
★★★★★
I was having another episode with my recurring urinary tract infection and I remembered my co-worker informing me that her sister drinks acv and swears by it. So, I had my husband go and buy me a bottle. I boiled a cup of water and 2 tsp of acv.
I could not believe it half way through I started feeling immediate relief.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Kaliskaphoenix (Ville, Kentucky) on 11/27/2009
★★★★★
Apple Cider Vinegar for UTI
I have had many UTIs since I was 18, and I am now 20. So when I experienced burning urination on thanksgiving day, I knew what I was in for. Unfortunately, seemingly all of the immediate care clinics in my area were closed, and in an attempt to avoid sitting in the ER which would have been my only medical option, I searched for natural remedies.
Cranberry juice works perfectly fine for preventing UTIs, but once it has actually onset it doesn't seem to do any good, at least by itself. I read all of the recommendations for apple cider vinegar on this site and decided to give it a try. I took 2 tablespoons and then 2 more about 3 hours later. I also took some alka seltzer for pain relief, and some vitamin C and a cranberry supplement pill just for good measure, and drank endless amounts of water and cranberry juice.
I felt some relief that night. Although urination was somewhat painful, it wasn't as unbearable as it had been earlier in the day. I woke up once throughout the night having to pee, and aside from that I slept all the way through the night. The next morning I felt 100% better, and I was completely back to normal. I plan on continuing to take 2 tablespoons 2-3 times a day for the rest of the week to feel confident that the infection is completely gone.
Apple cider vinegar does taste terrible, but personally I didn't feel like it was any worse than trying to down a shot of cheap liquor. I would definitely have another drink to wash it down with though.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Annie (Old Hickory, Tennessee, USA) on 11/02/2009
Please help, I have been faithfully giving my family organic ACV for about a year now. So far, it as help my family but I am stumped at something. MY six year old daughter came down with a high fever for a week, no other symptoms other than high fever and lethargy. She also has a greenish tone to her skin. Took her to doctors and she tested negative for H1N1 and Strep. She did not have any pain when urinating or anything but took a urine test and found tons of puss in urine and a bit of blood. We put her on antibiotics and fever went down and she is feeling much better. O.K. the weird thing is that I have also come down with a bladder infection and am antibiotics. I have religiously taken Organic ACV and I also thought bacterial infections like bladder infectious are not contagious. I am confused and I am wondering if that is all it is, a bladder infection. If so, how can we get that when we our all taking shots of ACV with water morning and night. Should I be worried something else is going on?
I love Earth Clinic and try to follow the remedies but it is disappointing to be taken ACV for over a year now and come down with a bacterial bladder infection, it kinda took the air out of my sails. My children hate the taste of ACV and I tell them how good it is for them and then when they get sick and nothing helps but antibiotics I can't help but start to question what I m doing. So many people out there want to tell you that your kids need vaccines and drugs and etc... and I don't want to do use them but it is hard. Any suggestions out there?
Peace~
Annie form Tennessee
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Joyce (Joelton, Tn) on 11/02/2009 490 posts
Hello Annie from Tennessee,
Sorry you and your daughter are sick and glad to hear that she is much better. You didn't say whether there are any males in your household and whether they also came down with UTI's about the same time as you and your daughter. There are some bacterial infections you can catch (bladder infections in particular can start from below) and travel up the short urethra on the female, but usually not with the male, which is why your doctor is more concerned with the male's UTI than the females (also they are less likely to get an infection from faulty wiping than females).
The first thing I would suspect in UTI's in multiple family members is something in the water or other drinks consumed. but this should hit both sexes, if there are males in your household. So my first question is did your water supply look peculiar, smell peculiar, or taste peculiar in the week or two before these problems started.
Hopefully your doctor did a urine culture and sensitivity on both you and your daughter. Be sure and ask him/her (the receptionist should be able to handle that) for a copy of both the C&S results. Believe me, it is simpler to mail a copy than it is to try to write down some of these crazy sounding infections while someone else is spelling them over the phone.
Off hand I can not recall any infection that might give one's skin a greenish tone, (have seen a greenish discharge from external otitis (pseuodmonas which is often called swimmer's ear) and I seriously doubt that ACV could color the skin any color but the color of ACV. However I have been told that taking a lot of colloidal silver will turn your skin blue. My son said he saw a man on TV (just now asked him what shade of blue he was and he said "he looked like a smurf, dark blue") that was attributed to his taking colloidal regularly for a long time. Apparently the only problem he had from it was the color of his skin, but apparently no one had been able to come up with any way to return his skin to normal color.
I do have two suggesions for both you and your daughter. If you are using bubble bath, STOP! It has been known to cause bladder infections, and anything that infects the bladder can possibly travel up the ureters to the kidneys. Fortunately, the blaldder infections let us know that we have them in a hurry, but kidney infections can sneak up on you and just about kill you before you know you have them.
The other suggestion is for both of you also. Stop drinking carbonated beverages of any kind because they can cause swelling in the kidneys that lets them spill protein in the urine (which is not normal for them to do).
Finally, I have a request. Be sure to have your daughter checked again when those antibiotics are finished to make sure the urine is clear. The recheck may not be necessary if you had a culture and sensitivity report that states the pathogen was sensitive to the antibiotic.
If the skin doesn't return to normal when the infection is gone, some doctor is going to have a time trying to determine the cause, and trying to find a way to return her skin tone to normal. Please keep us informed and I personally would love to know whether both of you had the same pathogen. Deirdre can give you my e-mail address if you'd like.
I just had another thought. Is this your daughter's first UTI or has she had several. I happened to think about a co-worker in the past who was telling me about her 5 year old granddaughter and her having one UTI after another since she was about age 2. Her doctor was stumped as to what was causing it. After discussing the carbonated beverages/bubble bath connections and finding both were negative in her case, I suggested that it probably had an allergic connection and the infection would follow something causing swelling and congestion in the UT and that the best way to find it was for the parents and caretakers to keep a record of everything that the child ate or drank, or even chewin gum, because it was going to be something that the child ate or drank very often triggering the UTI's. Approximately 1-2 months later, my co-worker elatedly said "We found it, we found it". I had forgotten the conversation and replied "I didn't know it was lost. What did you find?" She then floored me when she told me what our family detectives had found triggered the child's UTI's. It was Flintstone vitamins (those cute little dinosaur shaped vitamins that had blue, red, green etc. colored ones in the same bottle). She hadn't had another UTI since they stopped them. Then she said they were very concerned because they felt she needed some vitamins, but how could they find some that wouldn't cause a problem with the kidneys. I told her that I knew you could find adult vitamins that were uncolored and unflavored, but she would probably have to go a health food place to ask if they carried uncolored and unflavored vitamins for children. I was as surprised as they were at the cause - vitamins are supposed to make you healthy, not sick. Happily, she later reported that they did find an unflavored, uncolored vitamin that the child would take and they created no problems.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Jen (El Paso, Texas) on 04/28/2010
★★★★☆
I had painful and a loud sweet smelling urination, classic symptoms of a bladder infection. A could not get a doctors appointment for five days so, knowing the pain would get worse untreated I found this site for a home remedy. Not paying attention to the measurements suggested I mixed about three ounces of ACV with an ounce of flavored bottled water and guzzled it in one shot. It did not agree with my stomach and I felt nauseated. My stomach hurt for bout two hours. Then I noticed that I no longer had the urge to pee. Later when I did go, the odor was gone and the pain was minimal. The next day the pain was gone. CAUTION, the UTI had not gone away! Although I had no symptoms, when I went to the doctor, I was surprised to find out that the lab found A LOT of bacteria and still had to use medicine to cure it.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Jen (Fairfield County, Connecticut) on 12/25/2010
★☆☆☆☆
I have had a problem for about a week. I doubled up on the D-Manoose and extra water and the feeling of urgency went away (you know when you have to go but nothing comes out). I dont have pain and my urine is clear with no smell but the frequency is still there. I did the baking soda 2x and it seemed better but I started doing ACV yesterday when I did another test strip and I was still positive.
Today I feel like crap and its Christmas so I'll have to wait until tomorrow to pick up the prescription. I am just paranoid about this traveling to my kidneys. For me it seems the D-Manoose works well as a preventative but once an infection is settled in there it doesn't work as well. Maybe I didn't drink enough water because some of you are downing gallons and I just can't seem to drink that much!! I'm still doing the ACV because I figure it can't hurt. I guess antibiotics 1 or 2x per year isn't too bad.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Christie (Bossier City, LA) on 07/20/2009
★★★★★
I had an uncle who always took 2 tbsp of ACV every morning straight. I thought this could be the grossest thing strictly on taste alone and most people would agree. My uncle never got sick and I always wondered why. While researching for weight loss on another web site I saw that ACV can help so I did more research on ACV. Now I have not actively done the weight loss ACV diet so I don't know if it works but I did find out that ACV helps on a lot of other things. Still I could not get over the thought of the potential taste.
Unfortunately I have recently come down with a constant sensation of urination undiagnosed I figure it could be a UTI as I have had them in the past. So I came to this site to read on UTI's. A lot of people have yeas for ACV and here's one more but it is modified. Within minutes of me drinking this my sensation to constantly urinate has subsided. I hope this helps some people.
2 tbsp of ACV
2 dashes cinnamon (as I did not measure I would say about 1 to 2 teaspoons)
a pinch of salt (I find kosher salt is the best)
sugar (about an equal amount to the cinnamon)
8-10 oz of HOT water
mix well and sip till gone
Now the cinnamon will not melt and sometimes will seem chalky, if you leave a spoon in glass so you can stir before you drink each time this will not be bothersome. Ideally what this drink should taste like is just like a hot glass of Apple Cider that you would purchase from the store. If it has been made right there will be no vinegar flavor. I have made this drink a couple of times and had to modify it sometimes but basically the salt kills the vinegar flavor and the cinnamon and sugar makes it sweet. So if you still taste vinegar add salt but if it tastes salty add sugar and cinnamon. Oh and by the way if you want the weight loss ACV diet its the same drink but has to be done everyday before you eat. Once again I have not done the diet so I cannot tell you if it gives results.
Hope this helps!
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Bweez (Santa Maria, Ca) on 01/11/2010
Answer to ACV recipe - wouldn't honey be better than sugar? I'm going to make it right now. I have a terrible UTI. Trying to resist antibiotics. thx
EC: Yes, honey is typically used in apple cider vinegar recipes.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Mallory (Salt Lake City, Ut) on 07/26/2011
Having recieved my second bladder infection with blood in urine and all the bells and whistles in 2 months, after further improving care after sex. I still had the dye and the antibiotics leftover as a precuation, little did I know that I'd be using them so soon.
Having been exhausted by cranberry juice and a disasterous attempt at baking soda. I thought I would try ACV, the recipe given here is like Christmas in a cup and makes it very tolerable to take. Having been sipping the mixture for the last 10-15 minutes, I already feel an improvement and recession of pain and urge to urinate. Having consulted my R. N. Mother I will continue the antibiotics as directed but my vote for the vinegar as a natural remedy is; YEA!
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Maria (Vancouver, Canada) on 06/30/2009
★★★★★
Okay, I was a little skeptical but desperate as I can't take antibiotics. Began with 2 tbsp in an 8oz glass of water. I can't stand the taste of the acv, so I now just down a shot glass of the acv then chase it with a glass of water. Painful urination started to subside in about an hour. I also dabbed some on after urinating, which stung for the first few minutes but really took away the pain in less than 1/2 an hour. Thank God. Much easier. I continued for every 2 to 3 hours everyday. Don't forget to keep taking it even after you think you are better for at least a day or two after or it will creep up back on you as you may be not have completely gotten rid of the infection (I found that out the hard way). Cut down on sweets and caffeine. Sugar just feeds the bacteria, and coffee just seems to aggravate the bladder somehow. Also drink lots of cranberry juice and take Vitamin C.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Connie (Manitowoc, Wisconsin) on 08/10/2009
Chocolate seems cause painful urination and bladder with me, in addition to coffee and tea. Somewhere it was mentioned that the ph of urin may cause painful crystals. And something to do with copper...?
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Karen (Irvine, CA) on 05/13/2009
★★★★★
Yesterday I was in extreme pain even though my doctor reported that I didn't have a bladder infection. I feared having to use the bathroom because of the pain. I tried searching for a nature cure since I am currently breastfeeding and came across this site. I had ACV in my fridge because I used it in the past to balance my ph, so I drank a quarter cup of straight ACV (YUCK) and it worked!! This is day two and I bought ACV pills since the taste is awful. I have no more pain and will gladly share this remedy with anyone suffering as I have for many years with UTI pain. Thanks
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Barbara (Wellington, New Zealand) on 05/01/2009
★★★★★
I noticed the early signs of a bladder infection this morning - that sensation you feel when you pee and then the beginnings of the frequent need to urinate. Wanting to avoid antibiotics at all costs I read the comments on this website and decided to take 1 TABLESPOON of organic ACV in approx 1-2 inches of water. At first I took this every 20-30 minutes and then when I felt some improvement, I took it every 40-60 minutes. It's been 5 hours now and my symptoms have greatly improved!! I'll continue 1 tablespoon in a small amount of water every hour probably until I go to sleep. Thank you!!! I was feeling very panicked about having to take antibiotics again because of their side effects and am so relieved that this worked.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Healthiercure (Palm Beach, Fl, Usa) on 12/19/2009
★★★★★
About 6 months ago I tried plain white vinegar from the supermarket for a urinary tract infection after seeing it recommended elsewhere on the Internet. Mix small amount, maybe a tablespoon, of white vinegar in about a 1 and 1/2 cups of water. Drank this through a straw because vinegar(ACV or any kind)can be hard on the teeth. Did this twice in one day. It went away and didn't need a doctor visit for antibiotic. Very cheap and so happy because antibiotic side effects make me ill. Also drank a lot of cranberry juice as well.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Amy (Madison, WI) on 04/15/2009
★★★★★
I found myself feeling like I was getting a Bladder/UTI infection. Anyone who has had one knows the feeling. So I started pounding water and did organic ACV, 1 T. or so in some warm H2O with a T. or so of Raw honey (so I could drink it down quick). Did that a couple of times the first day. Noticed a big difference in a few hours. Tonight I am drinking more water (way more than I normally drink which is at least 8-8oz. glasses a day) and am going to finish drinking a 2 liter of lite cranberry juice. Also had some Organic ACV on my salad tonight with dinner. Making a big difference. Tomorrow am going to get some acidophiles (ran out of time today). I heard though to stay away from sugar and sweets because it makes the infection worse. So I am not overdoing it on the honey. Anyone else have any advice for this?
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Janet (Cornwall, Ontario Canada) on 04/07/2009
Apple Cidar Vinegar for UTI. This makes sense, yes it is due to the PH level, I am going to try this. I also want ed to ask the lady who said her son's ear infection were cured by garlic???? How so and what do you do for this? PH level are so important, and baking soda, I have been told works to......my Mother use to wash my hair with Apple Cidar Vinigar, she said it restored your healthy shine, she also said it was good to drink, because it restored your body's natural levels....hmmm maybe Momma knew what she was talking about...I will be sure to mention it to her too, Mother's do know best! THANKS, will get back to see if it worked....the thing is I don't have an actual infection more a irritation, which I do get after intercourse, not to be to graphic, but especially after oral, I am wondering if it is just a uproot in my natural enviro....also male sperm is Alkaline....so it makes me wonder if it just throws my PH levels off........I am not sure....going to TRY! THANKS!
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Katina (Arnold, Missouri) on 03/19/2009
★★★★★
I drank a small glass of water with a couple of tablesppons of Apple Cider Vinegar. 3 days of antibiotics and I was still hunched oveer in pain with a uti. I drank the water with my meal and by the time I got up to do the dishes the pain was gone. A couple of days later my urine was clear. Thank you so much.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Kim (Gaffney, SC) on 03/14/2009
★★★★★
Hi everyone, I also use ACV for bladder infections. Just had one a couple of weeks ago. I drink as much of it straight as I can stand. I would say 1/4 cup at a time every couple hours. Let that sit in your stomach a little while 1/2 hour, then drink a full glass of water. It is horrible but the reward is amazing. By the next morning it is gone. You can also do the tablespoon in your water several times a day but when I do that the symtoms usually last for three days.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Tamara (Santa Barbara, California, CA) on 03/07/2009
★★★★☆
ACV is instantaneous! I knew I was in trouble this morning and being a Saturday I knew I would sit all day in urgent care. I was already drinking a strong solution of unsweetened cranberry and pure water--half and half. Then I read your site but didn't think I had any ACV--I got the flashlight out and there was a bottle in the back of the cabinet. I got a soft cloth, wet it with warm water and added about a tablespoon of ACV and wrung the sloth out. Then I applied the cloth to my poor burning urethra --just holding it there--and immediate relief! After that I have taken 8oz of water with 2 tbsp of ACV and we'll see what it does. I also took a fem-dophilus. It is just plain old ACV from the grocery store not the health food store kind. I'll keep you posted!
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Ann (Underhill Center, VT) on 03/03/2009
★★★★☆
After 8 months of reocurring bladder infection/irritation I began taking ACV for my varicose veins. To my surprise, my bladder symptoms almost stopped. I am looking for any other measures I can take to increase my bladder health. IN the last three months I never got a full-blown infection but just a constant feeling of irritation.
Thank you!
Annie
