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.
Cranberry
Posted by Barbara (Benton Harbor, MI,USA) on 12/11/2008
★★★★★
Just stumbled on this site. So hello everyone! This is a fantastic resource. Years ago I developed a UTI. Never have liked DRs so knew there had to be a better way, besides there's always the problem of antibiotics and yeast. Researched cranberry juice and calculated how much I would have to drink for any benefits, not to mention the sugar intake.Not that I'm opposed to sugar. I believe, in most cases, in moderation as opposed to abstinance. Then I spotted cranberry capsules in the vitamin section and thought, "what the hey". I have been taking 2 capsules in the morning for decades. Now you could probably count the # of bad habits I have and still need more toes and fingers. The least of which is sugar addiction. But I don't have UTIs. My oldest sister suffered from chronic ones and was real resentful that I hadn't turned her on to the caps long, long ago. But with the same treatment she hasn't had a problem for a decade. For my own reasons I have been treating bad life habits for yrs with natural remedies.So I might add that if you look at other cultures and their predominate lack of health issues, then research their nutrition habits many things can be avoided. Such as cayene capsules, Latinos and the lack of colon cancers. I take them for warmth in winter, (don't take w/some forms of stomach ulcer problems). I have just started to look into the C-nut oil thing. Vanity and my hair started it + extremely dry skin. Years ago I tried ACV and didn't care for the taste, yea I was once a baby about flavor. Decided to go back. Read about the upset stomachs/belching/gas over the oil. Have to say mine comes from the ACV not the oil. Like the one gal I too just "shoot" it down but I drink half my water before hand then more as a chaser. For those who are developing infections after sex. Maybe the best attack would be to treat your sexual partners also. Sex can be a big bargaining chip for getting your way. I would like to add that there's a supplement formula on the market which is excellent for toxic cleansing. Anyone who would like the name can write to the above e-address and I'd be glad to let you know where to find it. I am not a distributor. Just info about it.
Chinese Herbs
Posted by K (Toronto, Ontario, Canada) on 11/29/2008
★★★★★
Just thought I would let everyone in on my long history of UTI's. I have had them since I was 10 months old and I am now 23. There is these herbal vitamins that I picked up from the china town herbal store and I SWEAR by them!!! U take 5 .. 3 times a day with hot water and it goes away instantly. I would write the name of them but Its in chinese. I will look it up and get back to you all.. also I read some peoples stories about getting yeast infections, and I have never had one in my entire life so you might want to switch your medication. I also asked my doctor for 3X the amount of medications so that I can start taking them right away when my UTI is really intense. We all know how they feel OUCH! Also try taking warm baths!
Corn Silk
Posted by Anna (Costa Mesa, California) on 11/12/2008
★★★★★
I tried to do the vinegar douche but I got worst I started getting pain in the vagina, thank God for corn silk and shave grass tea I felt better 3 hours later. They usually sell this in the mexican stores: One bag of corn silk and boil it in 4 cups of water, and for the shave grass tea they sale those in tea bags so you put that in a cup of hot water and drink it drink as many as many cups as you can, keep drinking it for 5 days or longer, even if you feel better. Both teas work but if you only find the corn silk it will work fine.
Alka Seltzer
Posted by Sara (Gravette, AR) on 11/09/2008
★★★★★
I woke up this morning with a bladder infection. Didn't want to go to the doctor so I took a chance to find something online that would help so I type in home remedies. I at first, drank acv with baking soda then I drank water with lemon in it. Then I drank water with the alka selter. I felt a little bit better. Than I went to the bathroom and their was blood. (PAINFUL!) I went and drank another water with alka seltzer. I was scared to go to the restroom thinking I was going to scream again but It was better. Alot. No blood this time.Then I continued to drink serveral (didn't coun't) maybe 3 or 4 more water with alka selter. I am feeling alot better! I CAN NOT THANK YOU ENOUGH!!!!! ~~~Sara Smith~~~
Apple Cider Vinegar and Baking Soda
Posted by Dominique (Seattle, Washington, USA) on 11/07/2008
Re acidic level of urine in helping finding the status of UTI. My pharmacist told me thet it should be acidic 6 or below. I was surprised that he felt ok with the vinegar but not the baking soda which in his opinion could cause acid reflex. I would love some feedback on this. I just bought some strips to measure the acid/alkaline levels in my urine and sure would like to a second, 3rd or more opinion in this matter
Thank you in advance for your consideration.
Alka Seltzer
Posted by RO (New York, New York) on 11/05/2008
★★★★★
for Urinary Tract infections use Alka Seltzer the original - it works!
Apple Cider Vinegar and Baking Soda
Posted by Martha (Chantilly, VA) on 10/27/2008
★★★★★
ACV cured my UTI. I have had UTIs before so recognized the symptoms. 9 PM Saturday two wks before this post, started having minor symptoms. By Sunday night, knew for sure it was a UTI. Started drinking lots of water, which I should have done earlier. By 4 AM, pain was terrible and couldn't sleep so logged on the Internet and found your website. I tried the ACV with a little baking soda. I used 6 tbsp ACV the first dose and then 3tbsp ~every 6 hours with water. I consumed 10 oz over 48 hour period. The pain was gone within 2 hours of the first dose. I also started having back pain about the same time I got the UTI. Two days no coffee, very little sleep intense back pain, I thought maybe the UTI had moved into my kidneys. I went to the doctor on the 3rd day, doctor confirmed no UTI. And he said I could have coffee - life had meaning again. The back pain turned out to be unrelated from physical activity I had done on the weekend. More importantly, doctor confirmed UTI was gone after 3 days of vinegar. Since then, I've continued to consume ACV - just a few teaspoons to my diet each day. Add a little stievia and water with the unfiltered ACV, add a little baking soda and it makes a fizzy drink. Not bad. Thank you for your website.
Apple Cider Vinegar and Baking Soda
Posted by Zel (Liberty , MO) on 10/24/2008
★★★★★
I had a very uncomtable UTI today. I used apple cider mixed with water and baking soda. In less than hour after taking it and drinking a lot of water the pain was gone and I did not have to go every few minutes. This really works I have suffered from UTI for years and this is the first home remedy I have tried that worked.
Vitamin E
Posted by Mary (Nowhere, VA) on 10/17/2008
★★★★★
Feminine itching/irritation: Vitamin E oil works great for that most personal itching and irritation. Just insert a gelcap at bedtime and morning. Don't forget to wear a pad, it can ruin your clothes. I had an extremely itchy irritation going that was caused by a UTI. Of course getting rid of the UTI helped, but it was completely relieved by the Vitamin E.
Alka Seltzer
Posted by London (Sandusky, Ohio) on 10/17/2008
★☆☆☆☆
Alka Zeltzer did not work for my UTI. I did it for a couple of days, didn't work at all.
Cranberry
Posted by Mia (Jacksonville, Fl) on 10/14/2008
★★★★★
For the life of me I don't know why studies can't conclusively say that Cranberry juice works to cure bladder infection.
I have had 3 bladder infections (or UTIs) in my life. Two turned into kidney infections.
I just got over symptoms of the third two weeks ago. Within 2 hours of the first symptom I had completely red urine (from the blood).
I read everything about how only pure cranberry juice will work IF it would work at all. I read so many reports that there was no conclusive evidence that cranberry would CURE a bladder infection. They said it may prevent them but there was no evidence of a cure. I can tell you I have evidence of a cure. I drank a glass as soon as my urine turned red. The symptoms began to improve slightly.
I went to the pharmacy and the pharmacist told me any fluid would work just as well as the cranberry so to be calorie conscious I started drinking straight water. NOPE! Within half an hour the symptoms were WORSE than before I began drinking the water.
So I began chugging ocean spray cranberry. It wasn't pure, it was sugary, and it WORKED. For good measure I also took 1/2 a tsp. of baking soda in a glass of water AND I went to CVS and bought some cranberry pills all these things against the advice of the pharmacist but the last kidney infection I had left me with BAD BAD side effects from the cure so I was really desperate and IT WORKED! I did this for three days.
Don't belive that cranberry doesn't work - even the Ocean Spray kind. I woke up the next day 100% better. Still some slight pressure after urinating but that was it and by the next day all symptoms were COMPLETELY GONE.
Baking Soda
Posted by Donna (Bozeman, Montana) on 09/27/2008
★★★★★
I recently drank baking soda in water to try and treat a UTI that came on very suddenly. I saw somewhere online to take 1 tsp baking soda in 2 cups of water. Then an hour or two later, I took 1 tsp of the baking soda in 1 cup of water, then it said to have some chamomile tea after that. I did this, then repeated with some baking soda water (about 1 tsp per cup or cup and a half) several times over the next day or two. I was prepared to take some antibiotics that my husband had stopped taking from a recent dental procedure, because I was doubtful that the baking soda would work, but Voila! I was cured of the UTI symptoms with just the baking soda water and trying to drink/void more often.
The bonus was, I had the beginnings of a vaginal infection, and that also went away. And the sore throat/bad cold that I was fighting subsided much more quickly than I thought, once I started taking the baking soda. I'm very interested in all the varied claims, and how it can work. I worry a little about the saltiness of the baking soda, but think if I use it moderately, then supplement with folic acid and B vitamin supplements, plus increase my calcium intake, that hopefully I should be okay.
Thanks for sharing your experiences!
Cranberry
Posted by Stella (Ashevile, NC) on 09/27/2008
★★★★★
I take one cranberry capsule in the morning and one at night every day to prevent UTI's. It helps. I get mine at Sam's Club. I'm 54 and going through the change and more susceptible to getting UTI's than I used to.
Cranberry
Posted by Veronica (Thousand Oaks, California) on 09/10/2008
★★★★★
I have been plagued by bladder infections since being married. I know they call it the "Honeymoon" infection because it is common to occur after intercourse. Doctors have always prescribed an antibiotic for my infections, but as soon as I stop taking the medication, the infection returns a few weeks later. I was researching natural remedies and found that cranberry pills keep the bacteria from adhering to the inside wall of the bladder. I like ____ because it has other soothing and healing ingredients like Buchu leaf, Pipissewa, Uvu Ursi leaf, Oregon grape root and Marshmallow root. I take this right after intercourse with a glass of water and I haven't had a bladder infection in almost 5 years. This is amazing because I was constantly on antibiotics year-round and was absolutely miserable. This has been a huge miracle not to be on antibiotics. I'm so glad that I found this remedy that I wanted to share this with anyone who also has been plagued by bladder infections. It's such an easy remedy... I can't believe it took me 10 years to come across it!
Baking Soda
Posted by Linda (Reading, PA) on 09/07/2008
MH: Did you take the baking soda and water orally or via douching? Thanks
EC: Probably took it orally...
Baking Soda
Posted by MH (San Francisco, CA, USA) on 09/06/2008
★★★★★
This is my 4th bladder infection this year. :( I hate having to go to the doctor and taking antibiotics so I looked at your website. (Last time I took antibiotics, I ended up getting a yeast infection also. Go figure.) I don't know about other people, but when I have a bladder infection, I end up in bed miserable for at least 1/2 of my day (in between painful, constant urinations.) Then afterwards when the antibiotics kick in and the pain is a little better, by that time I'm exhausted and miserable.
I used 1/2 tablespoon of baking soda to 8 ounces of water, and low and behold, the pain stopped within 15 minutes and I was able to urinate more normally. Just to be safe I drank plenty of water and had 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar.
My bladder infection went away extremely fast and incredibly less painful than curing with antibiotics! (Let alone, cheaper!) Thank you for your advice everyone!
