Roni (Holualoa, Hawaii) on 10/05/2008:

Look, after a couple of years of recurrent UTI's, and heavy antibiotic use for one infection or another, I am very skeptical of using antibiotics as a one stop cure all. After a couple of years fighting depression, mood swings, gastro disorders, weight gain and inexplicable tiredness, I really must say I think antibiotic over use has put me in a position where my immune system cannot fight off small infections very well.
Anyways, my Dad used to always harp on about ACV and I always thought he was nuts, because he's a nutty individual lol.
I do not have medical insurance, I'm worn down, cran tablets, cran extract with stevia and candida tablets DID NOT WORK. Not eating any carbs, sugar or refined foods for several days, flushing with water. My condition worsened still. I guess I had a persistent case of UTI. With the burning sensation of my uretha, coupled with the terrible back pain, fever, swollen abdomen, being hot alternatiing with being cold I knew I could not waste too much time as my UTI would persist and I am not one to want to waste precious time when I know its possible to be enjoying life without feeling really awful.
After visiting this site and trying a good few remedies, I can honestly say "STOP!" Stop what you are doing, dont waste your time with sugar laden cran juice - Drink lots of water to flush and I say a SHOT GLASS full of ACV in a 500 ml bottle of purified, chilled water.
Do not waste your time with the store shelf aecetic acid version of apple cider vinegar - use ____ with the Mother in it and the results are far more amazing and quicker than the brownish yucky after taste garden variety cider vinegar which I think is effective, but crappy next to the highly effective ____ version.
Do the shot glass mix of ACV in the bottled water and refrain from consuming sugars and refined carbs for at least a couple of days, eat fresh and drink your acv mix.
I think the ACV akalizes the body and causes the bacteria in the urinary tract to die off at a rapid rate. It also helps balance your body PH levels so that your body starts to function well and fight off nasty invaders itself.
Unfortunately, our modern diets laden with foods that change our PH levels to become too acidic make it hard for the body to fight infection.
With continued use of ACV you start to get more energy with little or no come down, your body metabolizes fat better so a side effect is gradual weight loss with little or no change in one's habits - but most importantly its a great natural fix when you're feeling really run down from a UTI -
Im so happy to have re-found ACV in my life. Im happy my Dad the nut still recommends it and that mostly IT WORKS!!! Good luck to your low cost cures! Roni
Linda (San Francisco, California) on 08/30/2008:

Apple Cider Vinegar was the best thing for me during my painful bladder infection, Thanks to you all who posted this remedy on this site. I've only had a bladder infection one other time in my life, 16 years ago. I had full medical benefits at the time, so I went to my doctor and got some medications. At this time in my life, I don't have medical benefits, so when I woke up yesterday morning and went to urinate, (the pain was unmistakeable, I knew what it was right away), I got on the internet right away and found this site, thank God.I poured 8 ozs of water into a glass, and put in two tablespoons of ACV. I drank it down real fast. When I urinated about 1/2 hour later, it wasn't painful anymore. I drank 8ozs of water every hour all day, and about every 4th glass contained the ACV. I also monitored my urine's pH balance with pH sticks. I wanted to make sure I was staying alkaline. I had a low grade fever all day, and I rested and tried to nap most of the day. Before bed, I drank another 8 ozs of water with two tablespoons of ACV. I woke up this morning after sleeping through without waking up a full 7 hours. When I urinated there was no pain at all. I don't have a low grade fever this morning. Thanks to you all and your posts, I stayed away from coffee and sweets all day yesterday as well. I'm sure that helped tremendously. I'm going to continue drinking water and alternating with ACV today and probably tomorrow too, just to make sure the bacteria is gone. Thank you so much for your information on this site, you all are awesome!
Veronica (San Antonio, Texas) on 07/31/2008:

I got a full blown urinary tract infection; the constant feeling of the need to urinate, stinging, and the just plain uncomfortable. I headed to this site and found acv as a cure for bladder infections. This was a bad one so it took about 3 days, plus I spent 1 day taking capsules- which did no good. It had to be the bottled stuff. I hate the taste, but can't argue with the results. No more UTI!
Robin (Ladera Ranch, CA) on 07/22/2008:

I have had urinary infections since age 17 and I am now 32. Many years they have been every month. In 2006 it was so bad that my doctor said it was due to the way that I'm wired. He said that a certain tube may be too short and it allows bacteria to move around my system faster. He said I would have to be on antibiotics for long periods of time throughout my life (6 months at a time or more). I HATE antibiotics because I've been on them long term before and it really damaged my immune system. Now, at all costs, I try not to take them unless extremely necessary. I changed my life and did everything they said to do. I started to go after sex, wipe correctly, etc.. I drink tons of water on a daily basis and then this week I drank a lot of alcohol one night (bacteria feed on sugar and alcohol) and got a HORRIBLE infection. I was rocking back and forth on the toilet while nothing came out, etc.. I thought, "there HAS to be something besides antibiotics that will work!!!" I searched and found this site and read about Apple Cider Vinegar. I went to the store, came home and put a little more than 2 tbsp in about 10-12 ounces of water. I mixed it with honey. I'd say within 30 minutes the pain started going away!!! I did the treatment twice more that day and three times the day after. IT IS GONE. I waited to write on this site to make sure it was really gone and IT IS GONE!!! I wish I would have known about this years ago!!! I had a similar situation with my son and multiple ear infections, years of struggle and antibiotics and garlic oil cured him, so that gave me faith in non-pharticeutical alternatives!!! I am amazed and I will continue to try home remedies first before rushing to the doctor on things that I know won't kill me. This is wonderful. I am so happy. Thank you everyone.
Leah (Westchester, NY) on 07/08/2008:

I had the starting signs and symptoms of an UTI and we all know how irritating it can be. Nor did I have money to go to the doctor. I have been to this site many times and loved all the miracles of Apple Cider Vinegar.This morning after suffering for three days, I recalled the ACV cures, added some to my morning OJ, then more at lunch to my Iced Tea, then added an extra or two teaspoon for one more gulping. I drink it from a straw so that its tart taste is avoided as much as possible.
Within 2 hours, literally the pain was gone, the need to void, completely diminished - no tingles when I did void.
This is my first time adding to EarthClinic.com comments, but seriously, ACV is great for so many things.
I will most certainly go back to adding it to my drinks. Thank you, thank you and thank you some more!
LM (Lake forest, USA) on 06/30/2008:

Hello I have to said that I`m very please with your webside! it really help! I can definitely recommend to any one to use it..I have to said that I was very surprise by the results !!!! specially if you take it at the very first sign of simptoms it makes a big difference you do not want to wait to long to treated the sooner the better.. I took the dose about two hours from the time I notice that I had a bladder infection then I laid down to rest for about three hours when I wakeup it was almost gone !!!! it improve by 98% i`m continuing this dose for a couple more days just to make sure is completely gone.. and remember drink lots of water.I`m very seldom I`ll get bladder infection .. wich is good!! for now on I`ll make sure that Apple Cider Vinegar is in my kitchen.. cause I know it works...
I tried Apple Cider Vinegar it cure my bladder infection..
Two table spoons with eight onz. of water.. once a day..
Christine (Montville, New Jersey) on 06/28/2008:

For about two weeks I have had a terrible yeast infection plus UTI. I tried monistat powder and cream,it helped that day but after that it came back. Now Iam on vacation and I will not let this infection keep me from having fun. So my dad told me I can drink Apple cider vinegar mixed with alittle bit of water. What I did was drink 1 glass of this mixture and then I took one cup of vinegar poured it in warm water and took a bath in it.In a matter of about 15-20 minutes both the pain from UTI and the itching from the yeast infection was gone.(No Douching) Now Iam just drinking the cider and water for a couple more days just to make sure everything is cured.
Lisa (A Nice Place, Florida) on 06/05/2008:

ACV cured my bladder infection! I drink two tabelspoons in 80z of water. The worse I feel the more I take. Thanks!! It also is a great exfoliator for my face. I just put it on a cotton ball and rub all over my face.
Maggie (Sanford, Florida) on 04/29/2008:

I read about using Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) for relief from a vaginal/bladder infection on this site. Since I only have major catastrophic medical insurance, paying out of pocket for a doctor's visit was something I wanted to avoid. I had tried 2 rounds of an over the counter treatment, and still had the infection. Therefore, I tried to drink the 2 tsp / 8 oz water with honey mix that was talked about on this site. Yet, I couldn't get past the first few sips. It was so gross tasting to me!!! So instead, I grabbed a tall drinking shot glass, mixed my 2 tsp of ACV with a little water and some honey and took it in drinking shot form - chased (followed) by a glass of water. Much easier! About 2 hours later, the shakey weird burning urge to pee pain of the infection was really dumbed down - I was so amazed how quickly it worked! I continued this treatment 2 times a day (one right before bed), and my infection is now completely gone three days later. However, I'm not about to stop taking this mix each day. The other benefits of the ACV mix are amazing. My energy levels are really good, my mood is good (I have been depressed lately) and I've had some really great hair days since it is so healthy and soft feeling. Even my skin is softer without blemishes. I've been on this mix for 2 weeks, lost 3 lbs without doing a thing too. For anyone thinking about trying this, you can't lose. It is natural, and just trying it for a few days was all I needed to be hooked for life. I only do my shot once a day now, since the infection is gone. Overall, I wanted to write to let you know a new way to take your ACV that works for me in case you also can't stand drinking it down. Possibly try it in a drinking shot glass with less water, but just be sure to have that water chaser afterwards so your throat and tooth enamel aren't hurt by the more potent levels of the ACV in your mouth. Typically a shot doesn't reside on your teeth anyway, so it possibly could even be a better way to take it. I'm not sure, but it definitely works for me. Good luck!
Randa W (Mansfield, Ohio) on 02/12/2008:

Had a very painful urinary tract infection almost two weeks ago - hadn't had one in 30 years and was astounded at the intensity of the pain and pressure! I could no longer lay down at night (for some reason it worsened in that position). Got online to look around for a natural remedy (didn't have cranberry juice on hand) and found the Earth Clinic site. Read what folks had to say about Apple Cider Vinegar, suggested dosages and mixtures, and decided to try mixing 2 tsp with about 8 ozs. of fruit juice (couldn't tolerate it straight or mixed with water). Skeptic that I am, I was amazed when I felt the pressure lifting in my lower abdomen within two hours and, after several more glasses of juice mixed the same way, was PAIN FREE after two days! I was STUNNED - I'd been in agony for 5 days before I did this! When I kept my appt with my gyn. two days later, I told him about it (and have since been telling anyone who'll listen). Oddly enough, as I sat waiting in the ex. room for him to come in, I was reading a women's magazine and spotted a full page ad touting the benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar - curing bladder infections was on their list. I have since been drinking a tsp of ACV in 8 ozs of juice a couple of times a day because I now believe it's good for the body for a number of reasons. When my husband came down with a cold and started getting congested, I had him drink 2 tsp in 4 ozs of juice (he's tough enough to tolerate the taste) and he thought it helped relieve the pressure. Don't know if it's related, but my skin seems smoother and clearer and I have avoided (so far) the incredible cold/flu virus that has taken my family and coworkers by storm.
I'm VERY glad I found the Earth Clinic site and wish I'd found it sooner. I use it to research natural remedies and I tell everyone about it (when the subject of illness or nutrition comes up). What a resource!!!! Keep sending in your feedback, folks. Knowledge is power!
Karyn (Lindenhurst, NY) on 11/20/2007:

Hi I was hit with a really bad UTI one night, I was urinating blood every 2-3 minutes for hours. I don't have health ins. so I couldn't go to the ER and was frantically looking for a homeopathic cure when I stumbled on your site. I used the ACV remedy [Ted's recipe] and an hour later drank sea salt water. Throughout this 2 hour process I was drinking tons and tons of water probably a gallon or more to flush the bacteria out [which was very unpleasant] I had to take advil just to sleep because the pain was so bad. I woke up this morning and I am absolutely fine, no blood, no urge to urinate, all thats left is a slight feeling of pressure in my abdomen. I am concerned it will come back so I am doing another round this morning and I am going to take the cranberry pills just to be safe.
Kay (Knoxville, TN) on 10/25/2007:

I'm an RN and don't have health insurance, go figure. But I did have a bladder infection that had been nagging me for 2 weeks. I knew I couldn't afford a doctor visit and UA culture, so I've been guzzling cranberry juice (and borrowing antibiotics) with no success. Yesterday, it became unbearable and I found this website. I went through ALL the testimonies, made a list of what I needed from the store and spent less than $10 on everything I bought. First I drank ACV in water. I waited an hour and drank sea salt in water as prescribed here. I was already feeling immediate relief. Next, I took a bath in ACV, baking soda and sea salt. I ate a can of asparagus and drank the juice. By now, there is NO pain. For the rest of the evening, I drank cranberry juice diluted in filtered water. Drank more ACV and baking soda before bed. Slept through the night and awoke with absolutely no symptoms. Am going to stay on ACV and the baths for a couple of days, then do maintenance of one glass of ACV in water/day.
This truly works. I should have known there was a 'natural' cure. Eight years ago I was told I would only live a year if I didn't undergo chemo/radiation for breast cancer. I refused and instead, I juiced myself into total remission. This bladder infection is the only "illness" I've had in 8 years and still didn't need a doctor! Thank you for this website.
Christy (GA) on 09/21/2007:

I've been waiting until the end of the week before writing in just to make sure I had a true cure for a bladder infection! Details: Woke up Monday morn with full blown bladder infection. I went onto Earth Clinic and found a bunch of remedies. I drank 2 tablespoons of ACV in water first. An hour later I drank 2 teaspoons of sea salt in 8 oz of water. Then I went and soaked in a bath (per Tammy from Springfield, Missouri's recipe) of powdered ginger, baking soda and sea salt. I stayed in the tub until I had no more pain and burning: took about 20 minutes (thanks, Tammy!). Then I took another dose of ACV, this time with baking soda. All the pain was gone after that, or so I thought... Certain I was back to 100%, I didn't bother to take another dose of ACV before going to bed, and this was my error! I awoke at 2:00am with even worse pain and burning than the day before! So then, berating myself for not following up with the remedies, I went downstairs and took more acv with baking soda. Then I did the bath again for 20 minutes and went back to the toilet seat. An hour and a half went by, no change in the pain and intense desire to pee every 10 seconds. Then I took ANOTHER bath, but this time with 1 cup of acv only. The pain and burning went away in 20 minutes and I was able to get back to sleep. Not wanting to mess around, the next day I went to Whole Foods and bought Cranberry concentrate, homeopathic drops for bladder infections, ph testing strips, and D-Mannose supps. Overkill perhaps! I felt about 75% better before I went shopping, but was back to 100% in 24 hours and that was 3 days ago now.
A few notes to mention to those suffering with bladder infection: I think the reason why the bladder infection came roaring back in the middle of the night was that my pH plummeted from alkaline to acid. So I suggest that people do test their urinary pH and take the remedies according to their pH levels. When you have a bladder infection, you can swing from alkaline to acidic very rapidly!
Finally, after reading those D-Mannose testimonials on the bladder page, I have to say that most are FOR SURE written by an outside company and not readers of Earth Clinic. They often say the same thing over and over! But I still went with it and bought the supplements nonetheless. I think they did help overall.
Sorry for the lengthy email, but hopefully this will help someone going through the excruciating pain of a bladder infection in the middle of the night!
Christine (Delafield, WI) on 09/21/2007:

I am 55 years old and thought I was developing old-lady bladder. I was having to go to the bathroom at least every half hour, and it wasn't much. I also was getting up once or twice a night. This has been going on for almost a year now, and just recently the idea struck me that I might have a bladder infection. I found this website and tried the ACV remedy. I am so impressed that I had to write a note. Sometime during that first afternoon, I drank a 20-ounce glass of hot water with 4 T of organic ACV and honey to taste. Already the next morning I was feeling improved. I did it again yesterday and I was able to golf 9 holes, go out to dinner and come home and sit for a while (5 hours all together) and didn't have to go to the bathroom once. And as if that were not enough, I slept through the entire night last night without having to get up one single time. I can't remember the last time that happened. It is truly a great thing. Thanks for this website.
Tammy (Springfield, Missouri) on 09/07/2007:

I am literally amazed today! Two days ago I felt a bladder infection coming on quickly (I don't usually get a lot of these) and I was dreading going to the doctor and putting up with the long, drawn out antibiotics treatments they give to treat it. I'm new to natural remedy treatments and was a bit skeptical at first. So last evening while I was in terrible pain and had been drinking cranberry juice all day, I decided enough was enough.
I mixed 2T Apple Cider Vinegar with 1t baking soda and poured a glass of bottled water into it. I added a bit of cayenne pepper to it and slammed it. If felt some relief shortly thereafter and did it again about an hour before bedtime. It was definately helping. This morning my pain was completely gone but the burning was still there. So I tried stomaching some more of the ACV (that stuff's awful!) and only got about half of it down.
I decided instead to bathe in a mixture of
1C kosher salt (I was out of sea salt),
1C baking soda, and
2T powdered ginger.
This is a bathing recipe I haven't used in a long time. In the past I've just used it as a comfort bath making sure to shower and rinse thoroughly afterwards. So I bathed and guess what? Now my urge to urinate is gone! Thank you so much for this site and I can guarantee I'll be using it in the future! I'll let you know if it comes back or anything but as of right now I feel great!
Lisa (Cape Canaveral, Fl) on 08/22/2007:

I used to be prone to constant urinary infections to the point I no longer felt them. One time it had got so bad I actually felt the severest of symptoms. At the time no medical insurance and no money to go to a doctor. So I emailed a friend who had a huge book on herbs and natural remedies. He researched for me and found if I took a bath with apple cider vinegar it would eliminate the urinary infection because the urethra acts as a wick and draws the high ph into the bladder. Well I had no bathtub and no access to one. So we devised this plan. I would take a cotton ball and soak it in apple cider vinegar and place it on my urethra for twenty min three to four times a day. The skin would burn and it did hurt alot. But I persisted. I woke up the next day and had no symptoms at all. I continued to use the acv for three more days. Since then I have not had another attack of urinary infection.
Years before I forgot to mention this. A neighbor told me about acv and honey as a remedy for headaches depression arthritis pain help and lowering cholesterol and high blood pressure. Well i suffered from all of these symptoms. I asked how much to take. She said she took two tablespoons each of acv and honey in enough hot water to melt the honey and drank it down half an hour before she ate. I did the same. The first week I lost ten pounds of excess water weight due to bad diet of too much salt. I sweated alot and peed alot. I lost a total of forty pounds. I had visited my doc before I started and thirty days after. He was amazed at the weight loss and asked how I did it. I told him and he said oh. he wasn't concerned at the amount in that short of a time. I should have been. It is dangerous to lose too much weight in a short amount of time. But I believe in my case it was extreme excess water weight. My cholesterol dropped from 256 to 156 in six months. My blood pressure was below normal and I couldn't gain weight. So acv and honey is my magic remedy. My kids would see me taking the acv and honey for my migraines. They wanted to try it for their headaches. Well after the first time they used it they didn't want tylenol anymore. Ever. To this day they are teenagers they remember it is instant and keeps the headaches away.
I have laxed in my daily regimen of acv and honey and have gained back the weight and the blood pressure. i am going to start it again. Anyways. Thank you for your time in reading its benefits to me. Hugs to you.
Michelle (Gladwin, MI) on 08/16/2007:

I had been suffering from reoccurring urinary tract infections, and reading a lot about ph levels in the body. I found out by using ph strips that my body was at a 4.0 on the ph scale. I started taking the apple cider vinegar to change my ph (which is now stable at a 6.5). My urinary tract infections cleared up, my acne cleared up, my heart burn cleared up. I am completely shocked and grateful that I ran across this home remedy.
Michelle (Gladwin, MI) on 08/16/2007:

I had been suffering from reoccurring urinary tract infections, and reading a lot about ph levels in the body. I found out by using ph strips that my body was at a 4.0 on the ph scale. I started taking the apple cider vinegar to change my ph (which is now stable at a 6.5). My urinary tract infections cleared up, my acne cleared up, my heart burn cleared up. I am completely shocked and grateful that I ran across this home remedy.
Linda (Hollister, CA) on 05/27/2007:

I read this site and I'm so glad I did. For a week I have had the sensation of needing to urinate, going often with very little output. I first got the cranberry juice which has worked in the past but didn't seem to this time. Last night I took a soup spoon and a half of vinegar by mouth and within an hour or so, no sensation like I'd had before! Thanks guys, very much! I also must say that I had no stomach pain or back pain or anything else associated with this, it was just the sensation which is very unsettling. I love asparagus, so I will try that remedy or maybe just eat them anyway----you know for extra insurance!
teechie (mansfield, ohio) on 05/02/2007:

Last year i got my first bladder infection with antibiotic to treat it. But after 1 month it came back, again i got rid of it by pills from the doctor. During the process i told a friend about my painful experience. She suggested a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar every night before bedtime. Since then ive had no more bladder infections! Recently it came back due to not urinating before or after having intercourse. so as long as you do that, and take the ACV, no more painful bladder infections!
Anoo (Burlington, Canada) on 04/13/2007:

I had my first bladder infecton today-sex related. I have gone from the extreme urge to urinate without having to, crawled up in fetal position to avoid pain, and extreme pain when urinating but not actually needing to. I drank alost 2 L of cran juice without need to urinate. Have been drinking 4 TBS of Apple Cider vinegar ever hour or so in a dash o f water, a full dropper of Oil of oregano every hour or so. I went from fetal position of urination urge and lv 18 of 1-10 of after void pain to lv 2 with constant apple cider vinegar, oil of oregano, and a urinary tract combo with d-mannose in a span of 8 hours.
Mary (Nevada City, CA) on 02/06/2007:

I had great luck last year with d-mannose - and when I told my friends about it, they tried it too - ext me they needed it. They were also amazed at how quickly it worked. But I gave so much away that I didn't have any left when I felt a UTI coming on today. Normally these haven't reversed themselves and I was concerned - so I came back to your site wondering about ACV for a UTI. I have had a few doses today (2 TBL in water) and I think the problem is almost completely gone!
Michelle (Kanab, Utah) on 01/30/2007:

I had a kidney stone and was having a hard time passing it. I started taking apple vinegar cider in red raspberry tea after the second cup almost all my pain was gone. It also helps clear up blatter infections.
Anonymous (USA) on 10/07/2006:

Organic Apple Cider vinegar, with the "mother" (the floating pulp) in the bottle, for a urinary tract infection. Two tablespoons to eight ounces of distilled water. Drink at least four times a day, but more if possible. Also, for a really sever UTI, try four tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar to sixteen ounces of distilled water. It cured my UTI last year, in less than one day. I felt relief almost instantly. I just got another UTI this past week, and the Apple Cider Vinegar worked again.