Have you ever wondered How to Get Rid of Bladder Infections Naturally? Well, I'm here to tell you there is are easy and effective natural remedies that do not involve antibiotics. My experience has been to get rid of a UTI in 24 hours and the pain of a UTI within 6 hours!
Talk about the pits! Yes, a bladder infection is the pits!
If you have ever had one, you know exactly what I mean - burning, pain and the feeling that your insides are gonna fall out when you "go", "potty", "tinkle" or whatever term you use!
I haven't had too many bladder infections but I did have one recently and my stand-by remedy, drinking cranberry juice, did not work!
Of course, it happened on a weekend which turned out to be a blessing because had I been able, I would have gone to the doctor!
Instead, I found out how to get rid of bladder infections naturally, a natural solution for bladder infections that worked like a charm!
Just to cover myself, I am sharing what has worked for me and am not giving medical advice. I am not a doctor but I do prefer to treat with natural remedies if possible and I love sharing what has worked for me.
Here is some trivia for you:
Did you know that bladder infections are more common in women than men?
The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases estimates 40 to 60 percent of women will have at least one UTI in their lifetime.
This maybe due to the short urethra in women. The urethra is the tube that is about 1 ½ inches long and carries the urine out of the body.
The urethra's short length makes it easy for bacteria to travel from outside the body to the bladder.
Urinary Tract Infection Symptoms - What is a Bladder Infection?
Before I tell you how to get rid of bladder infections naturally, let's look at what a bladder infection is.
Urinary Tract Infection or UTI is an infection affecting the urinary tract. (NIH)
If the infection occurs in the lower part of the urinary tract it is called cystitis or a bladder infection.
Occurring in the upper part of the urinary tract, it is called pyelonephritis or a kidney infection.
If a bladder infection is left untreated, it can travel up the ureters and into the kidneys. This is a serious condition and medical help should be sought at once.
So, early detection is key to getting rid of a bladder infection naturally.
It is important to treat early and distinguish between an upper and lower urinary tract infection.
So, what is the difference?
Signs and Symptoms of a Bladder Infection
- Painful urination
- Burning upon urination
- Frequent urination
- The feeling of urgency and need to urinate but unable to
- Cloudy or bloody urine
- Low grade fever
- Sources include Healthline, MayoClinic, WebMD
Signs and Symptoms of a Kidney Infection
- All of the above
- Fever above 101F
- Chills
- Pain in the side, back or groin
- Fatigue
- Nausea and vomiting
- Confusion or mental changes (especially in the elderly)
- Sources include NIH, WebMD, Health24
Causes of Bladder Infections
- Most bladder infections are caused by bacteria entering the urethra and travelling into the bladder.
- The bacteria Escherichia coli (E. Coli) is responsible for most bladder infections. Although harmless where it normally resides in the small intestine, E. Coli becomes a problem when it spreads to the urinary tract.
- After menopause, women have an increased risk of bladder infections. This may be due to a decrease in estrogen, which may result in a reduction of the number of beneficial bacteria in the vagina that help keep harmful bacteria in check.
- The bladder also becomes less elastic with age and may not completely empty - this allows for bacterial growth.
- Antibiotics eliminate the beneficial bacteria and allow an overgrowth of E. Coli in the vagina increasing the risk of bladder infections.
- Coffee and other caffeinated beverages in large quantities irritate the urinary tract and promote bladder infections.
- Pregnancy - up to 10% of pregnant women have bacteria in their urine which increases the chance of a bladder infection.
- Sources: Healthline, MayoClinic, Medical News Today
How to Get Rid of Bladder Infections Naturally
Cranberry Juice:
My go-to natural cure for bladder infections has always been to drink a bottle of cranberry juice throughout the day - at least one glass every hour and more if I could.
Until my last bladder infection, this had always worked.
Cranberry juice contains compounds that may prevent E. coli cells from attaching to cells in the urinary tract. (NCBI)
Cranberry juice also contains antioxidants, including polyphenols, which have antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. (MedicalNewsToday)
Healthline in an overview of natural remedies for bladder infections references a study in JamaNetwork which concludes:
Conclusions Our findings indicate that cranberry-containing products are associated with protective effect against UTIs.
I tried the cranberry capsules but they did not work as well as just drinking the cranberry juice.
Apple Cider Vinegar for UTI
But, then I tried raw apple cider vinegar.
With my last bladder infection, however, cranberry juice did not work so, I tried apple cider vinegar.
I drank 2 tablespoon (more if I felt that I could stomach it) of raw apple cider vinegar in an 8 oz. glass of water every hour.
The results were amazing!
Getting Rid of UTI in 24 Hours!
After the first hour, I had no more pain when I urinated (pottyed, peed...) but I continued drinking throughout the afternoon.
The next day, I drank the same mixture (2 tablespoon raw apple cider vinegar in water) three times - morning, noon, night.
The third day, I drank the mixture in the morning and at night. And that was it! How easy can it get?
It is important to use raw apple cider vinegar (affiliate link).
According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI):
Apple cider vinegar has been shown to have antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans
How to Get Rid of Bladder Infections Naturally Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon raw apple cider vinegar
- 8 oz water
- Optional - honey to taste
Directions
Mix the apple cider vinegar and water and drink it all following the notes below.
- Day 1: Mix 2 tablespoon of raw apple cider vinegar in 8oz of water and drink - each hour, repeat with another 2 tablespoon raw apple cider vinegar and water.
- Day 2: If symptoms have subsided - drink the above mixture three times during the day. If symptoms have not subsided - drink the above mixture each hour.
- Day 3: If no symptoms - drink the apple cider vinegar and water in the morning and again in the evening.
- If symptoms continue - seek medical attention.
- **Raw apple cider vinegar has many health benefits so if you can stomach swallowing more than 2 tablespoon the first day, by all means increase the dose but, 2 tablespoon worked for me.
What is Apple Cider Vinegar?
It's basically fermented apple juice, but not the sugary kind you see in cardboard boxes. This is the real stuff, fermented with all kind of healthy bacteria.
The raw apple cider vinegar has the "mother" in it and you will see the sediment in the bottom of the jar. This is the healthy bacteria that can help your body, which is responsible for its health benefits. Don't get any apple cider vinegar that doesn't contain it!
Again, it is Important to Catch a Bladder Infection Early.
According to Medical News Today,
By some estimates, 25–42 percent of uncomplicated UTI infections clear on their own. In these cases, people can try a range of home remedies to speed up recovery.
Although the incidence is low, if left untreated a bladder infection can travel up into the kidneys.
So, if I were still having symptoms after a couple of days of treatment with raw apple cider vinegar, I would go to the doctor for medical help.
Up this point, the apple cider vinegar treatment has worked and I have not needed to visit the doctor! I'm so glad to have found a natural solution to a natural problem!
What About Re-curring Bladder Infections?
This is a question I asked my urologist because while the apple cider vinegar works like a charm, I would rather not go through the pain of having an infection at all!
My urologist told me that to help keep UTI’s away (especially in people that have them frequently) is to have a glass of lemonade made with fresh lemon juice - twice a week each week at the same time. They should be space out as evenly during the week as possible.
The juice for the lemonade can be from a fresh lemon or even the green bottle of real lemon juice. He said that many of his patients just go to Chick-fil-A twice a week and get their lemonade since it is made with real lemon juice.
And, it should be completely consumed within an hour.
It is important to get rid of the infection which is what the apple cider vinegar can do and the lemonade changes the pH of the bladder enough so the bacteria is unable to live.
What's your favorite natural solution? Did this one work for you? Tell me all about it in the comments!
Aj says
Apple Cider Vinegar is great for many things, not only bladder infections but colds, flu's, constipation, joint pain, heartburn, yeast infections, weight loss Ect. My mom has taught me this at a young age so it's saved me from many doctor visits. I also do essential oils for many things as well! Being NATURAL is a LIFE SAVER! ???❣Love it!
Dina-Marie says
AJ, I totally agree! I take it every morning in my first glass of water in the form of Master Tonic and other family members have gotten sick when I didn't!
Aj says
Yep! My mom took it everyday as well and she didn't get sick for over 6 years.
Dina-Marie says
Aj, wow, what a testimony! Thanks for sharing!
Christine says
What is master tonic?
Dina-Marie says
Christine, you can read more in the Master Tonic post about the health benefits. Basically, it is raw apple cider vinegar with white onions, jalapenos, ginger root, and horseradish root.
bellew says
a question for you, I drank apple cider vinegar, and afterwards it burned during urination, before no problems, do you think that this aggravated a small infection that I didn't know was there?
Dina-Marie says
Bellew, I have never had that happen so I'm not sure. I take 3 Tbsp of master tonic (which is an apple cider base) in my first glass of water each morning. Are you having symptoms of a bladder infection?master tonic
Shiloh says
For the woman with three year old children (now perhaps 4) bubble baths can give little girls Urinary Tract Infections if they are girls and too, wiping bacteria from the back to the front when taking a bowel movement can cause them in a little girl. For the woman who thought the cider vinegar tastes bad, put plain-natural Stevia sweetener in the apple cider water mix and it then becomes almost good tasting. Braggs, organic, unfiltered, raw, apple cider vinegar with the mother in it (the cloudiness at the bottom) is found in most grocery stores but often not right next to other vinegar's. You many have to ask where it is in the store.
Dina-Marie says
Shiloh, thank you for taking the time to comment. I totally agree with you and you brought out some good points.
Pat says
I use emerg-c orange flavor mixed with my acv every morning and is super tasteful!! It worked wonders on the flavor!!!
Dina-Marie says
Thanks, Pat, that's good to know!
Tina R Stephens says
Vitamin c is another good remedy for uti. So mixing the two is probably a great idea.
Dina-Marie says
Thanks for the suggestion, Tina!
Eleanor says
Can I take ACV every hour & Wild Oil of Oregano every 2 hours? I have taken Wild Oil of Oregano in the past for bladder infections but this time is has taken it down but not away.
Dina-Marie says
Eleanor, I have take ACV every hour before without any problems. Two other essential oils that are great at supporting the urinary system are On Guard (the Protective Blend) and Lemongrass. I rub a drop of each on my lower abdomen when needed. Be sure that you are using pure and potent oils. I hope this helps but if you are still having problems, I would definitely see a doctor.
Jude says
Thank you for the helpful information. This is the 2nd day and I Am feeling much better,but I will continue the therapy .
If the infection has gone into the kidneys how can one tell ,
and will the ACV treatment cure that also ?
Dina-Marie says
Jude, I am glad you are feeling better. If you had a kidney infection you normally have fever and pain in the back where the kidneys are - it feels like a lower back ache but is worse if you jump up and down.
Nicole says
I have mine in my kidneys now
And I was just released from a doc visit a few days they have me on OxyContin which is so strong and zombie fies me .
Also antibiotics
Can I used the acv to heal as well
I really don't like the oxy
Dina-Marie says
Nicole, OxyContin contains oxycodone which is an opiods and is an effective pain killer. I really cannot give medical advise but I can share what I would do. If it were me, I would add the ACV but would also continue the antibiotics - a kidney infection is nothing to play around with.
Jes says
Hey! I've always used apple cider vinegar for my bladder infections or yeast infections.
Such a great remedy to many illnesses.
I'm currently doing an acv/water/cranberry and lemon mix for my bladder infection. That's also a really good detox mix too if no one knew :)
Dina-Marie says
Jes, thanks for letting us know!
Kas says
Everyone's talking about the benefits but i for one wouldn't be keen to give acv to a child. Even drinking it with water myself i can feel it burning in my esophagus. To put it in perspective, I've used acv to erode my super rusted and salted zippers of outdoor sports gear, just a drop works. So i understand the health benefits too but you need to address the dangers. Extended use can cause ulcers or worse. How do you get around this? Drink tons of water all the time with it? It still burns for me.
Lou says
ACV and stomach acid have around the same pH of 2.0-3.0. So, the acidity shouldn't affect a healthy digestive system, because the stomach is supposed to have a low pH. Of course, the low pH may irritate your esophagus, so diluting it may resolve this issue.
sherry says
I have a really stupid question, I am using Braggs apple cider vinegar, it also has the mother in it. Should you shake it, before you drink it?
I am having a very bad UTI, and went to the doctor, she gave me a antibiotic, and so far it's not helping at all. So, I am going to try your method. thanks
Dina-Marie says
Sherry, yes, you should shake it before pouring to mix up the mother.
Stefanie says
For antibiotic resistant infections or alternatives, you may want to also look at natural antibiotics like juniper berry tincture, and cryptolepis, both of which work well and can always be combined with biden, goldenrod, and dandelion. You can learn more about natural and very effective antibiotics and antivirals from book written by Stephen Buhner. Hope this helps you all.
Dina-Marie says
Stefanie, thank you for the info.
Cindy says
Hi, in case you haven't tried it in the past, you can use drinking vinegar. It is also raw ACV but flavored and isn't only beneficial but downright delicious! The best brand that I know of is McClary Bros. Our Whole Foods also carries it.
rusudan says
Could it have side effects drinking so much vinegar?
Dina-Marie says
Rusudan, raw apple cider has many health benefits (which you can Google if interested) and it is only 2 Tbsp each time.
Rae says
I had several bladder infections which then led to inner cystitis cystitis. The only symptom I have left is severe over active bladder. Anything you can recommend for this. It's every five minutes sometimes
Dina-Marie says
Rae, I know how you feel and my husband was just encouraging me to write about aloe vera. I too was just diagnosed with interstitial cystitis and my urologist who is natural minded recommended taking aloe vera morning and night. I have the gel that I use but you can also use capsules. It coats and soothes the lining of the bladder and has made a huge difference for me - I hope it helps you!
Celestina H. Yanez says
Thank you so much for the remedy.
Thanks.