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 Sharon (British Columbia)
★★★★★
In the mid to late 1980's I was working in an Extended Care Unit in a hospital, working as a Care Aide. All through out this time I had been seeing my doctor because of constant pain due to arthritis. My back and knees hurt so bad sometimes it was near unbearable. My knees were so bad I could not touch a knee cap with a finger it hurt so bad. X-rays were taken of my knees, showing spurs under the knee cap itself. X-Rays also take of the small of my back, the doctor said he'd never seen arthritis so bad in someone so young, that everything was becoming one, even my fingers were beginning to twist. He tried me on different arthritis pills to see which would work the best, one finally JUST eased the pain slightly. Now working in the hospital that your doctor works is not to good at times. I was attempting to kneel down and had a extremely hard time of it trying to stay more on my side and very hard time trying to stand; my doctor happened to be on the floor at that time and saw this, told me to make an appointment to see him, he then told me I would have to find other work because I couldn't live like this. The pills the doctor had me on cost $60 a month. He said I would have to take them the rest of my life. At home I thought of this, then remembered something my chiropractor told me, take 2 teaspoons acv, 2 teaspoons of honey in water, adjust to taste. One day (no longer working at the hospital) I ran out of pills, out of money, then remembered what my chiropractor said. I thought there would be a transition period for the acv to work, I was preparing myself for a whole lot of unbearable pain. I started the drink that night and every night for 1 week. Besides flushing my kidneys out, there was NO transition at all. There was no pain, absolutely nothing...and still there is no pain. So I followed my chiropractors instructions because obviously he knew what he was talking about. I then stopped taking it. I found I would get cravings for it, so I took this as my body telling me it needed it. To this day I had not taken any pills from the doctor for arthritis. It has now been 16 years. If you read the instructions how to clean a drip coffee machine, it says to use vinegar. Vinegar dissolved calcium build in the machine and I've found it dissolved the build up in my body. I am back taking acv, this time daily...do not plan on stopping this time. This really is a miracle for me and do advise people to try it, it really does work, besides what have you got to lose other than pain, and you can't beat the cost. It won't hurt and anything as far as I'm concerned is better than taking pills from doctors who treat symptoms...not cure.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Eileen (Boston, MA) on 02/15/2007
★★★★★
I have RA and have kept it at bay very successfully for 20 years primarily with an ACV and honey drink (water, 1 tbls acv, 1 tbls honey). I also avoid my trigger foods (for me are Citric acid and red meat) but if I feel any achiness at all coming on its back to my ACV and honey drink for a few days and I am good.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Rhonda (Elizabeth City, North Carolina) on 03/11/2007
★★★★★
I read the articles on this site and started using acv with water. Right away the pain of arthritis went away! I had not been able to work, play or much of anything in over a year. I was getting worse by the day. I had not had a pain free day in over a year! After only one day, it eased up. After 3 days my pain was gone completely!!! I'm not joking here. Those of us with RA know how bad the pain is. I had to stop taking Celebrex because of stomach problems caused by the meds. Now my skin is smoother, I have TONS of energy (not hyper), and just feel better over all. I'm trying to get hubby to give it a try since he has acid reflux and a fuzzy-headed feeling for 6 months now. I'll get him to try it eventually! He's amazed at my lack of pain now. Thank you all so much for posting your findings, it's given me my old self back and I've missed it!
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Marra (Olympia, wa) on 03/17/2007
★★★★★
Well, this is my 4th day using vinegar in hopes of helping my arthritis. Wrote in last week saying I'd let you know how its going. I stand truly amazed. I don't even recognize my body. The aches thus far, are 99% gone. I literally can jump up out of a chair. What an absolute miracle. I am speechless. As for weight? Yes! I've noticed a bit of a change already. Will let you know more.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Pamela (Richmond, VA) on 04/15/2007
★★★★★
I just wanted to say I am truly amazed how ACV works for arthritis. I have little to no joint pain, since I have started taken the ACV cocktail, for two months now. I took pain medicine for years, with not half the benefit of ACV. Thanks so much for your site. It is a blessing. 1/4 cup acv 2oz of cranberry juice 8oz water. Two times a day.If it is to tart add some honey or apple juice it really is refreshing to drink. It really works...Good luck..
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Patricia (Welch, WV) on 04/20/2007
★★★★★
I used to drink acv & honey 2 x a day and for some reason stopped. Started noticing a lot of pain in both elbows. Dr. said it was arthritis. Told me to stop lifting weights. I didn't completely stop, but did slow down. Started drinking the acv & honey 2 x a day again, for allergies. While looking at your website, it occured to me that I have not been having pain while lifting weights, even though I had increased the weight amount. I used to not be able to touch the bones on the sides of either elbow without it hurting...I just touched them and there is NO PAIN!! I really hadn't thought about the difference until I was reading your website. ACV & honey will be taken EVERY DAY...TWICE A DAY. Two capfuls of acv & 9 squirts of honey/2 tablespoons full. This stuff REALLY, REALLY, WORKS!!!
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Dawn (Lebanon, INDIANA) on 05/12/2007
★★★★★
I have been suffering from partial bowel obstruction from adhesions due to a liposuction that went bad back in the 90's. I have suffered from severe pain, nausea and hemerroids due to the inability to fully cleanse myself out because of the blockage. This has been on going for the past 5 years. I would have an "episode" at least once a week, sometimes 2 and 3 times a week. The pain was unbearable and would literally take my breath away. Since I started taking one shot of ACV daily I have yet to have an "episode". I now have the best movements in years! I am completely amazed! Also, I suffer or should I say used to suffer from arthritis in my hips. I have absolutely no pain at all now and I know it is from the ACV because I haven't done anything else to remedy. I wish someone would have told me about this a long time ago. It is the simpliest thing in the world to do and it is all natural! God Bless Apple Cider Vinegar! If you haven't tried it, YOU SHOULD! Also, my complexion is glowing!
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Hugh (London, UK) on 05/28/2007
★★★★★
I read about the properties of Cider Vinegar about 6 wks ago. I have Crohn's and after coming off an immunosuppressant some 18 months ago I developped a not uncommon side effect of Crohn's, flitting arthritis, quite intense, moving from joint to joint, generally in the wrists/hands, sometimes the feet, on a daily basis. I tried cider vinegar and after a few days I was virtually pain free for about a week, and then messed up the quantity required, and it came back. I have found that about 2 tbspns a day, spread through the day (with a slice of lemon and tspn of honey, generally 1 tbsn with a pint of hot water is a refreshing drink in the afternoon) and after a couple of days I was almost pain free (a vague awareness, not pain, of certain joints) and that has gone on now for over a week. I take 1 tspn in the morning with some lime juice and again 2 more lots of the same in the evening and just before bed
It also appears to be beneficial for the Crohn's, product/leaking.
Below that, even 1 tspn, the arthritis makes its presence felt, but much less so.
I have concerns about the acidity and the long term effect on teeth, so I am now trying it with some bicarb. I will report back.
Unfortunately it did not work on a wart on my finger, but then that has been resisting everything (surgery, freezing, caustic pencil, salicylic acid (3 yrs) duct tape) for the last 15 years.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Earl (Sydney, Canada) on 06/28/2007
★★★★★
I had joint pain continually in my thumbs... could hardly grip anything... tried ACV..able to use my thumbs again the NEXT DAY... 95% pain gone. I mixed it with orange juice and drank quickly... ran out of orange juice. only juice on hand was Friut Solutions... taste a lot better and easier to get down
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Shirley (Missouri) on 08/25/2007
★★★★★
On the latest post dated 8/23/2007 by Crystal who has severe RA at such a young age. I am sure Ted will have some good remedies for her, but in the meantime, I would like to tell her my story.
I am 64 years old. About 4 years ago my arthritis got so bad, it was difficult for me to walk to the mailbox and back and when going up stairs, I would have to take one step at a time. By that I mean, get one foot on a step and bring the other to that step and so on. I had to go down them the same way and be very careful to always hold onto the banister. My knees and hips were very painful all the time. I read in a book I had about taking organic apple cider vinegar, honey and water for different health reasons. Not sure what I decided to take it for now, but it wasn't for the arthritis.
Anyway I did begin to take the ACV everyday. I took it twice a day. One day I came to the stairs and walked right up them without any problems. I didn't think anything about it until I got to the top. Then I thought about what I just did. I couldn't believe I did that without any pain or effort. From then on, I have been walking stairs and taking long walks without pain. I mean NO pain. I do know it was the ACV drink because for one thing it was the only thing I was doing different at the time. Then I didn't take the drink for a few weeks. I guess I got lazy. The pain started to come back so I started back on it and the pain stopped immediately Now I take it for about a week and off 2 weeks or more but I don't have to take it constantly and that's working out for me. You have to use organic apple cider vinegar not the distilled. It should be 2 tablespoons ACV with the baking soda (so the vinegar won't harm the teeth) plus 1 tablespoon raw honey in a glass of water. I think in my case the pain went away so slowly, I hadn't noticed the change until that day I climbed those stairs. Crystal, please don't give up. It may take a while but I believe it will work for you too.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Roswita (Seminole, Fl) on 10/10/2007
★★★★★
I strongly urge you to buy only the Organic, raw, unfiltered ACV, without preservatives. I am a 62 year old woman who suffers from arthritis and acid reflux. Every morning I mix 1 tbls ACV with 1 tbls raw honey in a 16 oz glass of lukewarm filtered water. I do the same thing at night time. Only I mix it in 6 to 8 oz water. Otherwise I would be up all night. My arthritis pain has gone away and I no longer suffer from acid reflux.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Sandra (Guelph, Ontario, Canada) on 12/07/2007
★★★★★
ACV is a miracle, have stopped taking medication for nerve pain in legs, and for acid reflux. Arthritis is not a problem anymore, and have lost 25 lbs in 8 week. I feel 20 years younger, and will be on ACV for the rest of my life.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Sue (Vancouver, Canada) on 02/07/2008
★★★★★
Apple Cider Vinegar is the best thing that works for my fathers arthritis. When it gets so painful on his hands and arms he soaks a cloth or hand towel with apple cider vinegar (and wrings it out so that is is not dripping). He then wraps it around his hand and arm and puts a plastic bag over it (because the smell is so strong and also so that it keeps the cloth in tact, and keeps the vinegar of of contact with anything). He leaves this on for about 1/2 hour a few times a day. This really helps reduce the pain and it also gets his hands and fingers mobile again. He does reuse the same saturated cloth several times so he does not need to use so much acv. The other thing that helps him reduce his pain quickly is he heats them up by his wood stove. Out of many things he has tried these are the ones that work for him the best. So good luck. Let others know if this worked for you too. Thanks Ted and everyone else for all the great info.