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.
Bladder Infection Causes
Posted by Suzi (Lolo, Montana) on 06/09/2008
Bladder Infections---for Ladies Only:
My very first infection occured on my honeymoon in 1975! The doctor seemed to be condesending and diagnosed "honeymoon cystitis". I was frightened and miserable. The antibiotics did the trick. 30 years later and quite literally, 17 trips to the emergency roomlater, plus at least 3 courses of meds a year(do the math)...I have been UTI free for over a YEAR!!! I continue to be sexually active with my husband and this is the not so simple "light bulb moment for me"!!!
Last year when my husband was gone for 3 months, I felt an infection coming on and was dazed and confused since it had been MANY months since we were intimate. The only thing I could detect that I was doing different was taking over- the counter sleeping medication(Unisom) for sleeplessness! So while the infection was clearing up I started to connect every single episode of UTI's to those darn sleeping pills.
When we would go on vacation----pills, camping--pills, honeymoon---pills, insomnia---pills! FOR THIRTY YEARS! I have had NO infections now since early 2007 and nothing has changed in the intimacy department. In fact just the freedom alone has increased our frequency! It boggles my mind to think about all the damaging courses of differnt antibiotics that my body has endured. So young or old, if you are dealing with cystitis, and use Unisom, or Compoz, or any of those sleeping pills at the drug store, etc....you may very well have the connection that I do. Just what it is in the sleeping pills that triggers bladder infections I don't know---------but I'm positive they are the culprit!
Cranberry
Posted by Bret (Phoenix, Arizona) on 06/05/2008
Cranberry juice is not an antibiotic. It acidifies the urine which inhibits ecoli. Also, studies did show that e-coli bacteria cling to the sides of the bladder. Cranberry juice removes this adhesive property and the bacteria are more easily flushed away. Also, if you are drinking Ocean Spray or a Juice Cocktail, you are drinking very diluted stuff that is high in sugar. Frozen concentrate is your best bet, Cranberry tabs also are a great idea. I use these in my elderly patients who are incontinent and get frequestn UTI's. Cranberry is more preventative than curative. Bret
Cranberry
Posted by Tara (Jenkintown, PA) on 06/04/2008
★☆☆☆☆
I drank cranberry juice for weeks, and still wound up with a serious kidney infection. I guess it doesn't help everyone.
Apple Cider Vinegar and Baking Soda
Posted by John (Medford, Oregon) on 05/28/2008
★★★★★
Since birth I have been a medical case that doctors have now concluded that they don't know what to do with me thus being handed around in an effort to get rid of me. In the end all that is prescribed are drugs that leave you in a state of lifelong vegetation and perhaps enough chemicals to embalm. It is ever more clear that a patient must conduct their own unbound exhaustive study. The amount of available and changing research is so infinite that I have been updating my personal doctor, who has no ability to focus on just one patient.
Yet after years of study I fell on this most simple remedy:
ACV and Baking Soda.
Bladder infection is an unmistakable experience that needs little diagnosis that you get slammed with.
Mixing ACV and BS is best not taken individually. You've seen those elementary classroom demonstrations of a volcano?
Anyways, every few hours I had a glass of the nasty stuff along with water...And, no week-long side effects requiring unproductive hours on the couch! Within 12 hours I was cured. All Gone!!
Baking Soda
Posted by Laura (Ottawa, Canada) on 05/26/2008
★★★☆☆WORKED TEMPORARILY
I drank 1 teaspoon of baking soda in a tall glass of water, and it did seem to help my bladder infection a bit, but not enough to prevent me from having to go to the doctor two hours later.
White Vinegar
Posted by Laura (Ottawa, Canada) on 05/26/2008
★☆☆☆☆
I tried white vinegar and water for my bladder infection, and it did not work at all. I put 2-3 tablespoons in a tall glass of water, then drank another glass of just water immediately afterwards. Maybe the infection was already too far along for the vinegar to be effective, but I just ended up with a sore throat and a vinegar taste in my mouth while I was sitting in the emergency room of the hospital at 1:00 am that morning.
Apple Cider Vinegar and Baking Soda
Posted by Betsy (Capetown, South Africa) on 05/20/2008
★★★★★
apple cider vinegar and bladder infections:
30 years of infections off and on, been on antibiotics so long that I can't have much immune system left. urologist doesn't know. I have had 10 bladder stretches, have to cath rise every time as bladder does not want to empty properly any more, was ready to have my bladder diverted as quality of life is just horrible. tried all kinds of remedies over the years but nothing helps had a full blown infection continiously until I found your site i tried apple cider vinegar with bicarb [baking soda] . i take it 4 x a day and i have been clear for the first time since the beg of 2007 i have been antibiot and it is now a 8 days later i test my urine 2 a day and i am completely clear it is unbelieveble I am exstatic i am so pleased I found your site .thank u thank u thank u !!!!!!!!!!!!!
regards Betsy
Cranberry
Posted by Peggy (Erwin, Tennessee) on 05/14/2008
★★★★★
I don't get UTIs often but when I do I use cranberry juice. I drink at least 64 ounces a day until the infection is gone. It usually only lasts 2 days. 100% Pure cranberry juice is somewhat hard to find in my area but cranberry juice cocktail seems to work too. If you have UTIs often drinking a glass a day helps keep it in check.
Sea Salt
Posted by Anonymous (Spokane, Washington) on 05/05/2008
★★★★★
A while ago I had a bladder or urinary tract infection. (I am unsure because I didn't go to a doctor.) There wasn't much pain except for when I was done urinating. It seemed like my body was trying to push more out than it had. During this time I always had the strong urge that I needed to urinate. When I'd go it be a very small amount of urine. This had went on for a little more than a week when I then noticed blood when I wiped. Knowing that that was a very bad sign it was either a trip to the doctors or search the internet. I came across the remedy of drinking Sea Salt. That night I drank a teaspoon of Sea Salt in water. About an hour after doing so it felt as if my body was trying to cleanse itself. It gave me a loose stool and urinating felt the same. I decided to wait a couple of days before attempting either more sea salt or if it had gotten worse to go to the doctor. A couple days later I was fine. No more discomfort or blood in my urine. A teaspoon of Sea Salt in warm water did help a lot. I would recommend trying it.
Sea Salt, Baking Soda and Cranberry Pills
Posted by A (Dallas, Texas) on 04/22/2008
★★★★☆
Woke up this morning with a wicked bladder infection. I haven't had one of those in years. I know what caused it though, unfortunately it was intercourse and not peeing immediately afterwards. I am religous about peeing after intercourse. Why I didn't do it this time I will never know. But I am paying for it. Love your site. I tried the 1 tsp. sea salt in a glass of water, along with concentrated cranberry juice throughout the day. Also added magnesium and zinc tablets. I am hoping this will work fast. I don't want antibiotics. If this fails I will next try to oregano oil and D mannose.
Alkaline Diet
Posted by Jess (Riverside, NJ) on 04/09/2008
★★★★★
I've had a reoccuring bladder "infection" for a month. My tests came out negative for an infection and show to be yeast related. I suffer from chronic candidiasis with systemic symptoms. My pain is fine during the day but in my sleep my body goes acidic very quickly and I painfully wake at least 2x per night to pee. The things I find most helpful for pain releif are listed below...
Eat lots of Celery and cucumbers! Very alkaline, and helps releive pain w/in 20minutes. Drink lots of water to flush out your system. Eat all vegetables (be creative, yes asparagus helps too) with no meat proteins and use generous amounts of ACV along with EV olive oil or my choice, capryol (coconut oil). Oil of oregano helps a bit if you can stomach the awful taste. Oh yeah, NO SUGAR, carbs, or Dairy. Get unsweetend cranberry juice concentrate & mix a small amount with a glass of water, not the store brand juice.
Try replacing milk with Almond milk and a tiny bit of Stevia sweetener with some cinnammon...mmm.
Alkaline diets will help with the pain and if your problem is related to yeast, it helps prevent an overgrowth of the fungus. There are plenty of websites with lists of alkaline/acidic foods. Check em out.
Hope this helps!
Blueberries
Posted by Kim (East Alton, IL) on 04/23/2007
★★★★★
I have tried Azo, lemon, cranberry, and alka seltzer all as natural remedies for my uti's. Blueberries seem to work best for me. I have had them since childhood and fought one off recently by blueberries and water, water, water.
Uva Ursi
Posted by Chamain (New Orleans, LA) on 03/04/2007
★★★★★
I used to get at least 2 bladder infections per year, and the only cure was taking antibiotics. (I had tried cranberry juice and ever other nature "cure"). I discovered uva ursi while at Whole Foods and tried it. Oh my goodness!! It's been 10 years and no bladder infection---that means no antibiotics for 10 years now! The minute I feel an infection coming on, I go for the uva ursi and it goes away!
Marshmallow Root Extract
Posted by Mary (Rural Iowa) on 01/24/2007
★★★★★
Marshmallow Root extract (liquid in dropper bottle). I suffered from these infections for years. Antibiotics didn't work anymore. Tried many of the cures here but nothing worked. Read about Marshmallow Root so tried it and never got another. Haven't in 20 years since. It slimes the urinary tract so the bacteria can't get a grip and slide off. No bacteria, no infection.
Sea Salt
Posted by Rachel (Aztec, NM) on 01/11/2007
★★★★☆
I got a UTI about a week ago. Slugged down 2 tbs of sea salt in 8oz water. Gosh, that was rough! I felt no more pain in my bladder, but had been drinking cranberry juice all morning. I was symptom free for about a week. It came back today, I drank only 1 tbs sea salt this time, and it didn't touch the pain. It cleaned out my bowels, which helped with the overall bloated feeling I also suffered. Now I'm trying Apple Cider vinegar. It's helped with the pain, although not completely. And it tastes way way better
Colloidal Silver
Posted by Trudy (Netherlands) on 10/09/2006
★★★★★
I tried everything for bladder disease. The regular doctor prescribed Nitrofurantoin... so bad.. it causes even bladder disease... so I became very very ill ONLY COLLOIDAL SILVERWATER was THE REMEDY( for E-coli). Bladder disease was gone. Afterwords I took DMannose...very good..no pain anymore...also good for interstitial cystitis...really true. I have to tell this for the doctor did not know that Nitrofurantoin causes bladder disease. read: Natural Medicine Encyclopedia C.Norman Shealy.
Watermelon Seed Tea
Posted by Susanne (Lake Ridge, VA) on 09/20/2006
★★★★★
The moment I feel a bladder infection coming on, I mix up a batch of watermelon seed tea. It's an Edgar Cayce cure I've been using with great success for the last few years. AMAZING STUFF! Within a day or two the infection is completely gone! I've tried numerous other natural remedies with little success. Cranberry juice, canned asparagus, Alka-Seltzer, etc., only gave me minimal relief. It has also worked for my son's girlfriend. She has no insurance, so it's a miracle for her. The only place I've been able to find it is at the Heritage Store in Virginia Beach. You can order it online and it's not expensive. It's a very simple remedy and really worth a try! Hope it works for you too!
P.S. The therapeutic dose is 1 tablespoon per 2 cups of boiling water. Just drink it until the symptoms subside and repeat as necessary.
