Apple Cider Vinegar Bath May Help Treat Pain Naturally

April 11, 2022 • By Camila Thomas

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apple cider vinegar bath

Apple cider vinegar has been used as a traditional remedy for treating various conditions for thousands of years due to the different health benefits it offers. Apple cider vinegar has shown itself effective in promoting weight loss, killing harmful bacteria, and treating diabetes.

Thanks to its antibacterial and antimicrobial properties, apple cider vinegar has also been shown to help treat skin conditions, such as eczema and dry skin. So, taking an apple cider vinegar bath may help balance the pH of your skin, thereby helping it preserve moisture and protecting it from irritants.

Adding apple cider vinegar to your bath is believed to offer a variety of health benefits, although there are no specific studies that confirm this. So, the question is: Is taking an apple cider vinegar bath good for your health? Read on to find out the answer.

Potential Health Benefits Of Apple Cider Vinegar Bath

1. It May Help Treat Atopic Dermatitis

The skin has an acidic barrier that protects it from irritants. When it becomes less acidic, its function is disrupted. This prevents it from preserving moisture, which causes the skin to dry out and inflame.

One study has indicated that those who have atopic dermatitis have a higher pH of their skin, which means that their skin's protective barrier is less acidic. Since apple cider vinegar is mildly acidic, bathing in it may help restore the skin's pH balance (1).

2. It May Help Treat Athlete's Foot

An athlete's foot is a skin infection caused by fungi. Apple cider vinegar has been used as a folk remedy for treating nail fungus for a long time.

Although the effectiveness of apple cider vinegar in the treatment of athlete's foot has not been scientifically proven yet, one study has found that this vinegar has antifungal effects against Candida species (2).

3. It May Help Treat Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs)

A urinary tract infection is a common condition that occurs when bacteria enter and infect the urinary tract. Since apple cider vinegar possesses antibacterial and antimicrobial properties, it may help combat some bacterial infections. So, taking an apple cider vinegar bath could effectively treat UTIs.

However, it's worth mentioning that urinary tract infections usually affect the urethra and the bladder. So, since water doesn't enter these organs when you take a bath, drinking diluted apple cider vinegar sounds better than adding it to your bath.

Since urinary tract infections can lead to severe complications, it's important to consult your doctor prior to using apple cider vinegar as an additional therapy if you think you suffer from this condition.

4. It May Help Treat Dry Skin

As we already mentioned, when the barrier of the skin becomes less acidic, this prevents the skin from retaining moisture, which causes it to dry out.

One study has indicated that skin which has a pH value below 5, i.e. is acidic, is healthier than skin that has a pH value above 5 (3).

If you apply cosmetic products and shower, it will increase the pH value of the skin. So, adding apple cider vinegar to your bath could help the skin preserve its natural acidity, preventing it from drying out.

5. It May Help Treat Warts And Pimples

Thanks to its antibacterial and antifungal properties, apple cider vinegar has been used as a natural remedy for treating skin conditions, such as eczema, atopic dermatitis, and dry skin, including warts and pimples.

Since apple cider vinegar can help kill some bacteria, bathing in it may help prevent the formation of warts and pimples by killing the bacteria that cause them. However, this effect hasn't been scientifically proven yet.

6. It May Help Treat Joint Pain

Joint pain can be caused by various conditions. The pain usually occurs as a result of inflammation around the joints.

In Iran, apple cider vinegar has been used as an alternative natural remedy for relieving pain caused by arthritis for a long time. One study has shown that apple cider vinegar has a significant effect on controlling inflammation (4). So, adding this vinegar to your bath could potentially help alleviate joint pain.

7. It May Help Treat Dandruff

Malassezia is a type of fungus that lives on the skin's surface in humans. In some people, this fungus can cause dandruff.

Although the beneficial effect of apple cider vinegar on dandruff has not been scientifically proven yet, this vinegar possesses antifungal and antibacterial properties, which means that it may potentially help kill the fungi that cause dandruff. If your dandruff is mild, dilute half a cup of apple cider vinegar in 360 milliliters of cool water. Apply the solution to your scalp and hair after shampooing, and then rinse it out.

8. It Helps Fight Off Bacterial Vaginosis And Yeast Infection

These two conditions lead to an overgrowth of harmful bacteria, such as Candida, in the vagina.

One study, carried out outside the human body, indicated that apple cider vinegar had antimicrobial effects against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and the yeast Candida albicans. The vinegar was also shown to have greater antimicrobial activities against Candida when mixed 1:1 with water (5).

Moreover, one case report indicated that apple cider vinegar was highly effective in treating chronic vaginal candida infection in a 32-year-old woman (6).

9. It May Reduce Body Odor

When the beneficial bacteria, such as Staphylococcus aureus, living on your skin mix with sweat, this leads to body odor. Luckily, apple cider vinegar has been proven effective in fighting off this bacterium. So, adding vinegar to your bath may help destroy Staphylococcus aureus bacterium or other types of bacteria. Plus, it's a good substitute for deodorants.

How To Take An Apple Cider Vinegar Bath

Instructions:

  1. Clean and fill your tub with warm water.
  2. Pour 2 1/2 cups of apple cider vinegar and half a cup of Epsom salts into the water. You can also add essential oils, such as orange or lavender essential oil.
  3. Using a washcloth, mix all the ingredients well.
  4. Ease into the bath and stay in it for around 20 minutes. To make the atmosphere even more relaxing, you might want to listen to music or read a magazine.
  5. Rinse the apple cider vinegar and salts off.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Apple Cider Vinegar Bath Good For Eczema?

Different factors can cause the pH levels of the protective barrier of the skin to become imbalanced. This can commonly happen in people with eczema. Taking an apple cider vinegar bath may restore the balance of this barrier.

Can Soaking My Feet In Apple Cider Vinegar Benefit Them?

Soaking your feet in apple cider vinegar may have potential benefits for them. As we already mentioned, this vinegar may help with warts, athlete's foot, and foot odor.

To make an apple cider vinegar foot soak, you'll need to:

  • Fill a basin with 480 milliliters of warm water
  • Add 24o milliliters of apple cider vinegar
  • Keep adding 2 parts water, 1 part vinegar until you fill the basin up to the brim
  • Soak your feet for around 20 minutes

Can An Apple Cider Vinegar Bath Help Detox Your Body?

Taking a bath with apple cider vinegar and turmeric, cinnamon, or ginger has recently grown in popularity. It's considered to be a powerful detox remedy and offers the following health benefits:

  • It strengthens the protective barrier of the skin by balancing the pH value of the skin.
  • It clears away toxins that cause inflammation and lead to conditions such as gout and arthritis.
  • It enhances the immune system.
  • It helps relieve muscle tension.

How Often Should I Take Apple Cider Vinegar Bath?

Considering the fact that apple cider vinegar is mildly acidic, excessive exposure to it can lead to skin irritation. Therefore, you can bathe in this vinegar two to three times a week.

Conclusion

Taking an apple cider vinegar bath could potentially benefit your health by helping treat the following conditions:

  • Atopic dermatitis
  • Urinary tract infection
  • Dry skin
  • Warts and pimples
  • Joint pain
  • Dandruff

Bathing in apple cider vinegar could potentially help fight off some bacteria and reduce body odor as well.

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Camila Thomas

Camila Thomas enjoys writing about physical and mental health, nutrition, fitness, and lifestyle. Her main goal is to educate, inform, and inspire readers globally to think and act. She inspires them to act and educate them on nutrition and healthy living using real and scientifically-based facts that support her ideas.
Disclaimer
This content is only for educational and informational purposes. It should not be considered as medical advice or taken as a treatment instead of one from a licensed physician. All readers should consult their doctors or certified health professionals before taking any advice from this site and applying it to their condition. We do not take responsibility for possible health issues of any person following the content in this informational website. All the viewers of this site should consult their physicians or doctors before taking on any supplement, diet, nutrition, or lifestyle program.
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