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Rare brain-eating amoebas killed woman who rinsed her sinuses with tap water

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Re: Rare brain-eating amoebas killed woman who rinsed her sinuses with tap water

#21

Post by cortesoft »

capkutay wrote: post #2

Sounds like she was using a neti-pot. I thought most of the neti-pot products made it pretty clear that you're supposed to use previously boiled or distilled bottled water. Maybe they need to make it more clear that the consequences of using tap water can be pretty dangerous.

They do, but I am never sure how that is supposed to be practical. You need to use warm water, which is easy with tap water, but hard to do quickly with distilled or boiled water.

I know it has risks, but I still use normal tap water. From what I have read, all of the cases are from people using well water, never from city provided, chlorinated water. It actually says this in the article, too.

Re: Rare brain-eating amoebas killed woman who rinsed her sinuses with tap water

#22

Post by cortesoft »

stevehawk wrote: post #6
code_duck wrote: post #3

I wash my nose in such a way frequently because I have an extreme sensitivity to airborne chemicals and fragrances. It’s so uncomfortable to be doused with air freshener, diesel exhaust, cleaner fumes, laundry fragrance, plastic odor or perfume that I rinse my nose out with whatever water is available, which includes taps and drinking fountains. I’ve worried about such an illness happening to me, evidently with good…

Yea, you need to stop that. Start carrying distilled water with you.

How do you warm it?

Re: Rare brain-eating amoebas killed woman who rinsed her sinuses with tap water

#23

Post by travmatt »

2bitencryption wrote: post #11
chipperyman573 wrote: post #4

I had surgery on my sinuses and and have to do this as well. The product I use (Neilmed sinus rinse) has warnings ALL OVER the box, bottle, and in the instruction pamphlet to only use previously boiled water, distilled water, freshly opened bottled water, or water that has somehow otherwise been filtered. It specifically says NOT to use tap water. They also have a website (that has recently been updated to mention th…

> this is really darwinism at work I think that's a little harsh. This is an old woman who has probably been using the netty pot (or some version of it) for years and years. And while the consequences of this infection are dire, the odds are so, so, so low that you would get this infection even if you tried.

Other people have commented that she used a store bought water filter as well.

Re: Rare brain-eating amoebas killed woman who rinsed her sinuses with tap water

#24

Post by cortesoft »

chipperyman573 wrote: post #20
timr wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A lot of folks have no idea what 2-micron filter is, nor is it documented on their consumer-grade water filter that it is/isn't a 2-micron filter. Likewise, a lot of people don't know how to boil water in a way that will kill parasites. They should just say "distilled water", and leave it at that.

If you're using a medical product that specifics a certain requirement for cleaning fluids you're about to put in your body, you should make sure the filter matches (or exceeds) those specifications. If you're unsure, you can just use distilled water. In every other situation I would completely agree with you, but when you're dealing with medicinal products you should be careful to follow the instructions (imo)

Calling a neti-pot a medicinal product is not obvious to everyone. They are marketed all over the place as a natural thing. I don't think most people view them as a medical product.

Re: Rare brain-eating amoebas killed woman who rinsed her sinuses with tap water

#25

Post by berberous »

timr wrote: post #16
chipperyman573 wrote: post #4

I had surgery on my sinuses and and have to do this as well. The product I use (Neilmed sinus rinse) has warnings ALL OVER the box, bottle, and in the instruction pamphlet to only use previously boiled water, distilled water, freshly opened bottled water, or water that has somehow otherwise been filtered. It specifically says NOT to use tap water. They also have a website (that has recently been updated to mention th…

A lot of folks have no idea what 2-micron filter is, nor is it documented on their consumer-grade water filter that it is/isn't a 2-micron filter. Likewise, a lot of people don't know how to boil water in a way that will kill parasites. They should just say "distilled water", and leave it at that.

how do you boil water properly? minimum period of time?

Re: Rare brain-eating amoebas killed woman who rinsed her sinuses with tap water

#26

Post by butterfi »

ams6110 wrote: post #7

Person dies under unusual, rare circumstances. Happens every day, there are nearly 8 billion of us. Why is this news?

It news because more and more people are starting to rinse their sinuses and may not be aware that they should be following certain guidelines.

Re: Rare brain-eating amoebas killed woman who rinsed her sinuses with tap water

#27

Post by cowpewter »

cortesoft wrote: post #21
capkutay wrote: post #2

Sounds like she was using a neti-pot. I thought most of the neti-pot products made it pretty clear that you're supposed to use previously boiled or distilled bottled water. Maybe they need to make it more clear that the consequences of using tap water can be pretty dangerous.

They do, but I am never sure how that is supposed to be practical. You need to use warm water, which is easy with tap water, but hard to do quickly with distilled or boiled water. I know it has risks, but I still use normal tap water. From what I have read, all of the cases are from people using well water, never from city provided, chlorinated water. It actually says this in the article, too.

Whenever I use a neti pot, I use distilled water and heat it for a brief time in the microwave, adding additional room temp distilled afterward if it comes out too hot.

Re: Rare brain-eating amoebas killed woman who rinsed her sinuses with tap water

#29

Post by gfodor »

cortesoft wrote: post #21
capkutay wrote: post #2

Sounds like she was using a neti-pot. I thought most of the neti-pot products made it pretty clear that you're supposed to use previously boiled or distilled bottled water. Maybe they need to make it more clear that the consequences of using tap water can be pretty dangerous.

They do, but I am never sure how that is supposed to be practical. You need to use warm water, which is easy with tap water, but hard to do quickly with distilled or boiled water. I know it has risks, but I still use normal tap water. From what I have read, all of the cases are from people using well water, never from city provided, chlorinated water. It actually says this in the article, too.

In practice you don't need to use warm water. I do twice daily saline sinus washes with distilled water and it's pretty low maintenance. Tap would be easier but I've always found the idea of using tap water for this to be gross so it's never been an attractive idea.

Re: Rare brain-eating amoebas killed woman who rinsed her sinuses with tap water

#30

Post by sctb »

worldstarhiphop wrote: post #18
2bitencryption wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> this is really darwinism at work I think that's a little harsh. This is an old woman who has probably been using the netty pot (or some version of it) for years and years. And while the consequences of this infection are dire, the odds are so, so, so low that you would get this infection even if you tried.

If she's too old to conceive, then if anything this is improving her odds genetically.

Please don't post uncivilly or unsubstantively here.

https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html

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