Posted on 03/02/2023 6:57:25 AM PST by Red Badger
The man, who has not been named, used tap water for a sinus rinse which caused him to become infected with a rare amoeba called Naegleria fowleri that can cause a brain infection called amebic meningoencephalitis.
In a statement from the Department of Health-Charlotte, they said they are “continuing to investigate how this infection occurred and is working with the local public utilities to identify any potential links and make any necessary corrective actions.”
The first symptoms of this disease are headache, vomiting, and nausea. As the disease progresses, the infected individual may suffer from cognitive issues and a stiff neck. The infected may also experience seizures.
Severe swelling, and ultimately rotting, of the brain and spinal cord occurs.
Infected individuals will die within five days of the symptoms first appearing.
There are no known treatments for his disease.
This amoeba, which kills 97% of the people it infects, can only be contracted through water in the nose, and it normally lives in warm bodies of water. Stomach acid is strong enough to kill the amoeba; therefore, the nose is the only path the amoeba can take that will prove fatal.
The US has only suffered around 160 confirmed or suspected cases of brain-eating amoeba since it first started tracking them in 1962 This is the first reported case of Naegleria fowleri in the United States this year. Typically, only a few deaths from this brain-eating amoeba occur each year, often in people swimming in warm lakes and rivers.
Most of these cases have occurred in Florida.
The Department is working with healthcare facilities to monitor any indications of additional infections.
Anyone who experiences the following symptoms after swimming in warm lakes or rivers or after a nasal water exposure such as a sinus rinse should seek medical care immediately:
Headache Fever Nausea Disorientation Vomiting Stiff neck Seizures Loss of balance Hallucinations
Since the amoeba is rare and can only infect humans through the nose, the Department of Health has assured residents that the tap water in the area is still safe to drink.
However, it is advised that water is boiled for at least one minute before it is used to rinse one’s nose, so any potential bacteria is killed. Additionally, local residents have been advised not to allow water into their noses while showering, bathing, or swimming and to avoid letting children play with sprinklers and slip-and-slides.
Oh, c’mon. This TWOT was rinsing his schnoz to fight a nasal infection.
Why blame the tap water? Oh, yeah, can’t be allowed to blame the sellers of the snot wash device. That would be like blaming Pfiser for pushing opiates.
They’re basically saying that the approved disinfection methods of chlorine, fluoride, or UV are useless against this bacterium?
Better get ready to spend a few trillion dollars converting all of the municipal water systems to upgrade their disinfection systems.
We have well water and even though I always use purified water, not the well water, in my Neti-Pot, I still boil it and put a drop of Betadine in it along with the saline powder. I don’t know if city water is safe un-boiled or not since we have never had it. Personally, I would boil all water used in a Neti-Pot. I normally only have to use mine in Spring when pollen is really bad. It helps keep my allergies from causing issues with my asthma. 🙄
I think they’re just saying to use distilled water. The sinus rinses use maybe 6 or 8 ounces. So a gallon of distilled water goes a long way, lasting 2 or 3 weeks for daily rinses.
Is that sterile?
It is if you boil it...............
I had some similar to that once for my dogs, believe it or not. They had terrible nasal allergies one year and the pediatric squirt bottle helped them a lot. I didn’t use it on myself. They didn’t like it much but it worked.
The main thing is....make sure it’s sterile. Too many paths to the brain from the sinuses and don’t force it. Let it flow. My Neti-Pot is gravity fed so it goes in one side and flows out the other side without pressure.
The same thing happens with people that jump in dirty pond or lake water and the water is forced up their nose. It’s rare but it happens. The brain eating bacteria/amoeba is deadly when it happens.
When done right, all sinus cleanses help. They can be dangerous though.
If you’re going to go swimming in lakes and rivers, wear noseplugs, eh?
It may have been well water
I use boiled tap water from a sealed container and a self made mixture of 50/50 table salt and baking soda.
I pre-mix the salt and soda in a sealed container, 1/4 CUP of each, shake well.
Then when I use it, I use 1/4 TEASPOON of the mixture to one bottle of boiled tap water. One bottle per nostril.
The bottle is a soft rubbery squeeze bottle so that I can apply more force than those Neti pots. It works great!.........
Thanks - why are you adding baking soda?
Because I don’t like pain..................😜
Or just use bottled water.
Navage is waaay too expensive....................
We had two new HVAC systems installed recently, just prior to the heating season (upstairs and down). With the heat on, I noticed that my nostrils felt dry and “crusty” to the point of being a nuisance. I guessed that the new systems were now pulling more moisture out of the air than the previous systems. I have to “auger” out my nose out at least once a day now to remain comfortable. Generally this is done in the shower by...you guessed it...using shower water to soften and remove those nasty old boogers.
Guess I’m dancing with death now...
Try a humidifier ...................
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