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"On 5 December 2018, the Seattle Times published an article whose terrifying headline ensured its own virality: “Rare brain-eating amoebas killed Seattle woman who rinsed her sinuses with tap water. Doctor warns this could happen again.”"



This part refers to a different woman who also died.

"Nasal irrigation involves rinsing one’s sinus cavity with distilled or sterile water (or water that has been filtered to remove potentially infectious organisms), and one such method of water delivery is a Neti pot. The need for sterility is explicitly stated due to the (extremely small) risk posed by another amoeba, Naegleria fowleri, and it is the reason the FDA requires (in the absence of sterile water) a specific kind of filter capable of removing the amoeba and similarly-sized organisms from water before it is pushed through fragile sinus tissue.

While the authors of this case report could not state with absolute certainty that the Neti pot was to blame, it is far and away the most likely explanation given the fact that the patient had been rinsing her sinuses with tap water regularly for an extended period of time:"

@TropicalDiver yes, I was talking cpap.
nedipot? It would depend on your local supply and if it had bad bugs. You could use boiled water out the kettle?
We have chlorine treated supply that I boil and use with salt, for my spray solution. I got sick of buying Fess.

The real reason you need to use distilled water in not due to harmful impurities healthwise. It is because tap water has minerals that accumulate during the warming stage and possibly leave thickening deposits. The buildup clogs the machine. That is why these, steam irons, other things recommend distilled water.

synapse wrote: ↑

Mon Jul 22, 2019 9:59 pm

I definitely would be careful with municipal water.

https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/naegleria ... siana.html

Your point?

Bottled water contains more bacteria than tap water.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health ... water.html

Study Finds Some Bottled Water Has More Bacteria And Less Fluoride Than Tap Water
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2 ... 090356.htm

High bacteria levels found in bottled water in Canada
https://www.ctvnews.ca/high-bacteria-le ... a-1.515742

Bottled water and bacteria
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lani ... 3/fulltext

BNB1023 wrote: ↑

Tue Jul 23, 2019 4:32 am

The real reason you need to use distilled water in not due to harmful impurities healthwise. It is because tap water has minerals that accumulate during the warming stage and possibly leave thickening deposits. The buildup clogs the machine. That is why these, steam irons, other things recommend distilled water.

Could you please explain how build up of minerals in the water chamber can clog up the machine?
The water isn't anywhere inside the working components of the machine itself. If water gets in the motor or electronics you got a bigger problem then mineral buildup.

it's best to use distilled water for CPAP. It's very important to use it if you're putting water directly into your nostrils.

In the US, the Walmart price is 82¢ for a U.S. gallon. In Canada, the Walmart price is $1.97 for four liters. Remember that the latter price is a Canadian dollar price and that four liters are slightly more than one U.S. gallon.

If you live elsewhere in the world, you'll need to check local prices and availability.

D.H. wrote: ↑

Tue Jul 23, 2019 8:36 am

it's best to use distilled water for CPAP.

Why?

I can see the up your nose thing but why is it "best" to use distilled water in the water chamber?

Ever wonder why the manuals for these machines in all other places of the world don't mention "distilled" at all?

Is cleaning any potential mineral build up in the water chamber really THAT big of a deal ONLY in the US???
Ever wonder why it must be THAT big of a deal only in the US?

Is our tap water that much nastier then the rest of the world???
I doubt it.

D.H. wrote: ↑

Tue Jul 23, 2019 8:36 am

it's best to use distilled water for CPAP. It's very important to use it if you're putting water directly into your nostrils.

Why is it important for Americans to use distilled water for CPAP, but it's not important for Europeans to use distilled water for CPAP?

Here's the ResMed American instructions for US vs UK, note how the UK version doesn't suggest distilled water.



Here's the humidifier tank for a ResMed US vs UK, note how the UK version doesn't suggest distilled water.

Just bought a gallon at the Walmart Market .80 cents a gallon.

ajack wrote: ↑

Tue Jul 23, 2019 12:19 am

I have no hesitation in using tap water. Think about it, it's good enough to drink.
Have a google here on old threads, Studies show germs from the tank can not be transported to the mask. Also these germs are naturally in your environment that you live in.

He's wanting to go old school NY, "Up You Nose With a Rubber Hose." Not HH. Jim

We have a store here called "The Water Store". I wouldn't have known about it but it's in my neighborhood. They really do sell water, you can bring your own container and fill it up. They have distilled water, filtered spring water, and I think some other options I don't pay attention to (ionized?) and it's around $0.69 a gallon. When I was making my own kombucha at home, this was an economical way to buy filtered spring water. The other aspect I like about it is that there's no plastic waste. I have two glass gallon containers. They are easy to clean and endlessly reusable. I can also buy spring water (but not distilled) at a local organic grocery or Whole Foods for about $0.85 a gallon in my own container.

squid13 wrote: ↑

Tue Jul 23, 2019 10:25 am

Walmart Market .80 cents a gallon.

That means I could get over 100 gallons for $1.00!

You win for the cheapest source!

It's best to use distilled water to prevent mineral build-up in the tank. It's less likely that anything could grow in the absence of deposits.

If you don't use distilled water, be careful to clean the reservoir at least once per week.

prodigyplace wrote: ↑

Tue Jul 23, 2019 12:17 pm

squid13 wrote: ↑

Tue Jul 23, 2019 10:25 am

Walmart Market .80 cents a gallon.

That means I could get over 100 gallons for $1.00!

You win for the cheapest source!

Only second best, Rain is Free! Jim

zoocrewphoto wrote: ↑

Tue Jul 23, 2019 12:30 am

"On 5 December 2018, the Seattle Times published an article whose terrifying headline ensured its own virality: “Rare brain-eating amoebas killed Seattle woman who rinsed her sinuses with tap water. Doctor warns this could happen again.”"

One important thing from that article:

Amoebas may be found in fresh-water sources around Puget Sound such as wells, but aren’t present in city-treated water, according to Liz Coleman, a spokeswoman for the Environmental Public Health division of the state’s Department of Health.

Also, the chart that points out that it's extremely rare... I've read reports of more people that have died because they were infected while river rafting than using a neti pot.