With cold and flu season in full swing, plenty of people turn to holistic therapies to help alleviate the symptoms of things like the common cold or sinus infection. There are lots of treatments that people swear by, like essential oils and homemade solutions for gargling. One treatment that people use often to clear their sinuses is a neti pot. It's a little pot that you fill with a saltwater solution to flush out your sinuses. Essentially, you're pouring water into one nostril so it can travel through your sinus cavity and exit the other nostril. It sounds weird, but neti pots can be really effective at treating sinus issues. They can also be incredibly dangerous if used improperly, as was the case after a woman died from a brain-eating bacteria she contracted after using the wrong water in her neti pot. This is such a sad story, but so important for everyone to read so they can practice safe neti pot use.

The Centers for Disease Control has issued a warning about neti pots, after a 69-year-old Seattle woman died from brain-eating amoeba. The woman had been suffering from a chronic sinus infection, and used her neti pot to flush her sinuses. But she used tap water filtered through a Brita water purifier, which is apparently how she contracted the amoeba. She was admitted to the hospital after suffering a seizure, and once doctors examined her brain tissue, they found that it was infected with Balamuthia mandrillaris, an amoeba found in soil and fresh water. The amoeba had been eating her brain for almost a year.

This type of infection is incredibly rare, but the CDC is urging people to be diligent when it comes to using a neti pot. You should only use sterile water in a neti pot - that is water free of bacteria and viruses. Tap water should only be used if it's passed through a special filter and boiled for 3-5 minutes, then allowed to cool to lukewarm. Spring water is not considered sterile, and should only be used if it's been boiled first.

The CDC recommends using only sterile or boiled water in neti pots. If you're using boiled filtered water, boil for at least one minute and then allow to cool. If you're buying water specifically to use with your neti pot, look for labels that specify the water is distilled or sterile.

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