Today News Journal
    What's Hot

    Belvidere Jeep factory shuts down in one casualty of EV transition

    March 23, 2023

    When a client is a little too curious about the work you do

    March 23, 2023

    Filed an amended tax return with the IRS? You have a 20-week wait.

    March 23, 2023
    Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Today News Journal
    Contact Us
    • Home
    • Trending
    • Business
    • Health
    • Technology
      • Automobile
      • Gadgets
      • Mobiles
      • Robotics
    • Lifestyle
      • Culture
    • Sports
    • Travel
    • Editorials
    • News
      • Politics
    Today News Journal
    Home » Health » Tap water isn’t safe to use in neti pots and other home medical devices. Here’s what to do instead
    Health

    Tap water isn’t safe to use in neti pots and other home medical devices. Here’s what to do instead

    James MartinBy James MartinJanuary 13, 2023No Comments4 Mins Read
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr WhatsApp VKontakte Email
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email





    CNN
     — 

    Tap water is not sterile, and using it in home medical devices can result in serious and even deadly infections. But in a study published Wednesday in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases, one-third of respondents to a survey incorrectly answered that tap water does not contain bacteria or other living organisms.

    In the August 2021 survey, more than half of 1,004 survey participants incorrectly said that tap water can be used for nasal rinsing, 50% believed is appropriate for rinsing contact lenses and 42% trusted it is safe for use in respiratory devices such as humidifiers or CPAP – continuous positive airway pressure – machines, which are used to treat sleep apnea.

    Shanna Miko, an author of the study and Epidemic Intelligence Service officer at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, says these findings highlight misconceptions about the safe use of nonsterile tap water for medical devices at home.

    “While tap water is generally safe to drink, it is not OK for other uses,” Miko said.

    Although US tap water is treated to meet safe drinking standards, it may contain low levels of microorganisms.

    These microbes are generally harmless when ingested during drinking and cooking because they are killed by stomach acid. However, when irrigating the nose or eyes, they may cause serious and even deadly infections.

    “With the aging infrastructure, our aging pipes, there are some new waterborne challenges that have emerged, and those are basically these pathogens or these germs that can live in these protective areas that like to stick to pipes called biofilm pathogens,” Miko said.

    Pathogens found in tap water systems – including Pseudomonas aeruginosa, nontuberculous mycobacteria, Legionella, Acanthamoeba and Naegleria fowleri – can invade the lungs, brain, eyes or skin.

    Several cases of brain-eating amoeba have been reported from neti pots, devices used to flush nasal passages. There have also been multi-state outbreaks of Acanthamoeba from improper contact lens rinsing, which can cause blindness and other permanent eye damage.

    “They might not be the most frequent things to be occurring each year,” Miko said, “but to the people that do acquire the infections, it has a significant impact.”

    Most healthy people exposed to these microbes will not get sick. However, certain groups of people may be at a higher risk of serious infection. These include older people, infants younger than 6 months, and those with weakened immune systems or other chronic health issues such as cancer, HIV or lung disease.

    “We want them to know that even though they’re at higher risk for infections of these waterborne associated pathogens, there are simple steps that they can take to reduce their risks,” Miko said.

    The CDC recommends individuals using at-home medical devices like CPAP machines, humidifiers and neti pots only use water free from microbes such as distilled or sterile water, which can be bought in stores. Boiled and cooled water may also be used.

    In addition to using distilled, sterile or previously boiled water, individuals can decrease their exposure to microbes by regularly cleaning and disinfecting at-home medical devices.

    For populations at higher risk, Miko recommends flushing plumbing systems regularly and applying special filters on faucets or showers. She notes that most pitcher, refrigerator and sink water filters are not designed to remove germs from water.

    “This data isn’t meant to scare anybody. We have one of the best public water drinking systems in the world,” Miko said.

    She encourages people to follow guidance on safe water practices for at-home medical devices which can be found on the CDC website.

    “If we can just do something as simple as boiling water or using sterile distilled water to reduce the risk, that’s something we’d like to share with people,” Miko said.



    Source link

    Related posts:

    1. Copycat packaging of marijuana edibles poses risk to children, study says
    2. More overseas infant formula coming to US next week as shortage continues
    3. Covid-19 origins: New studies agree that animals sold at Wuhan market are most likely what started pandemic
    4. New subvariants, family gatherings may bring more Covid-19 after holiday, but experts don’t expect severe surge
    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr WhatsApp Email
    Previous ArticleUganda’s Ebola outbreak ends, leaving relief and unanswered questions
    Next Article Long-term symptoms from mild Covid resolve within year, study says
    James Martin
    • Website

    Related Posts

    What is mifepristone, the drug at the heart of the Texas medication abortion lawsuit?

    March 17, 2023

    EPA proposes first standards to make drinking water safer from ‘forever chemicals’

    March 17, 2023

    ‘Am I dreaming?’: Double lung transplants save two people with late-stage cancer

    March 17, 2023

    Pesticides in produce: 2023’s Dirty Dozen and Clean 15 fruits and vegetables

    March 17, 2023

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    Search
    Categories
    • Automobile
    • Business
    • Coronavirus
    • Culture
    • Editorials
    • Finance
    • Gadgets
    • Health
    • Lifestyle
    • Mobiles
    • Money
    • News
    • Politics
    • Sports
    • Technology
    • Travel
    • Trending
    • World
    Latest Posts

    Belvidere Jeep factory shuts down in one casualty of EV transition

    March 23, 2023

    When a client is a little too curious about the work you do

    March 23, 2023

    Filed an amended tax return with the IRS? You have a 20-week wait.

    March 23, 2023

    Lindsay Lohan, Jake Paul face SEC charges over crypto ads

    March 23, 2023
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    Don't Miss
    News

    Belvidere Jeep factory shuts down in one casualty of EV transition

    By James MartinMarch 23, 20230

    Workers and small businesses in Belvidere, Ill., are dealing with the aftermath of mass layoffs,…

    When a client is a little too curious about the work you do

    March 23, 2023

    Filed an amended tax return with the IRS? You have a 20-week wait.

    March 23, 2023

    Lindsay Lohan, Jake Paul face SEC charges over crypto ads

    March 23, 2023
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    About Us

    Hello friends, I am James Martin. Welcome to my blog todaynewsjournal.com. We are a team of experienced journalists who are passionate about delivering the latest news and current events to our readers. Our editorial team is dedicated to providing the most accurate and up-to-date information possible. We aim to be your go-to source for news and current events. Here on this site, You will get up to date information regarding all important categories like business ideas, health tips,... (Read More)

    Latest News

    Belvidere Jeep factory shuts down in one casualty of EV transition

    March 23, 2023

    When a client is a little too curious about the work you do

    March 23, 2023

    Filed an amended tax return with the IRS? You have a 20-week wait.

    March 23, 2023
    SIGN UP NEWSLETTER

    Join The Conversation sign up to receive emails for The Daily special tips general info.

      Facebook Twitter Instagram Pinterest
      • Home
      • Editorials
      • Get In Touch

      Copyright © 2021-2023 · Today News Journal Privacy Policy

      Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

      We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
      Cookie SettingsAccept All
      Manage consent

      Privacy Overview

      This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
      Necessary
      Always Enabled
      Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
      CookieDurationDescription
      cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
      cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
      cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
      cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
      cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
      viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
      Functional
      Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
      Performance
      Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
      Analytics
      Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
      Advertisement
      Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
      Others
      Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
      SAVE & ACCEPT

      Sign In or Register

      Welcome Back!

      Login to your account below.

      Lost password?