LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention along with the National Jewish Health in Colorado, two people have died thus far from using tap water to do their sinus rinse.

Authorities say that nasal washes are generally safe. Especially beneficial are saltwater nasal washes that can help asthma and allergy sufferers.

Doctors advise to make the saltwater solution, mix one-half teaspoon uniondized salt in an 8-ounce glass of water. Uniodized salt is used because iodized salt may be irritating when used over a long period of time. Add a pinch of baking soda. A pinch is a small amount you can pick up between two fingers. If you are congested, use the entire 8 ounces of saltwater during the nasal wash; otherwise, 4 ounces should be enough.

Discard any unused saltwater and prepare a new saltwater solution before the next nasal wash.

"I do them at home if I have a bad cold," Certified Infection Preventionist Marie Fornof says.

Fornof is adamant against the use of tap water, due to a brain-eating amoeba called Naegleria fowleri. It's common in warm rivers and lakes, but if it travels up the nose to the brain it's usually deadly.

 "To give you perspective, over the past decade where the CDC has looked at it, the 32 cases they had 31 patients died," Fornof said.

The brain infections caused by the amoeba are rare, but the two most recent deaths in Louisiana were tied to the use of tap water in "neti pots" to flush sinuses.

"It's not worth the risk. It does not cost that much more to boil your water or buy distilled water," Fornof said.

Experts say to use only distilled, sterilized, previously boiled water, or properly filtered water. A gallon of distilled water is usually under $2.

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