I found new firepower in the snot wars. In my web searches I found many references to sinus irrigation - and I found an appliance that does the job very effectively indeed. It's the Grossan Hydro-pulse nasal/sinus irrigator, and it looks like a WaterPik for the nose:
You prepare an irrigation solution (basically a sodium chloride/sodium bicarbonate buffer), fill the reservoir, and spritz your head. This unit solves a real problem I've had using Neti pots and similar low-tech nasal irrigation methods. Because the unit applies pressure you don't have to tilt your head to one side. The problem with tilting your head when you're irrigating the nose is that water can get into the Eustachian tubes, making ear problems much worse. (Trust me, it's a problem.) With this unit you keep the head vertical, which keeps water out of the ears.
The manual suggests that things tend to get better over the first six weeks of use. My experience was that I had immediate relief - and that my head did, in fact, get better over the last month or so. I use the unit twice a day, and follow the irrigation with a steroid nasal spray. The result: almost perfect. I'm incredibly happy.
Small notes: you need to follow the cleaning instructions included with the machine. That means rinsing salt solutions out of the machine, washing it with vinegar weekly to remove any salt precipitate from the unit, and disinfecting it with hydrogen peroxide weekly. Small price to pay for incredibly effective drug-free relief.
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