Actually, I just used the neti pot today after being in the garage, working on the bike. It really gets the gunk out that blowing my nose doesn't. It just flows softly from one nostril to the other and out. Actually kinda soothing and, yes Brian, it reminded me of the gulf saltwater too. I actually had a conversation to that effect with Kit.
A biggie to remember, along with washing your hands, you can actually cut the # of illnesses like colds down by almost 50% if you simply don't touch your face throughout the day. My former hospital actually had an entire speech during orientation of new employees about it. Your face has oils and it collects a lot of stuff from the air then on top of that you introduce more to the pile of germs by touching. Big breeding ground there, transferred back and forth and you thinking your hands are clean. Splash your face during the day with water.
Other biggies are the grocery store cart, elevator buttons, door knobs, stair railings, light switches, phone, computer keyboard, steering wheel... oh the steering wheel can be cruddier than the toilet.
Molds can make stuff linger much longer, coldright hit that one on the head too. We in PDX have a lot of molds due to all of the rain. When I moved here, I was stuffed nonstop for almost a year and I tend to get very sensitive skin now. I break out in hives for no apparent reason these days.
Good luck. The neti pot has helped my symptoms alot. Get the package of the little kettle and saline. It should run about $10 or so and comes with like 100 saline packs. Don't use table salt. You don't want to go there. Don't overuse it either. It'll dry you out badly. Once a day or twice if really needed.
