I have an itchy inner and a 'sticky' throat which has been bothering me for quite some time. My ears are so itchy at times I have made them raw by constantly poking at them. My doctor dismissed this as paranoia and told me to stop touching them all time! At the same time my throat has been clogged up with phlegm and I have to keep clearing it all the time which really irritates my family when we are sitting watching TV.

I heard that maybe these symptoms could be linked to a dairy intolerance - does anyone know if this is true? I have asked my doctor if I could be tested for this and he told me it was very expensive to test for just one possible allergy at a time but when I looked into having the testing done at my nearest Holland and Barrat (health food store) by an independent expert, it was going to cost around £50.

I'd be grateful for any advice - or diagnosis! I see my doctor next week so I'll be bringing this up at the appointment but it would be nice to know what I'm talking about this time! Thanks for all your help :)

The symptoms of lactose intolerance are:

* Diarrhea, which is the most common symptom
* Nausea
* Abdominal cramps
* Bloating
* Gas

So this can't be causing your irritation and I find it strange that your doctor told you to 'just leave it alone'. We can't diagnose, sorry, but it does sound like you have a problem with your sinus. If the test you can have done is a general allergy test, then I would get it done independently. But strongly Advise you to see another doctor for a second opiniion.

I was diagnosed as being "allergic" to dairy, after years of reoccuring "throat infections", lots of sticky throat, ear aches etc... I was on antibiotics for more than a year before an ear nose and throat specialist told me to go off dairy. I did and the problems cleared up. It is technically an intolerence, I've undergone allergy testing and I do not produce antibodies that would make it a true allergy. It is not lactose intolerance, which generally manifests in the digestive system, but it is an intolerence to something else in the dairy, I suspect the casein, but not sure.

I understand that the ear/nose/throat reaction to dairy is common, especially in children but also in adults. I hope you managed to determine if you do have an allergy - it's a difficult one to avoid. Good luck

I have suffered from the same itchy ear and throat syndrome for a long, long time. Dairy has no effect on me in this area. What does, is too much yeast. Try eliminating yeast from your diet for just one week, and I'd bet a bundle that the irritation goes away (along with lethargy, stomach bloat, irritability and eczema). Trigger foods are bread, cookies, crackers, bagels, sugar, wine, pasta, pretzels. Another trigger food not yeast related is corn. Many people are allergic and don't even realize it as it's in so many foods we eat. Avoid corn chips or other snacks high in corn. A good book to read is "The Yeast Connection." I still have bread and wine now, but in moderation. Good luck!