Uhm maybe just spit ... I know, I know, that's not what he meant but I was trying to make him smile. Laughter can be the best medicine, well that's what Reader's Digest said.
On a more serious note. Have your ear infections cleared? Is it possible you've a throat infection resulting from that? Reason I ask is a few years ago I developed an upper respiratory infection in Sept. Took a course of antibiotic that cleared the chest infection but it was back again in Nov. and again in Jan. I eventually went to a ENT doc who sent me for CAT scan. Turns out I'd developed a sinus infection at some point before or during the first bout in Sept. that never cleared and the drainage caused the recurring upper respiratory issues. The stuff that drained out my nose from my sinuses during the scan was a neon orange. Never saw anything like it but the doc knew immediately from the color what caused the infection. I ended up having to be on a strong antibiotic for just over a month before it finally cleared.