Do you think drinking milk can cause a lot of sinus issues?

[1GirlTwinBoys]

I've been having sinus pressure behind my eyes, fluid behind my ears etc.. Just dealing with a lot the last week especially.  I've had that, plus getting that ear syringing at the same time was not a good combination.  I stopped by Little Clinic yesterday to have them look at my ears and they said I do have some fluid behind my ears.  The ringing started to get better yesterday and is much better today.  Still have pressure in both ears but not hurting like it did yesterday. I'm taking Flonase and Tylenol.  The NP at the Little Clinic suggested getting some Alkaseltzer Cold and thought it would be a good idea to relieve sinus pressure.

Anyway, I do drink at least 4 cups of milk each day (low heat pasteurized non homogenized). Do you think this could be contributing to my sinus issues and always feeling like I have post nasal drip??  I know the only way to be sure is to take milk out of my diet, but I was just curious if others have experienced this.

I know most people don't hardly drink milk and suffer terrible sinus issues so maybe I'm just overthinking it.  I'd love to control any issues I have with diet vs. medicating.  I've even been gluten free for 2 straight weeks wondering if that may help.  My sister is Celiac so I know there's a family link there.

Thoughts?

Edited March 17, 2019 by 1GirlTwinBoys

[Ellie]

Yes, absolutely. Dairy is a mucus-causing food.

The way you would know if dairy is causing (or exacerbating) your sinus problems is to eliminate all dairy, for at least a month.

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

I think you  need to do a test dairy-free trial.  Dairy CAN be perfectly fine for some and very irritating for others.  

  The biggest issue I think you are facing is confounding variables.  You went GF two weeks ago, which may not be a significant enough trial to know if gluten is an issue or not.  You have had procedures recently, and are now taking medication.  If you eliminate dairy (or not) your symptoms might improve (or not) and you will not know WHAT is causing the improvement (or lack of).  

You might want to wait until the current sinus crisis is over, then attempt eliminations.  I'd to a full month GF DF, then add them back one at a time.  

 

[Mom0012]

My dd has a horrible time with dairy but doesn’t test positive for a dairy allergy.  Interestingly, my son has celiac.  When my dd was little, she had nonstop ear infections and always had fluid in her ears.  I found a book called Healing Childhood Ear Infections and the ENT who wrote it said 70% of his patients’ ear infections resolved with the removal of dairy.  We completely removed every trace of dairy from my dd’s diet and the ear infections and fluid completely resolved.  We tried to resume dairy intake a number of times since we find it far more difficult to do without than gluten and the infections and fluid always returned.  

[Mom0012]

If you find dairy is the culprit, we have found as my dd has gotten older that she has no problem with goat dairy and she can even tolerate some regular dairy on occasion.  It just cannot be more than once or twice a week.

[1GirlTwinBoys]

And it could be that I'm just consuming way too much dairy.  I mean 4 cups of milk each day, plus whatever cheese I eat is a lot...:)

[Lady Marmalade]

For sure.

I had sinus issues all the time, regardless of whether I was feeling well or not.  Many years ago I thought about how when I'm sick or have a cold I drastically reduce the dairy I consume to avoid encouraging mucus to develop and decided to see what would happen if I cut out a lot of dairy.

Here I am all these years later, and the only time I have sinus issues is when I'm having an allergic reaction or I have a cold.  I've reduced my dairy consumption to yogurt, cheeses and butter.  I never, ever drink cow's milk or put it on cereal or in oatmeal.  I eat ice cream/frozen custard maybe six times over the course of a year.  I will eat milk if it's been used in a cooked/baked item, like a cake or in pancakes.   I feel so much better and it's nice not needing to make sure I have tissues on my person at all times. 

[StaceyinLA]

I think it causes sinus issues/mucous if you are sensitive to it; maybe not necessarily even allergic. 

My oldest grandson started talking around a year, and within a few months, he wouldn’t say anything. He was checked for ear infections, but there was no indication he had one, and he never complained. After months of speech therapy after he turned two, and still barely said anything, we took him to an ENT and he had a huge buildup of fluid behind his eardrums. They of course gave him meds, but dd took him off dairy, and he’s never had an issue with it since.

He’s 7 now and can drink milk occasionally with no issues.

I have a lot of problems with milk. If I drink a glass, I’m in the bathroom within 15 minutes. (Sorry if that’s TMI) However, I can have a little good quality cheese here and there, yogurt, and even the heavy cream I used to have in my coffee didn’t seem to bother me much. It has never affected my sinuses though, so maybe my sensitivities are different.

[gardenmom5]

if you have an issue with casein - yes.

I stay away from yeast breads, because I have an issue with yeast.  it makes my sinuses swell...

[Tap]

If you are allergic to milk (or casein) or have lactose intolerance, then yes it can cause trouble in the sinuses. If you are not, then no it can't.  Your body has to have a reason to create mucous. If you are allergic, they symptoms are due to the mast cell break down and your bodies response to the histamines released. You don't have to have a major allergy to be affected, but quite often if someone is mildly allergic, over time they become more allergic if you keep eating the offending food on a regular basis.

 

Edited March 17, 2019 by Tap

[EKS]

Not unless you're allergic to it.  The thing about milk being "mucus producing" is a myth.

[Chris in VA]

My childhood friend did her dissertation on dairy and the singing voice--she wanted to find out if it produced mucus, which would be valuable knowledge for anyone who is a singer by trade.

She found there was no evidence it does produce mucus. I don't know exactly the limits and such of her study,  but she was super-surprised because as a vocalist she was always cautioned against dairy. 

 

[Lady Florida.]

There is virtually no evidence (not good scientific evidence that is) that milk causes an increase in mucus/sinus problems. It would only be true for those who have a milk allergy. Since you drink a lot of milk you would know by now if you have a milk allergy.

The milk-mucus connection is one of those myths that just won't die. 

https://health.howstuffworks.com/diseases-conditions/respiratory/milk-and-mucus-myth-busted.htm

ETA: This was a small study but it, like every other study on the issue, shows no connection. Enjoy your milk.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2154152/

Edited March 17, 2019 by Lady Florida.

[klmama]

I test negative for milk allergy, but I react to milk with sinus issues. I don't react to all cow milk; it depends on the type of cattle producing the milk.  I grew up drinking milk from the local dairy,  which had Guernsey cows, and I didn't - and don't - react to Guernsey milk at all. I don't react to goat or sheep milk, either.  Unfortunately for me, most milk in the US comes from cows that are bigger milk producers, such as Holsteins; I do get sinus problems from their milk and have ever since the Guernsey dairy went out of business. I usually stick to goat and almond milk now.

[Laura Corin]

No.  For reference, I have never heard this idea outside of North America

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/2154152/

[TABmom]

Milk doesn't cause sinus issues for me, but it does for she. He had dramatic improvement by switching milk for almond milk at breakfast. (Really the only time he drinks it). His dad has major sinus issues and his doctor told him to cut out dairy. 

[Ellie]

9 hours ago, 1GirlTwinBoys said:

And it could be that I'm just consuming way too much dairy.  I mean 4 cups of milk each day, plus whatever cheese I eat is a lot...:)

That's a lot of dairy. 🙂

However, the only dairy I used to consume on a regular basis was cream in my one cup of hot tea in the morning and one cup of hot tea in the evening. I did a diet for several months that eliminated dairy (because you buy the company's food), and I could see a significant difference in my daily mucus. 🙂 I am allergic to dust mites, so congestion is pretty much on-going, but eliminating that little bit of dairy really did help.

Also, I have Hashimoto's, an autoimmune disease that affects the thyroid. I did an elimination diet a couple of years ago to see if any foods were causing problems; the only food that bothered me when I added it back was dairy--and remember, it's just cream in my one cup of hot tea in the morning and in my one cup of hot tea in the evening. After about three days, my joints hurt: dairy causes inflammation, so there's that.

[Rachel]

I drink almost ( about 3 cups) as much milk as you daily and do not have issues with sinuses or fluids in my ears. 

I don’t think it hurts anything to try eliminating it from your diet temporarily though. 

[TravelingChris]

NO

[Katy]

I could have sworn that maybe 5-8 years ago there was a blip in the news that dairy does cause increased mucous production in some people, it was genetic and only something like 10% of people had it.

I think it might be epigenetic though (something the environment can turn on & off) because I know someone who really does seem to have noticeable issues with dairy now who didn't 15 years ago.  I mean disgust the other people in the car with the snorting, sniffling and nose blowing immediately after having a scoop of ice cream noticeable.

[Ellie]

12 hours ago, EKS said:

Not unless you're allergic to it.  The thing about milk being "mucus producing" is a myth.

No, it isn't a myth. I'm living proof that it is mucus causing.

[1GirlTwinBoys]

4 minutes ago, Seasider too said:

 

Junping off of this - is use the opportunity of already going gf to do a full elimination diet - go ahead and remove the dairy (and other potential allergens) all now. 

Then in a month or so, try adding back one at a time. 

For me, personally, 4 cups of milk per day would make my head explode.

I'm embarrassed to say but some days it's more like 6 

[geodob]

The pressure behind your eyes and ears. Indicate that your Sphenoid sinuses are effected.
This could be a bacterial infection, which needs to be treated with a broad spectrum antibiotic.
Infection of the Sphenoid sinuses, can have very serious complications. Given their actual location.
So that it would be best to see a doctor.

(The myth about milk,  began around 2,000 years ago.  When milk mixes with saliva, it forms clots.  These 'clots',  create a sensation in the mouth.  Which feels similar to mucus, but is not mucus. But caused the myth to develop. )

[EKS]

10 hours ago, Ellie said:

No, it isn't a myth. I'm living proof that it is mucus causing.

https://adc.bmj.com/content/104/1/91

[City Mouse]

I have plenty of mucus and I don't drink milk. I do eat some cheese and the occasional yogurt.

my allergies cause mucus, post nasal drip, runny nose, sinus pressure, etc. if you are allergic to milk I would suspect that could cause an increase in mucus.

[Ellie]

2 hours ago, EKS said:

https://adc.bmj.com/content/104/1/91

Sadly, I was not personally interviewed for this study.

[Ellie]

1 hour ago, City Mouse said:

I have plenty of mucus and I don't drink milk. I do eat some cheese and the occasional yogurt.

my allergies cause mucus, post nasal drip, runny nose, sinus pressure, etc. if you are allergic to milk I would suspect that could cause an increase in mucus.

So do I. 🙂 The only thing I"m allergic to is dust mites, but you know, dust mites are everywhere, so yes, I have a constant post nasal drip. Sometimes I wear a mask when I'm dusting my furniture, or doing something like cleaning out the garage where there's a proliferation of dust mites, because I can escalate to sneezing and really stuffy nose. 🙂 However, I have a marked decrease in the amount of mucus since eliminating most dairy. And as I said above, it wasn't very much dairy, either. I am not "allergic" to dairy. An allergy has specific symptoms, mucus not being one of them.

[Bluegoat]

If you are allergic or sensitive, but no, dairy does not create mucous.  It can make your mouth feel like there is a coating, but so can nut milks and things like that - it's just the texture of the food.

One thing that I have noticed is that like a lot of infections, if you start getting them in a particular area, even if you haven't been prone before, you can start getting them there more often.  I've wondered if it isn't because you now have tiny numbers of micro-organisms in that part of your body which will multiply when you are under the weather.

I started to get sinus issues in my late 30's, around the same time I stated to get pollen allergy in the Spring.

[Bluegoat]

10 hours ago, Seasider too said:

 

I think it’s interesting that the scientific studies find no connection, but there are many cases (irl and on this board) I know of anecdotal reports that dairy does cause trouble. 

Personally, dairy clogs my ears, make my face rashly and generates symptoms of IBS. I discovered this through careful elimination dieting. It’s just not worth it to me to eat it. 

Also, wish I could refind it to link, I read a study that examined a correlation between dairy and celiac/gluten intolerance, that folks who have trouble with gluten often also have trouble with dairy. 

 

Diet stuff though is one of the worst things to assess using anecdotal evidence.  People's expectations, the other variables, the things they replace the foods with - it's just too much. Even worse if they are making other diet changes at the same time.

It can be difficult to make assessments of the affects of a diet change even with a large study group where you are attempting to control the variables.  

[klmama]

5 hours ago, geodob said:

The pressure behind your eyes and ears. Indicate that your Sphenoid sinuses are effected.
This could be a bacterial infection, which needs to be treated with a broad spectrum antibiotic.
Infection of the Sphenoid sinuses, can have very serious complications. Given their actual location.
So that it would be best to see a doctor.

(The myth about milk,  began around 2,000 years ago.  When milk mixes with saliva, it forms clots.  These 'clots',  create a sensation in the mouth.  Which feels similar to mucus, but is not mucus. But caused the myth to develop. )

While it may be that the OP should see her doctor, the mucus issue isn't about a feeling in the mouth.  It's about sinus drainage. It doesn't affect everyone, but it does affect some of us quite profoundly.  I test negative for milk allergy, but I react in my sinuses to cow milk products that are from non-Guernsey cows.  I re-prove it every time I forget to avoid them.  For example,  last night I was served pudding at a get-together and didn't think about the milk in it until today when I awoke with my sinuses draining thick mucus and my ears feeling clogged. I am not sick.  I don't even have seasonal allergies.  There is no infection requiring antibiotics.  It's from the pudding. Tomorrow the drainage and pressure will be less, and the next day it will be gone, as long as I don't have more dairy products from non-Guernsey cows.

[Ellie]

Here's the thing: Whether or not dairy is a mucus-causing food, whether or not our anecdotal experiences count for anything, the surest way to know if dairy is the problem for is to eliminate it for a month. It won't hurt anything to do it; if it helps, she'll know. If it doesn't help, she'll know.

[Bluegoat]

1 minute ago, Ellie said:

Here's the thing: Whether or not dairy is a mucus-causing food, whether or not our anecdotal experiences count for anything, the surest way to know if dairy is the problem for is to eliminate it for a month. It won't hurt anything to do it; if it helps, she'll know. If it doesn't help, she'll know.

 

But - the whole reason that anecdotal experience is a problem is that it does not tell you that sort of thing reliably.

[marbel]

I think it's safe to say that dairy, probably like most other foods, affects different people in different ways.

My husband and son solved their post-nasal drip and sinus infection problems with sinus surgery and frequent saline sinus rinses. One drinks milk, the other does not.  

Lots of people see a reduction in acne when they go off milk.  My acne kid did not.   One of my kids has weird reactions to some forms of milk/whey but not others. Whey protein powder = bad, but whey drained from homemade yogurt and used as part of the liquid when I bake bread = good.  Milk as a beverage gives me heartburn!  I know all that's not related to the topic at hand but my point is, I just think dairy products are complicated. 

As others have said, there's no reason not to eliminate the stuff to see if things change. But be aware of other changes that might be affecting it too. 

Edited March 19, 2019 by marbel

[Ellie]

5 hours ago, Bluegoat said:

 

But - the whole reason that anecdotal experience is a problem is that it does not tell you that sort of thing reliably.

Seriously?

Let's see:

I think dairy might be a cause of mucus. Let me eliminate it for a month and see what happens. [one month later] Wow, there is clearly less mucus. Couldn't be that I eliminated dairy because it's only anecdotal experience. Must be a random kind of thing. 

That doesn't even make sense.

If *I* think I feel less mucus-y when I eliminate dairy, then the only thing that matters is that *I feel less mucus-y.*

[Bluegoat]

34 minutes ago, Ellie said:

Seriously?

Let's see:

I think dairy might be a cause of mucus. Let me eliminate it for a month and see what happens. [one month later] Wow, there is clearly less mucus. Couldn't be that I eliminated dairy because it's only anecdotal experience. Must be a random kind of thing. 

That doesn't even make sense.

If *I* think I feel less mucus-y when I eliminate dairy, then the only thing that matters is that *I feel less mucus-y.*

 

Seriously.  It could be, sure, you have an allergy and it is an issue for you.  The best way to check this would likely be allergy testing.

The difficulty is that even when individuals do these kinds of elimination diets, the results are not particularly reliable because there are too many confounding factors.

Placebo and nocebo effect are real and significant factors, and if you are changing your own diet, there is no way to avoid them.  They create false results.  It's not random at all, it's predictable and common, and has to be accounted for in testing because it can significantly affect results.

I get the impression sometimes people think that when this is pointed out, the implication is they are foolish or crazy to notice an effect.  That isn't the point at all, it is that people who are neither foolish nor crazy will notice an effect, even if the cause of the effect is not the thing they are trying to discern.

It does matter, potentially.  Maybe it makes no difference if you eliminate dairy, other than being inconvenient.  But a lot of people use this kind of elimination testing now a lot, there are a lot of fad diets based on it, and people aren't just eliminating one thing, they are connecting all kinds of fairly vague bodily symptoms to various food groups and cutting them out, to the point where they are really restricting their food intake.  This is the face of eating disorders these days, and it's enabled by this approach to diet.

It's important to look at the most objective testing to avoid this - and that says, when they test using milk and plant milk which are treated so that the subjects cannot tell the difference, they report the same effects for both.  That is, they feel like both make extra mucous, even though they are not dairy.  The conclusion that is suggested is that dairy is not the cause.

 

[Ellie]

26 minutes ago, Bluegoat said:

 

Seriously.  It could be, sure, you have an allergy and it is an issue for you.  The best way to check this would likely be allergy testing.

The difficulty is that even when individuals do these kinds of elimination diets, the results are not particularly reliable because there are too many confounding factors.

Placebo and nocebo effect are real and significant factors, and if you are changing your own diet, there is no way to avoid them.  They create false results.  It's not random at all, it's predictable and common, and has to be accounted for in testing because it can significantly affect results.

I get the impression sometimes people think that when this is pointed out, the implication is they are foolish or crazy to notice an effect.  That isn't the point at all, it is that people who are neither foolish nor crazy will notice an effect, even if the cause of the effect is not the thing they are trying to discern.

It does matter, potentially.  Maybe it makes no difference if you eliminate dairy, other than being inconvenient.  But a lot of people use this kind of elimination testing now a lot, there are a lot of fad diets based on it, and people aren't just eliminating one thing, they are connecting all kinds of fairly vague bodily symptoms to various food groups and cutting them out, to the point where they are really restricting their food intake.  This is the face of eating disorders these days, and it's enabled by this approach to diet.

It's important to look at the most objective testing to avoid this - and that says, when they test using milk and plant milk which are treated so that the subjects cannot tell the difference, they report the same effects for both.  That is, they feel like both make extra mucous, even though they are not dairy.  The conclusion that is suggested is that dairy is not the cause.

 

I think it has already been stated that extra mucus is not an allergy. There are specific symptoms when there's allergy.

Also, not all reactions to food count as "allergies" but they can still be serious, and sometimes, life threatening.

I will continue to advise people to eliminate dairy if they think it could be causing problems for them. I cannot help it if some people eliminate all sorts of other foods and do weird diets, because I believe the people who did and who saw improvements in whatever. I will not question their results, either, as I am not living in their bodies and so I cannot tell; I have to trust them.