Phlegm causing irritation and sleep loss!!!

I'm 20, fairly healthy, and have found that every couple of months or so during winter i have a week where i dont feel particularly great and i get lots of phlegm build up. I produce quite a lot generally and also produce alot of ear wax causing ear infections, possibly as a result of eating too much dairy (or so some have suggested). But in these weekly periods it becomes unbareble, its 3.21am as i type this and i am desperately tired but cannot sleep because the phlegm makes me swallow and swallow to keep it out of my upper throat and mouth (i cannot cough or spit it up), this swallowing leads to discomfort in my stomach, burping, bloatedness and makes sleep impossible. As a person who functions poorly without sleep this is a massive problem if only for a week at a time! Any advice on how to get rid of the phlegm????? I am desperate...
the problem is exacibated by eating,  sometimes making me choke prefusely!
any advice would be great, all the doctor said was to drink hot drinks! which i've tried
thanks