I have heard about numerous people turning to marijuanna to help them better cope with pain and discomfort. I myself would not try it, since it does not agree with me. Smoking can make ETD worse. My question is, would alcohol help dull the madenning symptoms of ETD? (Snapping, crackling, thumping, popping). Months ago, when I stubbornly believed my ETD was a temporary nuisance, I had three beers when a friend visited me to cheer me up. As soon as the buzz hit, the constant, clogged feeling became much less noticeable and the intermittent popping felt less uncomfortable and annoying. In fact, my ear barely popped at all! This was at a time when my symptoms were very severe. The next day, however, I had the same plugged discomfort and the popping was ten times worse! That scared me away from using alcohol to escape the discomfort. It felt like my nerves were stressed from alcohol withdrawl, making the damaged nerves in my eustachian tube act up even worse. Now, however, my ear drum pops less often and I have codeine and clonazepam pills which would help deal with the discomfort the next day. I just need some kind of temporary escape from this constant torment. I just want to be sure that alcohol won't physically harm the eustachian tube despite lessening the discomfort. I feel so much more relaxed and tolerant when I have a moderate beer buzz. Unlike some people, I never get abusive or violent when drinking. I know this sounds like alcoholism, but being in a beer haze is less of an evil than being in a constant state of discomfort, anxiety, frustration and rage. This condition is already preventing me from working or going to school. So what is there to lose?

You would be losing the rest of the quality of your life. I know you don't feel there is any, but there is. Using alcohol won't help. It will only seem like it does for a while and then what will you do when you become addicted? You will not only have ear problems, but alcohol addiction. That is not a good idea Nathan. What about accupuncture?

------------------

Karen! What's this about acupunture? Does it help with ETD?? I'm tormented by it as well.
Nathan, don't bother with the booze, it will make you so depressed in the long run. aja

I am not sure if Accupuncture will help ETD or not. I had it about a year or so ago when we came back from Vancouver, B.C. and was having all of those pressure problems in my ears again. It took 6 weeks for the pressure to go away this time, but my Eustachean tubes crackle when I swallow and it drives me crazy. That will never go away and even with having the tubes put it, my own tubes still crackle. I doubt that will ever go way.

I have been going for physical therapy. I am going to a rheumotologist tomorrow as some of my symptoms sound like arthiritis or fibromyalgia. I could be just coincidental that this started 2 weeks after I had the tubes put in. On the other hand, I might have the tubes removed if the rheumotologist does not come up with anything. I am at wits end not knowing what is wrong with me, but I hurt so bad in the back of my neck and back of my head. The headaches are excruciating at times. I have had x-rays C-scan of the brain, and everything is normal. I really wonder if it is fibromyalgia or what is going on. I'll keep you posted.

Sorry to hear that you are having such a bad time Karen. It is so easy to assume that everyone that we see on the street are living happy, pain-free lives. I now know this is not the case and there are many people suffering as bad as us or worse. Hang in there.