You may have a common reaction when you first hear that ringing in your ears: pretend that it’s no big deal. You set about your normal routines: you have a chat with family, go to the store, and prepare lunch. While at the same time you try your best to dismiss that ringing. Because there is one thing you feel certain of: your tinnitus will fade away by itself.
You begin to get concerned, though, when after a couple of days the ringing and buzzing is unrelenting.
This situation happens to others as well. sometimes tinnitus stop by itself, and other times it will stick around and that’s why it’s a tricky little disorder.
The Condition of Temporary Tinnitus
Around the world, nearly everyone has had a bout of tinnitus because it’s very common. In nearly all circumstances, tinnitus is essentially temporary and will ultimately vanish on it’s own. The most typical example is the rock concert: you go see Bruce Springsteen at your local stadium (it’s a good show) and when you get home, you discover that there is ringing in your ears.
The kind of tinnitus that is associated with temporary injury from loud noise will normally subside within a couple of days (and you chalk it up to the cost of seeing your favorite band play live).
Over time hearing loss can go from temporary or “acute” to permanent or “chronic” because of this exact type of injury. Too many of those types of concerts and you could wind up with permanent tinnitus.
When Tinnitus Doesn’t Seem to be Going Away by Itself
If your tinnitus persists for over three months it’s then identified as chronic tinnitus (but you should get it checked by a specialist long before that).
Something like 5-15% of individuals around the world have recorded indications of chronic tinnitus. The precise causes of tinnitus are still not very well understood although there are some known associations (such as hearing loss).
When the triggers of your tinnitus aren’t clear, it normally means that a fast “cure” will be evasive. There is a good possibility that your tinnitus won’t go away by itself if you have been hearing the ringing for more than three months. In those instances, there are treatment options available (like cognitive behavioral therapy or noise-canceling devices) that can help you control symptoms and protect your quality of life.
It’s Significant to Know What The Cause of Your Tinnitus is
It becomes a lot simpler to mitigate the symptoms of tinnitus when you are able to determine the root causes. If a bacterial ear infection is, for example, the reason for your tinnitus, you can restore a healthy ear and clear hearing by treating it with antibiotics.
Some causes of acute tinnitus might include:
- Damage to the eardrum (such as a perforated eardrum)
- Chronic ear infections
- Loss of hearing (again, this is often associated with chronic tinnitus)
- A blockage in the ear or ear canal
- Meniere’s disease (this usually has no cure and is often associated with chronic tinnitus)
So…Will The Ringing in My Ears Go Away?
The truth is that in most cases, yes, your tinnitus will go away by itself. But the longer it hangs around, the longer you hear tinnitus noises, the more likely it becomes that you’re coping with chronic tinnitus.
You feel that if you just disregard it should vanish by itself. But there could come a point where your tinnitus starts to become uncomfortable, where it’s difficult to focus because the sound is too disruptive. In those situations, crossing your fingers might not be the complete treatment plan you require.
In most instances, though, as a matter of fact, throughout most of your life, your tinnitus will normally subside on its own, a typical reaction to a noisy environment (and your body’s means of telling you to avoid that situation from now on). Only time will tell if your tinnitus is chronic or acute.