When you first hear that ringing in your ears you could have a very typical response: pretend everything’s good. You go through your day the same as usual: you have a conversation with family, go shopping, and cook 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 naturally.
You start to worry, however, when after a few days the ringing and buzzing is unrelenting.
You’re not the only one to ever find yourself in this scenario. Tinnitus can be a challenging little affliction, at times it will recede on its own and in some cases, it will stay for a long time to come.
The Condition of Temporary Tinnitus
Tinnitus is incredibly common everywhere, almost everybody’s had a bout every now and then. Tinnitus is a non-permanent condition, in most circumstances, and will eventually subside on its own. The most typical example is the rock concert: you go to your local stadium to see your favorite band and you discover, when you get home, that your ears are ringing.
The kind of tinnitus that is linked to temporary injury from loud noise will often diminish within a few days (but you realize that it’s just part of going to a loud performance).
Eventually hearing loss can go from temporary or “acute” to permanent or “chronic” because of this exact type of damage. Too many of those types of concerts and you might end up with permanent tinnitus.
sometimes, Tinnitus Doesn’t Just go Away
If your tinnitus lingers for over three months it’s then classified as chronic tinnitus (but you should have it examined by a specialist long before that).
Around 5-15% of individuals globally have documented signs of chronic tinnitus. The exact causes of tinnitus are still not very well understood even though there are some known connections (like hearing loss).
When the triggers of your tinnitus aren’t clear, it usually means that a quick “cure” will be unidentifiable. There is a good chance that your tinnitus won’t disappear by itself if you have been hearing the ringing for more than three months. In those instances, there are treatment possibilities available (like cognitive behavioral therapy or noise-canceling devices) that can help you manage symptoms and preserve your quality of life.
The Cause of Your Tinnitus is Significant
It becomes a lot simpler to reduce the symptoms of tinnitus when you can recognize the underlying causes. As an example, if your tinnitus is created by a stubborn, bacterial ear infection, treatment with an antibiotic will usually solve both problems, resulting in a healthy ear and clear hearing.
Some causes of acute tinnitus may include:
- Meniere’s disease (this is often associated with chronic tinnitus, as Meniere’s has no cure)
- Eardrum damage (such as a perforated eardrum)
- Hearing loss (again, this is often associated with chronic tinnitus)
- Chronic ear infections
- A blockage in the ear or ear canal
So…Will The Noises in My Ears Stop?
In general, your tinnitus will go away on its own. But it becomes progressively more likely that you’re coping with chronic tinnitus the longer these noises remain.
You believe that if you simply forget it should disappear on its own. But there may come a point where your tinnitus begins to become uncomfortable, where it’s difficult to focus because the sound is too distracting. And in those cases, you might want a treatment plan more comprehensive than crossing your fingers.
In most instances, however, in fact, throughout most of your life, your tinnitus will often subside by itself, a typical response to a loud environment (and your body’s means of telling you to stay away from that environment in the future). Only time will tell if your tinnitus is chronic or acute.