The ringing just won’t subside. It’s been over two days and you can still hear that nagging buzzing in your ears. you realize that the buzzing is tinnitus but your starting to worry about how long it will keep going.
Tinnitus can be brought about by injury to the stereocilia inside of your ears (they’re the very small hairs that sense air vibrations which your brain then turns into intelligible sound). Usually, too much overly loud noise is the cause. That’s why when you’re seated next to a roaring jet engine, or out at a noisy restaurant, or attending a concert, you notice tinnitus the most.
Under Typical Scenarios, How Long Will Tinnitus Last?
Tinnitus can’t be cured. But that doesn’t mean it won’t ever go away. There will be a large number of factors that will determine how long your tinnitus will last, such as the underlying cause of your tinnitus and your general hearing health.
But if you find your ears ringing after a noisy day of traveling, a couple of days should be enough for you to notice your tinnitus going away. 16 to 48 hours on average is how long tinnitus will last. But sometimes, symptoms can last as long as two weeks. Additional exposure to loud sounds could also cause tinnitus to flare up again, effectively resetting the clock.
It’s generally suggested that you see a specialist if your tinnitus continues and specifically if your tinnitus is detracting from your quality of life.
Why is Tinnitus Sometimes Irreversible?
Usually, tinnitus is short-lived. But in some cases it can be irreversible. Specifically when the cause of tinnitus is something outside the mundane When it comes to degree and origin. Here are some examples:
- Hearing Impairment: Typically, hearing loss and tinnitus are joined at the hip. So, whatever the cause of your hearing loss is, you may also wind up developing (or noticing) irreversible tinnitus along with it.
- Repeated exposure: If your ears are buzzing after attending one rock concert, think of how they’ll feel after several rock concerts a week or if you’re a musician who performs concerts and practices all day. Continued exposure to loud sounds can lead to permanent hearing injury, tinnitus included.
- Traumatic Brain Trauma (TBI): The majority of the processing of sound occurs in the brain. In certain cases, a serious brain injury (such as a concussion) might lead to tinnitus because those processors start to misfire.
Permanent tinnitus is significantly less common than its more temporary counterpart. But there are still millions of Us citizens every year who are treated for lasting, or chronic, tinnitus symptoms.
How do You Get Your Tinnitus to go Away?
You will need to get relief as soon as possible regardless of whether your tinnitus is long term or short term. There is no cure for tinnitus but you can do some things to decrease the symptoms (however long they might last):
- Find a way to cover up the sound: In some cases, using a white noise machine (such as a humidifier or fan) can help you cover up the sound of tinnitus and, thus, ignore the symptoms (and, you know, get a good night’s sleep in the process).
- Wear earplugs (or earmuffs): If you cannot avoid loud environments, then safeguarding your hearing is the next best step. (And, really, you need to be protecting your hearing even if you don’t have tinnitus.)
- Avoid loud noises. Your symptoms may be extended or may become more severe if you keep exposing yourself to loud noises like rock concerts or a jet engine.
- Try to remain calm: perhaps it sounds a little… abstract, but increased blood pressure can result in tinnitus episodes so staying calm can help keep your tinnitus in check.
Sadly, none of these practices will cure permanent tinnitus. But it can be equally important to manage and minimize your symptoms.
How Long Before Your Tinnitus Goes Away?
Your tinnitus, in the majority of circumstances, will recede by itself. Just wait the 16-48 hours and your hearing should return to normal. However, if your tinnitus lingers, you’ll want to look for a solution. Discovering a workable treatment is the best way to ultimately get some relief. If you think you have hearing loss (which is commonly associated with tinnitus) you should get your hearing examined.
