The ringing just won’t subside. It’s been over two days and you can still hear that unpleasant ringing in your ears. You acknowledge the sound is tinnitus, but you’re starting to question exactly how permanent tinnitus usually is.
Tinnitus can be brought on by damage to the stereocilia inside your ears (they’re the very small hairs that sense air vibrations which your brain then turns into intelligible sound). That damage is most often the result of excessively loud sound. That’s why you notice tinnitus most often after, as an example, going to a concert, spending time in a noisy restaurant, or being seated next to a deafening jet engine while you’re taking a trip.
How Long Does Tinnitus Last on Average?
There isn’t any cure for tinnitus. But that doesn’t mean it won’t ever subside. How long your tinnitus persists depends on a wide variety of factors, such as your overall health and the underlying cause of your tinnitus.
But if you just arrived home from a noisy day of traveling and you notice your ears buzzing, a day or two should be sufficient for you to observe your tinnitus going away. 16 to 48 hours on average is how long tinnitus will last. But it’s also not uncommon for symptoms to stick around, often for as much as a couple of weeks. And tinnitus will come back if you are exposed to loud noise again.
It’s usually recommended that you see a specialist if your tinnitus persists and particularly if your tinnitus is detracting from your quality of life.
What Leads to Permanent Tinnitus?
Normally, tinnitus is short-lived. But that means it can be permanent. Particularly when the cause of tinnitus is something outside the mundane When it comes to intensity and origin. Here are some examples:
- Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI): The brain is where the majority of sound is processed. In some cases, a serious brain injury (like a concussion) might cause tinnitus because those processors start to misfire.
- Hearing loss: Typically, tinnitus and hearing loss are joined at the hip. So, whatever the cause of your hearing loss is, you may also end up developing (or noticing) permanent tinnitus alongside it.
- Repeated exposure: After one rock show, your ears will probably ring for a couple of days but frequent subjection will lead to far more serious consequences. Frequent exposure to loud sounds can result in irreversible hearing damage, including tinnitus.
Permanent tinnitus is substantially 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 Subside?
You will need to find relief sooner rather than later regardless of whether your tinnitus is permanent or temporary. Even though there isn’t any cure for tinnitus, there are certain things you can do to lessen symptoms (though they will probably last only so long):
- Try to stay calm: Maybe it sounds a little… abstract, but higher blood pressure can result in tinnitus flare ups so remaining calm can help keep your tinnitus at bay.
- Find a way to mask the sound: You can sometimes mask the sound and get a restful nights sleep by using some source of white noise including a fan or humidifier.
- Use earplugs (or earmuffs): If you can’t avoid loud situations, then safeguarding your hearing is the next best step. (And, really, whether you have tinnitus or not, you need to wear hearing protection.)
- Stay away from loud noises. Your symptoms may be extended or may become more intense if you keep exposing yourself to loud noises like a jet engine or rock concerts.
Sadly, none of these practices will get rid of long term tinnitus. But it can be equally significant to control and minimize your symptoms.
When Will Your Tinnitus Disappear?
Your tinnitus, in the majority of cases, will subside by itself. Just wait the 16-48 hours and your hearing should return to normal. However, if your tinnitus persists, you’ll want to look for a solution. Finding a workable treatment is the best way to finally get some relief. If you think you have hearing loss (which is commonly associated with tinnitus) you should have your hearing examined.