The ringing just won’t go away. It’s been more than two days and you can still hear that unpleasant ringing in your ears. You’re aware that the buzzing is tinnitus but your beginning to be concerned about how long it will continue.
Tinnitus can be brought about by injury to the stereocilia in your ears (they’re the tiny hairs that sense air vibrations which your brain then converts into intelligible sound). That damage is usually the result of overly loud sound. That’s why when you’re seated next to a booming jet engine, or out at a noisy restaurant, or attending a concert, you notice tinnitus the most.
How Long Does Tinnitus Last on Average?
Tinnitus can’t be cured. But that doesn’t mean it won’t ever subside. How long your tinnitus lasts will depend on a wide variety of factors, including your overall health and the underlying cause of your tinnitus.
But if you notice your ears buzzing after a noisy day of traveling, a day or two should be sufficient for you to notice your tinnitus going away. 16 to 48 hours typically is how long tinnitus will persist. But sometimes, symptoms can last as long as two weeks. And tinnitus will come back if you are exposed to loud sound again.
If tinnitus lingers and is impacting your quality of life, you need to consult a specialist.
What Causes Lasting Tinnitus?
Usually, tinnitus is temporary. But that means it can be long lasting. Especially when the cause of tinnitus is something outside the mundane When it comes to intensity and origin. Some illustrations are as follows:
- Hearing Impairment: Frequently, tinnitus and hearing loss are joined at the hip. So, whatever the cause of your hearing loss is, you might also end up developing (or noticing) irreversible tinnitus along with it.
- Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI): The brain is where most sound is processed. When those processors start to misfire, because of traumatic brain trauma, tinnitus can be the result.
- Repeated exposure: After one rock concert, your ears will ring for a couple of days but frequent subjection will result in far more serious consequences. Frequent exposure to loud noises can result in permanent hearing damage, including tinnitus.
Temporary tinnitus is far more common than lasting tinnitus. But permanent or chronic tinnitus still impacts millions of Us citizens each year.
How Can You Get Your Tinnitus to go Away?
You will want to find relief sooner rather than later regardless of whether your tinnitus is permanent or short term. There is no cure for tinnitus but you can do certain things to decrease the symptoms (however long they may last):
- Try to stay calm: perhaps it sounds somewhat… abstract, but higher blood pressure can bring about tinnitus episodes so staying calm can help keep your tinnitus at bay.
- Find a way to mask the sound: You can in some cases mask the sound and get a restful nights sleep by using some source of white noise like a humidifier or fan.
- Avoid loud noises. Your symptoms may be prolonged or may become more intense if you keep exposing yourself to loud noises like rock concerts or a jet engine.
- Wear earplugs (or earmuffs): If you cannot steer clear of loud situations, then protecting your hearing is the next best option. (And, really, whether you have tinnitus or not, you need to wear hearing protection.)
Unfortunately, none of these tactics will get rid of long term tinnitus. But diminishing and managing your symptoms can be equally important.
When Will Your Tinnitus go Away?
Your tinnitus, in most scenarios, will recede by itself. Just wait the 16-48 hours and your hearing should return to normal. However, you will want to find a solution if your tinnitus persists. Finding a workable treatment is the best way to ultimately get some relief. Get your hearing checked if you think you have tinnitus or hearing loss.
