If you’ve been dealing with tinnitus—a ringing, buzzing or whooshing sound in the ear with no external source—you’re not alone: nearly 10% of Americans have experienced tinnitus at some point. The noise can be distracting, frustrating or even debilitating, impacting concentration, sleep and socializing. You may wonder how long tinnitus will last, or if it’s permanent. Whether or not your tinnitus is permanent depends on a variety of factors.
What Caused Your Tinnitus?
The most significant factor in whether your tinnitus is permanent or temporary is what caused it in the first place.
Tinnitus is likely a temporary condition if it was caused by a situational or reversible condition, such as:
- Exposure to loud noise. This is the most common cause of temporary tinnitus.
- Medications. Some medications contain ototoxic chemicals (that is, chemicals that directly damage the inner ear). While the damage caused can be permanent, in many cases, tinnitus goes away when you stop taking that medication.
- Injuries or trauma to the ear, head and/or neck, although this could vary with severity. If the injury is serious, tinnitus may be permanent.
- Ear conditions, such as ear infections or earwax buildup.
Tinnitus will likely be permanent, or chronic, if it was caused by more persistent underlying issues, such as:
- Age-related hearing loss. In this case, tinnitus develops with the aging of the auditory system.
- Prolonged noise exposure. Short bursts of loud noise, like a concert, will probably cause temporary tinnitus, but if the noise exposure is sustained over a long period of time, it causes lasting damage. This is common for people who work in loud environments.
- Some medical conditions, such as high blood pressure, anemia, migraines, cardiovascular disease or cancer. If the medical condition is permanent, it’s likely the tinnitus it causes will be permanent, too.
Note: It’s not uncommon for a medical professional to be unsure what is causing tinnitus. Because the sound has no external source, it can be hard to trace.
How Long Will Temporary Tinnitus Last?
There’s no quick and easy answer to how long tinnitus will last, as it depends on what caused it in the first place. Many cases of tinnitus result from loud noise, which damages the inner ear and causes a threshold shift. If the noise was sudden and quick, tinnitus may last a few minutes to a few hours, but if the noise exposure was longer, it may take a few days or weeks to go away.
Can Tinnitus Be Cured?
Unfortunately, no; there is currently no cure for tinnitus. In the case of temporary tinnitus, managing the underlying cause will help the tinnitus go away on its own, e.g., resting your ears after being exposed to a loud noise or stopping an ototoxic medication. Chronic tinnitus is permanent, and there is no cure.
How Is Tinnitus Managed?
There are some highly effective tinnitus management strategies available today. Sound therapy is one option. Sound therapy masks the noise in your head, allowing your brain to pay less attention to it. Another option is hearing aids. This is especially successful for those with tinnitus caused by age-related hearing loss, as hearing aids will serve both needs. Call The House Institute today to find out more and make an appointment.