When you first hear that ringing in your ears you may have a very common reaction: pretend that it’s no big deal. You go through your day the same way you always do: you have a chat with family, go to the store, and prepare lunch. While you simultaneously try your hardest to dismiss that ringing. Because you feel sure of one fact: your tinnitus will fade away by itself.

After several more days of unremitting buzzing and ringing, though, you begin to have doubts.

You aren’t the only person to ever be in this scenario. sometimes tinnitus will go away on its own, and other times it will linger on and that’s the reason why it’s a tricky little disorder.

When Tinnitus is Likely to Disappear by Itself

Around the globe, nearly everyone has had a bout of tinnitus because it’s very common. Tinnitus is a temporary condition, in most circumstances, and will ultimately recede on its own. A rock concert is a good example: you go to your local stadium to see your favorite band and you notice, when you get home, that your ears are ringing.

The type of tinnitus that is linked to temporary injury from loud noise will normally decrease within a few days (but you realize that it’s just part of going to a loud concert).

After a while hearing loss can go from temporary or “acute” to permanent or “chronic” because of this exact type of injury. One concert too many and you could be waiting quite a while for your tinnitus to recede on its own.

Often Times, Tinnitus Doesn’t Simply Disappear

If your tinnitus lingers for over three months it’s then classified as chronic tinnitus (but you should get it checked by a specialist long before that).

Something like 5-15% of individuals globally have reported signs of chronic tinnitus. The precise causes of tinnitus are still not well known though there are some known associations (like hearing loss).

When the causes of your tinnitus aren’t clear, it usually means that a fast “cure” will be unidentifiable. If your ears have been ringing for more than three months and there’s no discernible cause, there’s a strong possibility that the sound will not go away on its own. In those cases, there are treatment options available (like cognitive behavioral therapy or noise-canceling devices) that can help you control symptoms and maintain your quality of life.

The Cause of Your Tinnitus is Significant

It becomes a lot easier to reduce the symptoms of tinnitus when you can recognize the fundamental causes. For instance, if your tinnitus is created by a stubborn, bacterial ear infection, treatment with an antibiotic will usually solve both problems, bringing about a healthy ear and clear hearing.

Some causes of acute tinnitus may consist of:

• Damage to the eardrum (such as a perforated eardrum)
• Loss of hearing (again, this is often associated with chronic tinnitus)
• Chronic ear infections
• Meniere’s disease (this usually has no cure and is often associated with chronic tinnitus)
• A blockage in the ear or ear canal

So…Will The Ringing in My Ears Go Away?

The truth is that in almost all cases, yes, your tinnitus will subside by itself. But it becomes increasingly more likely that you’re dealing with chronic tinnitus the longer these tinnitus sounds linger.

You think that if you simply forget it should go away by itself. But there could come a point where your tinnitus begins to become uncomfortable, where it’s tough to focus because the sound is too disruptive. In those situations, crossing your fingers might not be the complete treatment plan you require.

The majority of the time tinnitus is simply the body’s answer to loud noise that may be damaging over time and will go away on its own. Only time will tell if your tinnitus is acute or chronic.