I suffered with Tinnitus or a ringing in my ears for two years. But then, my Tinnitus went away slowly. I documented my Tinnitus success story here. In fact, the whole purpose of this blog is me trying to help others with Tinnitus. I publish a post about managing, treating or coping with Tinnitus, every single day.
Today, let’s look at circumstances where your Tinnitus will go away. And, we will also look at when it will unfortunately stick around.
What is Your Tinnitus Handicap Score?
Calculate your THI Score in about 2-3 Minutes
Short Term Tinnitus (Probably)
In some circumstances, your Tinnitus will affect you for just 24 to 48 to 72 hours. If you are suffering from an onset of Tinnitus and it has been less than 72 hours since it came on, you could just hope and wait that it will go away. We wrote probably in the heading because nobody can really say for sure if you will never get Tinnitus again, even if it goes away in less than 72 hours. If it does go away, you will experience these Tinnitus going away signs.
Exposure to Loud Noise
A case of ringing in the ears is very common after attending a concert or spending a few hours at a loud club. Other forms of sudden sound exposure can also trigger Tinnitus. My Tinnitus came on after I foolishly stood in front of a World War II air raid siren. My ringing in the ears unfortunately stuck around for 2 years. But, if your ringing goes away within 72 hours, it could just be a case of temporary Tinnitus.
But again, temporary does not mean you will never get it again. It’s just that you can go dormant without it, for several years. When you are exposed to loud noises again, there is a great likelihood that Tinnitus will return. If your Tinnitus does go away after the recent exposure to loud noise you have had, we highly recommend that you wear ear plugs for Tinnitus. With Tinnitus, prevention is always better than cure!
How Severe is Your Tinnitus?
Find out by using this THI (Tinnitus Handicap Inventory) Scoring Calculator
Tinnitus Caused by Ear Wax Buildup
Sometimes, the consistent buildup of ear wax can eventually lead to Tinnitus. In such cases, removal of said ear wax can result in relief. Don’t immediately reach for that Q-Tip though! In fact, for most people, it’s not the ear wax that causes ringing. It’s when they go digging for it with a Q-tip. Q-tips can perforate ear drums easily! They are not even meant to be inserted into the ear canal. Even the instructions on Q-tip packaging says so! Read everything you need to know about ear wax Tinnitus here.
Tinnitus Caused by Allergies
For many, Tinnitus comes on in the peak of allergy season. Allergies can congest sinus cavities. Blocked sinuses can then change pressure in your ear canal. Besides pain and a fullness in the ears, it can also cause allergy Tinnitus. If your Tinnitus is allergy related, a simple antihistamine like Benadryl can provide relief from ringing in the ears. Vicks Vaporub can also be an easy cure or relief for Tinnitus, sometimes.
Tinnitus Caused by Wisdom Teeth Problems
Do you have Tinnitus and also problematic wisdom teeth? The swelling around your wisdom teeth can affect your jaw structure that can in turn cause Tinnitus. Learn more about how wisdom teeth can cause Tinnitus here.
Tinnitus Caused by TMJ Disorders or Jaw Clenching
Are you a bruxer, aka teeth grinder. Bruxism and other TMJ disorders are very well known as being able to cause Tinnitus. Your jaw joint is connected to your ears with a ligament. Undue pressure applied from the jaw will affect your ears. Learn more about what you can do about Tinnitus caused by jaw clenching.
When your Tinnitus is temporary, you will experience signs that Tinnitus is going away, before it fades out. So, watch out for those signs. Being aware of how your condition is progressing will allow you to know whether you can just wait it out, or, whether you need to visit an audiologist to take a Tinnitus test.
Long Term Tinnitus
If you have had Tinnitus for longer than 72 hours, you most probably have long term Tinnitus. Based on my research, every passing day reduces the chances of you having just temporary Tinnitus. That being said, there have been instances where Tinnitus has gone away even after 2 weeks. Read more about how permanent Tinnitus can be here.
But, can chronic Tinnitus go away after years. It certainly can. My Tinnitus lasted around 2 years. For me, it was correcting vitamin deficiencies and cleaning up my diet and lifestyle that finally got rid of the persistent ringing of the ears. I am not Tinnitus free though. The ringing returns for a few days in a year but I am able to make it go away again, by being careful about my diet and lifestyle. So, if you have had ringing in the years for 2, 3, 5 or even 10 years, hang in there. Read my Tinnitus story to see if you can find some hope and motivation to keep going, until that quiet day can finally arrive.
Does Pulsatile Tinnitus Go Away?
Pulsatile Tinnitus is a very rare form of Tinnitus. With this condition, you will hear not just a ringing but also a rhythmic thumping or whooshing sound that coincides with your heart beat. Another major difference between ordinary Tinnitus and Pulsatile Tinnitus is that even a doctor can hear the sound you are hearing, with a stethoscope. Diagnosis and treatment or management of Pulsatile Tinnitus will usually begin with imaging scans. Tests routinely asked for to diagnose Pulsatile Tinnitus include angiography, CT scans, MRI scans, MRA scans and sometimes very advanced scans like tomographic angiographies.
Unfortunately, there is no known cure for Pulsatile Tinnitus. What we mean is that Pulsatile Tinnitus can’t be cured on a standalone basis. But, it can be cured by addressing the underlying problem in the body.
These problems could range from having erratic blood pressure to having irregular blood vessels to also having an overactive thyroid gland. Other conditions capable of causing Pulsatile Tinnitus are head and neck tumors, atherosclerosis and a very rare condition called arteriovenous, where arteries and veins are not properly connected.
If these underlying conditions can be cured, Pulsatile Tinnitus can also go away. But, such underlying conditions are often difficult to treat and completely cure.
There have however been several success stories where people have been able to get rid of their Pulsatile Tinnitus. Removal of head or neck tumors have been particularly effective at ending accompanying Pulsatile Tinnitus. Other underlying health problems causing Pulsatile Tinnitus are however more difficult to cure, although they can be managed.
