When you first hear that ringing in your ears you could have a very typical response: pretend that it’s no big deal. You set about your normal habits: you do your shopping, you make dinner, you try to have a conversation with your friends. All the while, you’re trying to force that ringing in your ear to the back of your mind. Because there is one thing you feel sure about: your tinnitus will fade away naturally.

You start to get concerned, though, when after a few days the ringing and buzzing is unrelenting.

This situation happens to others as well. Tinnitus can be a tricky little condition, sometimes it will disappear on its own and in some cases, it will stay for a long time to come.

When Tinnitus is Likely to Vanish by Itself

Tinnitus is extremely common around the world, almost everybody’s had a bout every now and then. Tinnitus is a temporary condition, in most cases, and will eventually subside on its own. The most prevalent scenario is the rock concert: you go see Bruce Springsteen at your local arena (it’s a good show) and when you go home, you discover that your ears are ringing.

The kind of tinnitus that is associated with temporary injury from loud noise will usually subside within a few days (and you chalk it up to the price of seeing your favorite band play live).

Naturally, it’s exactly this type of noise injury that, over time, can cause loss of hearing to move from temporary (or acute, as they say) to chronic. One concert too many and you may be waiting quite a while for your tinnitus to go away on its own.

Often Times, Tinnitus Doesn’t Just go Away

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

Around 5-15% of people globally have reported indications of chronic tinnitus. While there are some known close associations (such as hearing loss, as an example), the causes of tinnitus aren’t yet well comprehended.

Often, a fast cure for tinnitus will be evasive if the causes aren’t evident. If your ears have been buzzing for more than three months and there’s no recognizable cause, there’s a strong chance that the sound will not recede on its own. In those circumstances, there are treatment options available (such as cognitive behavioral therapy or noise-canceling devices) that can help you control symptoms and protect your quality of life.

The Reason For Your Tinnitus is Important

When you can identify the root cause of your tinnitus, dealing with the condition quickly becomes much simpler. For example, if your tinnitus is created by a stubborn, bacterial ear infection, treatment with an antibiotic will tend to solve both problems, bringing about a healthy ear and clear hearing.

Here are some likely causes of acute tinnitus:

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

So…Will The Ringing in My Ears Stop?

The bottom line is that in almost all cases, yes, your tinnitus will go away on its own. But it becomes significantly more likely that you’re facing chronic tinnitus the longer these noises linger.

You think that if you just disregard it should go away on its own. But there may come a point where your tinnitus begins to become uncomfortable, where it’s hard to concentrate because the sound is too distracting. In those circumstances, crossing your fingers may not be the extensive treatment plan you require.

The majority of the time tinnitus is simply the body’s answer to loud noise that could be damaging over time and will recede on its own. Whether that’s acute or chronic tinnitus, well, only time will tell.