When you first notice that ringing in your ears you might have a very common response: pretend that it’s no big deal. You go through your day the same as usual: you do your shopping, you make dinner, you attempt to have a discussion with your partner. In the meantime, you’re attempting to force that ringing in your ear to the back of your mind. Because there is one thing you feel certain of: your tinnitus will go away naturally.

You start to worry, however, when after a few days the ringing and buzzing is unrelenting.

You’re not the only one to ever be in this situation. Tinnitus can be a tricky little affliction, at times it will disappear by itself and sometimes, it will stick around for a longer period of time.

When Tinnitus is Likely to Vanish by Itself

Around the world, almost everybody has had a bout of tinnitus because it’s very common. Tinnitus is a non-permanent condition, in most cases, and will ultimately disappear by itself. The most common scenario is the rock concert: you go see Bruce Springsteen at your local stadium (it’s a good show) and when you go home, you notice that your ears are ringing.

The kind of tinnitus that is linked to temporary damage from loud noise will usually diminish within a few days (but you realize that it’s just part of going to a loud concert).

Over time loss of hearing can go from temporary or “acute” to permanent or “chronic” because of this exact kind of damage. Too many of those types of concerts and you might wind up with permanent tinnitus.

When Tinnitus Doesn’t Seem to be Getting Better on its own

If your tinnitus doesn’t diminish (with help or on its own) within the period of three months or so, the ailment is then categorized as chronic tinnitus (this does not, however, mean that you should wait that long to talk to a specialist about lingering thumping, buzzing, or ringing in your ears).

Around 5-15% of individuals around the world have recorded signs of chronic tinnitus. The exact causes of tinnitus are still not well understood although there are some known associations (such as hearing loss).

Normally, a quick cure for tinnitus will be elusive if the triggers aren’t obvious. If your ears have been buzzing for over three months and there’s no recognizable cause, there’s a strong possibility that the sound will not subside on its own. But if this is your circumstance, you can preserve your quality of life and control your symptoms with some treatment options (such as noise canceling devices and cognitive behavioral therapy).

It’s Relevant to Know What The Cause of Your Tinnitus is

When you can determine the fundamental cause of your tinnitus, mitigating the condition quickly becomes much simpler. If a bacterial ear infection is, for example, the reason for your tinnitus, you can regain a healthy ear and clear hearing by treating it with antibiotics.

Here are some possible causes of acute tinnitus:

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

So…Will The Ringing in My Ears Go Away?

The bottom line is that in almost all cases, yes, your tinnitus will subside on its own. But it becomes progressively more likely that you’re coping with chronic tinnitus the longer these tinnitus sounds linger.

You can persuade yourself there’s nothing wrong and hope that the buzzing will just stop. But sooner or later, your tinnitus might become uncomfortable and it may become hard to focus on anything else. And in those instances, you might want a treatment plan more thorough than crossing your fingers.

In most situations, however, as a matter of fact, throughout most of your life, your tinnitus will normally subside by itself, a typical response to a loud environment (and your body’s method of telling you to stay away from that environment from now on). Only time will tell if your tinnitus is acute or chronic.