Ringing in the ears lasts differently for different people. How long Tinnitus will last will depend on many factors like cause, age of the person, genetic history, treatments, use of hearing aid and sometimes even lifestyle choices people make.
Below, we will give you a brief idea of how long we think your Tinnitus will last, depending on what caused the condition.Regardless of what caused your Tinnitus, you will experience these signs that Tinnitus is going away, when it eventually begins to fade away.
Tinnitus caused by genetic conditions – Tinnitus can be hereditary in many cases. When it is hereditary or genetic in nature, the characteristics of the condition in a patient get passed down as well. So, if your family has a history of chronic or permanent Tinnitus, you unfortunately have a chance of acquiring Tinnitus of a similar nature. In such cases, it would help to get some family history to understand what sort of Tinnitus you have acquired. In some cases, someone in the family might have been able to overcome Tinnitus. The good news is that whatever worked for them can possibly work for you as well.
Tinnitus caused by loud noise – If ringing in your ears came on after exposure to very loud music at a concert or some other event, there’s a chance that it will go away pretty soon, in hours if not days. If it however lasts more than 2 weeks, the damage could be more permanent in nature. Please also understand that exposure to loud noise can show its effects 15 to 20 years after exposure. So, even if your Tinnitus does go away, you must take a lot of precautions to minimize exposure to loud noise. Wear ear plugs or just avoid noisy environments.
Tinnitus caused by medications – Medications like Prednisone that are used to treat sudden hearing loss can cause Tinnitus! Similarly, there are other medications like chemotherapy drugs and even your everyday NSAIDs that can cause or worsen Tinnitus. Such medicines are called Ototoxic medicines. If you take any of these, you must talk to your doctor about alternatives that do not damage your ears. If Tinnitus is caused by medications you take, it can taper or even resolve when you wean or go off such medications. But, other factors are at play as well. For example, how long you have taken a drug or what dosage was administered to you will also play a part in deciding how soon Tinnitus can resolve after you go off medication.
Tinnitus caused by partial hearing loss – How long Tinnitus lasts after you have been diagnosed with partial hearing loss depends on how much hearing you have lost. The more the hearing loss, the lesser the chance of Tinnitus going away soon. Also, to resolve Tinnitus caused by hearing loss, you must use custom hearing aids that will restore your hearing.