In many cases, tinnitus goes away on its own, regardless of the cause. However, that doesn't mean you have to wait weeks, months, or even years for the tinnitus to go away. If tinnitus persists for more than a couple of weeks and adversely affects your quality of life, see an audiologist. The truth is that in almost all cases, yes, tinnitus will go away on its own.
However, you're much more likely to have chronic tinnitus the longer these noises last. Tinnitus, in most cases, will go away on its own. Your hearing should return to normal within 16 to 48 hours. However, you'll want to find a solution if your tinnitus persists.
The sooner you find a treatment that works, the sooner you can get relief. If you think you have hearing loss (which is often associated with tinnitus), you should get your hearing tested. In most cases, tinnitus doesn't spread on its own. It's important to see an otolaryngologist so that you can identify the root cause of tinnitus and treat it.
If there's no treatable cause, they can help you find ways to control your symptoms. Even a brief, very loud noise can cause tinnitus, but they usually go away fairly quickly. If loud noises last longer, perhaps because you're at a concert, your symptoms may last longer, and if you regularly expose yourself to loud noises, perhaps at work, your symptoms may even become permanent. If tinnitus persists for more than three months, it's called chronic tinnitus (but you should have it examined much sooner by an expert).
If tinnitus is due to natural hearing loss that is common with aging, it can also be permanent. Prolonged exposure to loud noise can damage the hair cells in the ear, which can cause tinnitus. The precise causes of tinnitus are not yet well understood, although there are some known connections (such as hearing loss). If you have tinnitus, you probably need to see an otolaryngologist because, in most cases, it won't spread on its own.
Sometimes, you may experience tinnitus as a result of brief exposure to loud noises, and it will improve after a few days. However, if the cause isn't clear, your tinnitus doesn't seem to go away, or if you have other symptoms that may suggest an infection or damage to your eardrum, you should schedule an appointment with an audiologist. Tinnitus can be permanent, and the best way to know how long tinnitus is likely to last is to understand what causes it. However, in most situations, in fact, throughout most of life, tinnitus usually goes away on its own, a normal reaction to a noisy environment (and to the body's method of warning you to avoid that situation from now on).
If you've been exposed to loud noises and your tinnitus goes away quickly, it's usually not something that needs to be diagnosed. However, over time, tinnitus can become distressing and it can be difficult to focus on anything else. However, this means that there is no easy answer to determining how long tinnitus can last or if it's temporary or permanent. Many people think of tinnitus as a stand-alone condition and don't bother to seek help for a brief episode.
