Tinnitus is an ear condition characterized by the perception of noise when no external sound is present. This noise is internal: only the person suffering from tinnitus can hear it.
This noise can be intense or light, intermittent or permanent, and can manifest as a buzzing, humming, ringing, clicking, hissing, whistling, whirring, blowing, or grinding sound. Some tinnitus can even sound musical or beat in rhythm with your pulse.
Regardless of its form, tinnitus can be very bothersome. While some people manage to go about their daily activities normally without hindrance, those who suffer from severe tinnitus may encounter daily difficulties, struggle to concentrate or participate in a conversation.
They also have trouble sleeping (insomnia), which can lead to psychological problems. Noise sensitivity and hearing difficulties may also appear.
As mentioned above, even if tinnitus is not necessarily a sign of a serious health problem, it remains uncomfortable. If you suffer from it, you may wonder if it is temporary or permanent.
The answer is "Yes" and "No." Tinnitus can be temporary or permanent.
Several factors need to be considered to determine whether your tinnitus will disappear or not.
The cause
The main factor determining whether your tinnitus can disappear is its cause. Knowing the origin of the tinnitus will help you assess the extent of the damage to the ear, and thus understand whether it can heal.
One of the major causes of tinnitus is loud noise. Prolonged exposure to high noise levels can damage your ear. Loud music, explosives, firearms, and heavy machinery can cause more or less significant damage.
If the noise exposure is brief, the damage may be temporary. For example, after a night out at a club or a concert, you may experience tinnitus, but it will disappear after a while.
However, if noise exposure is prolonged, the damage can be permanent.
Aside from noise exposure, other factors can cause tinnitus. If yours is due to an obstruction caused by an outgrowth or by an accumulation of earwax, then it is temporary.
Once the obstruction is removed, the tinnitus will disappear.
As soon as the cause of the tinnitus is known, you will know if it is temporary or permanent.
The sound
The sound of tinnitus can tell you if it is permanent or temporary. If someone else can hear it, especially with a listening device, there is a good chance it is temporary. If, on the other hand, you are the only one who can perceive it, the damage may be permanent.
The volume of the sound can also help you determine if the tinnitus is temporary. Permanent tinnitus tends to be much louder.
The duration
The duration and frequency of tinnitus are another clue to whether it is permanent or temporary. However, it is essential to note that this depends on its cause.
If the tinnitus persists for months or years, there is a good chance it is permanent. But if it occurs at short intervals or only for a brief period, it may fade away.
Signs that your tinnitus is disappearing
Like pain, tinnitus is subjective: this means that even if two people experience the same type of tinnitus, the felt effects can vary from one to another.
This difference often depends on how each person reacts to the situation. But whatever the effects, it is always a relief to know that tinnitus eventually goes away.
Certain signs indicate the disappearance of tinnitus. It can go away on its own, but medical intervention is sometimes necessary to treat its cause. These procedures are often effective, especially for temporary tinnitus.
Here are some of the signs that your tinnitus is disappearing.
1. Decrease in volume
Tinnitus noise can take different forms and manifest at different volumes or pitches. It can be high-pitched or low-pitched, loud or muffled. People who suffer from severe tinnitus often hear it over all other sounds in their environment.
When tinnitus begins to disappear, you will notice that the volume of the noise decreases. It can go from a powerful ringing to a slight hissing, perceptible only in a very quiet environment and easy to ignore.
If the tinnitus affected both ears, you will notice that the high-pitched sound present on both sides turns into a white noise perceived in only one ear. It will become increasingly discreet until it gradually fades away. You may not even be able to tell when it stopped.
2. Reduction of symptoms
Symptoms commonly associated with tinnitus include fatigue or stress, memory problems, difficulty falling asleep, anxiety, irritability, depression, and concentration problems.
The decrease in tinnitus volume can make some of these symptoms disappear, such as anxiety and irritability.
If you notice that you no longer experience most of these symptoms, or that their intensity has decreased, there is a good chance that your tinnitus is disappearing.
For example, if your tinnitus is the type that intensifies when you lie down, to the point of preventing you from sleeping, and you can now sleep without being bothered, it's a sign that it's going away.
3. Decrease in frequency
Most people with tinnitus complain that the noise is always there. It is present when they sleep, when they walk, when they read, throughout the day. If your tinnitus is like this, an interruption in the frequency of the sound may indicate that it is disappearing.
You will notice that there are periods each hour when the noise stops for a moment before returning. This is often accompanied by a decrease in the volume of the tinnitus.
The sound may even disappear for several days and then return, but with less intensity. After a while, the tinnitus may stop during one of these breaks and never reappear.
What makes tinnitus worse?
Now that you know the signs that your tinnitus is disappearing, it is important to identify what you absolutely should not do when you suffer from it. These behaviors can worsen your tinnitus and compromise the progress of healing.
1. Exposure to loud noise
This is a major cause of tinnitus. It should be avoided if you suffer from it, as constant exposure to loud noise can permanently damage your eardrum and lead to deafness.
If the source of the noise is at your workplace, whether it's machinery or sound equipment, protect your ears by wearing earplugs: permanent exposure to loud noise can turn your tinnitus from temporary to permanent.
2. Tobacco
Cigarettes contain nicotine and other substances that can worsen tinnitus. In addition, when you smoke, the blood vessels that supply oxygen to the ears narrow, leading to an increase in blood pressure.
Due to this increase in blood flow pressure, the tinnitus sound can become louder.
Quitting smoking is an excellent way to help your tinnitus disappear.
3. Blood pressure
If you suffer from tinnitus, it is essential to keep your blood pressure at a normal level. High blood pressure puts more strain on the nerves of the ear and can increase the sound. But blood pressure that is too low can also worsen tinnitus.
We advise you to have your blood pressure monitored by your doctor.
4. Alcohol
People suffering from tinnitus are generally advised to avoid alcohol, as it can worsen symptoms. Its components cause dehydration and an increase in blood pressure.
The hangover that follows alcohol consumption is often accompanied by severe headaches, which can make tinnitus unbearable.
5. Certain foods
If you suffer from tinnitus, some foods should be avoided as they worsen symptoms.
Here are some foods that are best avoided.
Coffee: the caffeine in coffee triggers stress, and stress is one of the factors that worsen tinnitus. Reducing your coffee consumption will bring you some relief.
Salt: salt contains sodium chloride, which can worsen tinnitus. Sodium chloride reduces blood flow to the cochlea, constricts blood vessels, and raises blood pressure.
Reduce your salt intake and also avoid processed and pre-packaged foods.
Artificial sweeteners: sucralose and saccharin are among the artificial sweeteners to avoid if you have tinnitus. Replace them with stevia and xylitol, which are safe.
Flavor enhancers: flavor enhancers such as monosodium glutamate (MSG) and aspartame should be avoided. They can overstimulate neurons to the point of causing their death.
Saturated fats and trans fats: these types of fats have harmful effects on the body and can worsen tinnitus. They decrease good cholesterol and increase bad (LDL). They can also cause atherosclerosis, which reduces blood circulation and can lead to a stroke or heart disease.
Ultimately, this prevents the delivery of nutrients and oxygen to the ear and blocks the removal of toxins from the inner ear.
If you suffer from tinnitus, replace saturated fats with unsaturated fats from fish, nuts, and vegetables.
6. Stress
Stress can increase the frequency and volume of tinnitus noise. Avoid strenuous activities. As soon as you feel tension rising, find ways to relax: deep breathing, massage, acupuncture, moderate physical exercise.
If none of this is enough to reduce stress, consult your doctor.
Conclusion
Now that you know the signs that your tinnitus is disappearing and the factors that can worsen it, it is essential to avoid anything that could make temporary tinnitus last. As with any other condition, we advise against self-medication.
Even if your tinnitus is due to an earwax blockage, do not try to remove it yourself: you would only worsen the situation and risk permanently damaging your ears. Make an appointment with an ENT doctor and let them identify the cause of your tinnitus and prescribe treatment if necessary.
Have you ever suffered from tinnitus in the past? What signs did you observe before it disappeared? Share your experience with CLARIA in the comments.
