Tinnitus for 2 Weeks Now... Will It Go Away?

I've had this ringing in my ears for about 2 weeks and heres how it started.

First, I have always listened to loud music but until about a month ago I didnt wear ear buds but I think they are a contributing factor. Then about two weeks ago, I was walking through a tunnel and a super loud car comes inside and it felt like a lawnmower was being started in my ear. Ever since, I have had a ringing sensation that feels different than any before, like it is coming from inside my head, not in my ear. Luckily, I haven't noticed any hearing loss. Early on, I'd say it was about a 7/10 volume. I could hear it over the street noise and pretty much everything. Now its about a 3-4/10. Like most people in the situation, I started googling and got freaked out by the fact that it can be permanent. I have scheduled an appointment for an ENT next week but by reading some of the posts on here its not always a solution once the damage has been done. I haven't been getting much sleep since it happened and not eating much and feeling overall depressed.

Earlier this year, I had bronchitis which developed into an ear infection which left me with ringing for about 3 weeks but this time im scared that the ringing is here to stay. My hope is that this eventually goes away within the 6 to 8 week window I keep reading about acoustic trauma recovery. I was wondering what you guys think the chances are.

 

well if the cause is loud noises then my general answer will be no sadly
it will not go away
and we all hope that someday since will find a cure for it

 

Go to the Dr. and try some Prednisone. Start taking NAC everyday. Protect your ears. Its important to get sleep. Use something to mask the ringing at night so you can sleep. You need to get sleep so you cn start to feel better during the day. Best.

 

Thanks @Robert44 for the help. since posting this a few days ago, the T has gone down a little bit and I've been getting a bit more sleep each night. Last night was the best so far as I was able to even get some sleep without masking the T! progress i guess?

 

@Jajeek,
Lovely to hear your doing better and hope it continues for you....lots of love glynis

 

Just thought I'd provide an update. After seeing the ENT today and doing an audiogram, they said that there was no nerve damage and that I have very good hearing. I am still worried because basically the doctor said to tune the noise out and hope it eventually goes away. what do you guys think of this?

 

If you have Outer Hair cell damage at higher freq. Standard test cant detect it as you can have upto 30% OHC damage without any hearing loss..


Prednisone is effective in the first fews and used for Sudden hearing loss...but why to lose by giving it a shot!

Did you say you started wearing ear protection a month ago? I am asking in got tinnitus after i wore ear protection for a couple of parties.

 

yeah i have started wearing ear protection. The doctor did not prescribe any prednisone because i didnt have any hearing loss

 

In all probability you have hearing damage which is not detectable by standard tests....

Please read the section "
Discordant damage of IHC and OHC" at
http://m.bmb.oxfordjournals.org/content/63/1/195.full.html where it says "LePage notes that if there were functional OHCs adjacent to the dysfunctional OHCs, then no loss of audiometric sensitivity might be evident."

Did your T start after you started hearing protection?