there is no way to inspect the ear and make a determination on the exact cause of the tinnitus let alone determine if the tinnitus is temporary or permanent. impossible. there can be hundreds of causes of tinnitus. if your tinnitus persists see an ent specialist for a high-level evaluation.
tinnitus - how likely temp vs permanent? had ear wax removal 10 days ago then got a cold virus. tinnitus for over 1 wk. i went to the doctor 5 days ago and she said there was some sign of fluid in one of my ears behind the eardrum and the eardrum was quite pink indicating that the virus had affected my ears. she said to give it some time and see if it resolves. i don't feel ill now and no other ear related symptoms. my head/ears still feel quite 'full'. called audiologist at microsuction clinic and he said wax removal can reveal pre-existing tinnitus is not caused by the cold and likely permanent. please help.