How to stop rushing noise in my ear?

For the past week I've had a rushing noise in my right ear. I'm pretty sure it's the sound of my blood because it's not a constant noise, it's pulsing, and if I put my thumb on my neck the noise gets quieter. The noise is driving me insane, I've only been able to sleep every other day because by then I'm so exhausted that I fall asleep before the noise starts to bother me. I can't listen to music in bed to distract myself either since I don't have an mp3 player and my phone doesn't play music.
I'm pretty sure it's tinnitus, but I don't know what to do about it, nor why I have it. This has never happened to me before. I'm only 19 so I doubt it's hearing loss. I don't listen to loud music and I rarely use asprin or any other sort of medication. I haven't been doing anything differently than I usually do and I haven't been stressed lately.
I am going to the doctor about this, but is there anything I can do in the meantime?