Sensorineural hearing loss

A sensorineural hearing loss is one that affects the nerves in the inner ear. The more the nerves are damaged the greater the hearing loss will be. In addition to affecting the sensitivity or loudness of hearing, a sensorineural loss can also affect the clarity of hearing – meaning that, for example, if a sound such as someone’s voice is loud enough for you to hear you still may not be able to understand clearly what is being said.

Most people will suffer some level of sensorineural hearing loss as they get older. Other common causes are:

  • Long term noise exposure
  • Excessively loud noise – see How Loud Is Too Loud? for more info
  • Genetic
  • Disease or illness – Conditions such as Measles, Mumps, Meningitis and Chlamydia can cause sensorineural losses
  • Medications – are small number of medicines are known to potentially cause hearing loss.

Conductive hearing loss is the other type of hearing loss – it affects the middle and outer ear.

A sensorineural hearing loss is almost certainly permanent. If you think you may have a hearing loss then consult a medical professional as soon as possible.

Related posts:

  1. Conductive and Sensorineural hearing loss
  2. Conductive hearing loss
  3. The drug that could end the misery of tinnitus
  4. What is Tinnitus?
  5. My name is Steve and I have a hearing loss

6 comments
Leave a comment »

  1. Conductive hearing loss on February 2nd 2008 at 8:59 pm :

    [...] Sensorineural hearing loss is the other type of hearing loss – it affects the inner ear. [...]

  2. CHAYAN KUMAR GANGULY on April 5th 2008 at 3:57 pm :

    I am aslo a totally deaf persons.I have had a sensorineural hearing loss i,e Nervous deafness.when I was read in class iv in 1955 I have had a serious type of meningitis and the attending phisician by mistake initially treated wrongly resulting the case worsen and I was admitted to a Medical college in Kolkata,INDIA.The doctor administered me heavy doses of quinine.ultimately though my life has anyhow been saved I lost my hearing completly.After that I have been treated by so many prominent ENT surgeon of India but none could give me any little hearing so far.

    after loss of hearing I sometimes used hearing aids in my first part of life but without any help and I gave up to wear any hearing aids.

    Now hearing aids are also improved.could you please suggest any hearing aid that benefit me.

    Thanks,

    ckganguly

  3. Dave on May 8th 2008 at 9:02 pm :

    I have conductive hearing loss cause by otosclerosis and have stapedotomy in my left ear but didn’t work well. I use to wear hearing aid with ear mold for my right ear but chronic ear infection for every three months force me to give up wearing hearing aid. My hearing is range severe loss. Unable to hear any consonant sound with hearing aid. I wonder if speaker-in-the-ear or RITE hearing aid would help me hear better or prevent ear infection?

    Thanks

  4. My name is Steve and I have a hearing loss on May 15th 2008 at 7:40 pm :

    [...] he suffered from otosclerosis and someone asked me if that was what I had. I told them about my sensorineural loss and a bit about the problems I have with background noise and localisation and so [...]

  5. Brandie Wall on November 25th 2008 at 3:37 am :

    My step-daughter has bilateralsensorineural hearing loss she is 7 now but it was found when she was 4. She can speak but also reads lips. She has severe difficulties with consanents. She wear in ear with earmold hearing aids. And at school the teacher wears uses an FM system. But she still is having difficulties with learning and understanding what people say. She is way behind on speech also. Her hearing loss is permanate. She only has 5% hearing in both ears and at 50 decibles.

  6. Steve on December 8th 2008 at 11:01 pm :

    @Dave

    I caught a nasty ear infection when I was in the Dominican Republic some years back and for at least two to three years after that I would get an ear infection once every month or two. It wasn’t until I got a new pair of hearing aids that the infection stopped recurring.

    I would suggest getting your hearing aids cleaned by a professional.

Leave Comment