Sensorineural Hearing Loss

Generally sensorineural loss is permanent and is the most common type of hearing loss. Medication and surgery cannot repair sensorineural hearing loss and hearing aids are known as the best treatment for this type of loss.

Signs, causes & 
treatment

Sensorineural hearing loss is the most common of the three types of hearing loss, with the others being conductive and mixed hearing loss.

It occurs due to two issues:

  • Damage to the tiny hair cells in your inner ear
  • Issues with the auditory nerve that’s responsible for carrying sound from your ear to your brain

Ageing is the most common cause of sensorineural hearing loss, though it can also occur as a result of exposure to loud noise.

Signs of Sensorineural
Hearing Loss

How do you know if you have sensorineural hearing loss? Look for the following signs and speak to a Freedom Hearing audiologist if you have any concerns.

Difficulty following group conversations

How to know if you have sensorineural hearing loss? Look for the following signs and speak to a Freedom Hearing audiologist if you have any concerns.

Talking on the phone gets tougher

You may find it harder to hear what somebody’s saying when you’re on the phone. Again, background noise makes it even harder to listen to somebody’s voice.

Symptoms of Tinnitus

Experiencing a constant and intermediate ringing or buzzing sound in your ears is a symptom of tinnitus.


These symptoms may indicate a sensorineural problem.

High-pitched sounds are muffled

Sensorineural hearing loss affects your ability to hear high-pitched sounds. For example, the sound of a microwave pinging may seem muffled or distorted. You may also find it easier to hear men’s voices than women’s voices.

Other people sound like they’re mumbling

If you’re repeatedly asking people to slow down or speak more clearly, you may have a hearing issue to confront. Schedule a hearing check if some people sound like they’re mumbling.

Try our free hearing test

Are you unsure whether you should book a full hearing assessment? Try this free hearing test to find out:

  • Do you find it difficult to follow conversations when there are three or more people present in a group?
  • Has a loved one asked you to get your hearing tested?
  • Do some people tend to sound like they’re mumbling?
  • Do you often have to turn up the volume on your TV or radio so you can hear it?

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Causes & Treatment

The causes of sensorineural hearing loss include:

  • Ageing
  • Genetic issues
  • Complications during birth or pregnancy
  • Single instance of exposure to very loud noise or explosions.
  • Prolonged exposure to loud sounds
  • Use of some medications and drugs, especially for the treatment of cancer.

As sensorineural hearing loss is typically permanent, it’s often impossible to treat with medication or surgery. Hearing aids are the most common form of treatment.

At Freedom Hearing, we offer a wide range of hearing aids for every type of hearing loss. If you’d like to learn more about the devices that can help you rediscover the sounds of life, schedule your hearing test with our team of experts today.

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Sensorineural FAQs

Although there are other forms of hearing loss, the sensorineural loss is the most prevalent.

This type of hearing loss occurs when there is damage to the hair cells in the inner ear.

Sound waves are transformed into electrical impulses that are transmitted to the brain by these hair cells.

When they are damaged, they can no longer do their job properly.

This can happen as a result of exposure to loud noise, certain medications, and even ageing.

Sensorineural hearing loss is a type of hearing loss that is caused by damage to the inner ear or to the nerve that connects the inner ear to the brain.

This type of hearing loss is permanent.

It is also a kind of hearing loss caused by injury to the auditory nerve or the inner ear.

It is the most prevalent kind of hearing loss and can affect people of any age.

Those with severe hearing loss who are no longer helped by hearing aids may benefit from cochlear implants.

They can have better lives and communication thanks to cochlear implants.

Both ears and one of them can get cochlear implants (bilateral).

Surgically implanted cochlear implants improve hearing in those with sensorineural hearing loss.

Numerous benefits of a cochlear implant include improved hearing, communication, and quality of life.

However, cochlear implantation in adults is still uncommon.

Cochlear implants are a therapy option for those with severe, profound, or moderate grading to profound bilateral sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL), who gain little benefit from hearing aids.

Another word for abrupt sensorineural hearing loss is sudden deafness (SSHL).

It occurs when your hearing abruptly fails, generally just in one ear.

It could occur all at once or over the course of many days.

The sound eventually gets weak or muted throughout this period.

Damage to the inner ear or the nerve that links the inner ear to the brain can result in sensorineural hearing loss, a kind of hearing loss.

This kind of hearing loss can make it difficult for a person to detect faint noises or tell apart similar-sounding phrases.

In loud settings, it can also make it challenging to interpret speech.

In addition to age and certain medical disorders, loud noise exposure can also cause sensorineural hearing loss.

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