Sensorineural Hearing Loss: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment
Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) is a type of hearing loss affecting the inner ear or hearing nerve. It is different from conductive hearing loss, which is caused by damage to your outer or middle ear. Conductive hearing loss affects the mechanical parts of hearing, such as the ear canal, eardrum, or middle ear.
Sensorineural hearing loss happens when there is a break in the connection between your ear and brain. In your inner ear, the cochlea (sensory organ of hearing) changes sound vibrations into electrical signals. Then your auditory nerve sends these signals to the brain.
Sensorineural deafness is a type of hearing loss. Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) is caused by damage to these special cells, or to the nerve fibers in the inner ear. The inner part of the ear contains tiny hair cells (nerve endings), that change sounds into electric signals. The nerves then carry these signals to the brain.
You may have mild, moderate, severe, or profound (total or almost total) sensorineural hearing loss. Sudden sensorineural hearing loss (sudden deafness) develops quickly, over the course of three days or less. Hearing loss usually develops gradually. You may not even realize you have hearing loss or inner ear damage until you or your doctor notice the signs.
Sensorineural hearing loss may develop for reasons out of your control. However, you can prevent inner ear damage from certain causes.
Diagnosis
Our specialists may find that you have hearing loss during a routine visit. Your doctor will do an ear exam and ask about your symptoms and past health conditions. Your doctor uses a microscope to look inside your ear. We use hearing tests to find out how much hearing loss you have. Your doctor may use a tympanometry test to look at how well your eardrum and middle ear work. This test changes the pressure inside your ear with bursts of air.
The inner ear includes your vestibular system, which allows you to balance and stabilize your body. Some causes of sensorineural hearing loss may also harm your vestibular system.
Treatment Options
At Stanford Health Care, we provide world-class sensorineural hearing loss treatment. Sensorineural hearing loss is typically permanent. However, many treatment options exist to enhance your hearing or replace the parts of your ear that don't work.
The goal of treatment is to improve your hearing.
The following may be helpful:
- Hearing aids
- Telephone amplifiers and other assistive devices
- Safety and alert systems for your home
- Sign language (for those with severe hearing loss)
- Speech reading (such as lip reading and using visual cues to aid communication)
A cochlear implant may be recommended for certain people with severe hearing loss. Surgery is done to place the implant.
The ear consists of external, middle, and inner structures.
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