Sensorineural deafness
Nerve deafness; Hearing loss - sensorineural; Acquired hearing loss; SNHL; Noise-induced hearing loss; NIHL; PresbycusisSensorineural deafness is a type of hearing loss. It occurs from damage to the inner ear, the place of origin of the nerve that runs from the ear to the brain (auditory nerve), or damage to the brain itself.
Type of hearing loss
Hearing loss is being partly or totally unable to hear sound in one or both ears.
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleConsiderations
Symptoms may include:
- Some sounds seem overly loud in one ear.
- You have problems following conversations when two or more people are talking.
- You have problems hearing in noisy areas.
- It is easier to hear men's voices than women's voices.
- It is hard to tell high-pitched sounds (such as "s" or "th") from one another.
- Other people's voices sound mumbled or slurred.
- You have problems hearing when there is background noise.
Associated symptoms may include:
- Feeling of being off-balance or dizzy (more common with Meniere disease and acoustic neuromas)
Meniere disease
Ménière disease is an inner ear disorder that affects balance and hearing.
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleAcoustic neuromas
An acoustic neuroma is a slow-growing tumor of the nerve that connects the ear to the brain. This nerve is called the vestibular cochlear nerve. It...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Ringing or buzzing sound in the ears (tinnitus)
Tinnitus
Tinnitus is the medical term for "hearing" noises in your ears. It occurs when there is no outside source of the sounds. Tinnitus is often called "r...
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Causes
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.
Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) is caused by damage to these special cells, or to the nerve fibers in the inner ear. Sometimes, the hearing loss is caused by damage to the nerve that carries the signals to the brain.
Sensorineural deafness that is present at birth (congenital) is most often due to:
- Genetic syndromes
- Infections that the mother passes to her baby in the womb (toxoplasmosis, rubella, herpes)
Toxoplasmosis
Congenital toxoplasmosis is a group of symptoms that occur when an unborn baby (fetus) is infected with the parasite Toxoplasma gondii.
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleRubella
Congenital rubella is a condition that occurs in an infant whose mother is infected with the virus that causes German measles. Congenital means the ...
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleHerpes
Newborn infants can become infected with herpes virus during pregnancy, during labor or delivery, or after birth.
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SNHL may develop in children or adults later in life (acquired) as a result of:
- Age-related hearing loss
Age-related hearing loss
Age-related hearing loss, or presbycusis, is the slow loss of hearing that occurs as people get older.
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- Immune disease
- Infections, such as meningitis, mumps, scarlet fever, and measles
Meningitis
Meningitis is an infection of the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord. This covering is called the meninges.
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleMumps
Mumps is a contagious disease that leads to painful swelling of the salivary glands. The salivary glands produce saliva, a liquid that moistens food...
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleScarlet fever
Scarlet fever is caused by an infection with bacteria called group A streptococcus. This is the same bacteria that cause strep throat.
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleMeasles
Measles is a very contagious (easily spread) illness caused by a virus.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Injury of the ear or head
- Loud noises or sounds, or loud sounds that last for a long time
Loud sounds that last for a long time
Occupational hearing loss is damage to the inner ear from noise or vibrations due to certain types of jobs.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Meniere disease
Meniere disease
Ménière disease is an inner ear disorder that affects balance and hearing.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Tumor, such as acoustic neuroma
Acoustic neuroma
An acoustic neuroma is a slow-growing tumor of the nerve that connects the ear to the brain. This nerve is called the vestibular cochlear nerve. It...
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- Working around loud noises every day
In some cases, the cause is unknown.
What to Expect at Your Office Visit
The goal of treatment is to improve your hearing. The following may be helpful:
- Hearing aids
Hearing aids
If you are living with hearing loss, you know that it takes extra effort to communicate with others. There are many different devices that can improv...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - 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 implant makes sounds seem louder, but does not restore normal hearing.
Cochlear implant
A cochlear implant is a small electronic device that helps people hear. It can be used for people who are deaf or very hard of hearing.
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleYou will also learn strategies for living with hearing loss and advice to share with those around you for talking to someone with hearing loss.
Living with hearing loss
If you are living with hearing loss, you know that it takes extra effort to communicate with others. There are techniques you can learn to improve co...
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleTalking to someone with hearing loss
It may be hard for a person with hearing loss to understand a conversation with another person. Being in a group, conversation can be even harder. ...
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleReferences
Arts HA, Adams ME. Sensorineural hearing loss in adults. In: Flint PW, Francis HW, Haughey BH, et al, eds. Cummings Otolaryngology: Head and Neck Surgery. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 152.
Eggermont JJ. Types of hearing loss. In: Eggermont JJ, ed. Hearing Loss. Cambridge, MA: Elsevier Academic Press; 2017:chap 5.
Le Prell CG. Noise-induced hearing loss. In: Flint PW, Francis HW, Haughey BH, et al, eds. Cummings Otolaryngology: Head and Neck Surgery. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 154.
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders website. Noise-induced hearing loss. NIH Pub. No. 14-4233. www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/noise-induced-hearing-loss. Updated March 16, 2022. Accessed May 8, 2024.
Shearer AE, Shibata SB, Smith RJH. Genetic sensorineural hearing loss. In: Flint PW, Francis HW, Haughey BH, et al, eds. Cummings Otolaryngology: Head and Neck Surgery. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 150.
Hearing loss
Animation
Ear anatomy - illustration
The ear consists of external, middle, and inner structures. The eardrum and the 3 tiny bones conduct sound from the eardrum to the cochlea.
Ear anatomy
illustration
Review Date: 5/2/2024
Reviewed By: Josef Shargorodsky, MD, MPH, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.