Sensorineural hearing loss is a common type of hearing loss that occurs due to the signals from the inner ear not reaching the brain
. The brain needs to process the signals from the ear for the person to hear properly. As there is a lack of co ordination between the ear and the brain, hearing loss occurs.
In a person who is suffering with the sensorineural hearing loss, the brain does not perceive the sound that reaches the ear because the pathway to the brain, which is the nerve, is damaged. This kind of hearing loss may commonly occur without any known cause. There are other causes for the nerve damage and this includes the presence of a tumor or the presence of infection. A viral infection is the common cause of this kind of hearing impairment.
The deafness can be either mild, moderate or even severe. Total deafness can be present in some people too. The severity and cause of the problem can be identified by doing a complete evaluation.
People with this type of hearing loss can have various other symptoms too. The person who is suffering from this kind of hearing impairment will have symptoms of vertigo and tinnitus. The diagnosis of this condition is usually done with the help of a clinical examination. The disease can be identified with the hearing tests. EEG, MRI and CT are some of the various methods that will help to diagnose the person with Sensorineural hearing loss. The tuning fork can be used to perform certain simple tests like the Rinne test and the Weber test that can help in the diagnosis too.There are various methods in which a person who is suffering from this kind of Sensorineural hearing loss can be treated. A cochlear implant is another option in those with complete hearing loss. Hearing aids can be used in other people to enhance hearing. The amplifier that is present in the hearing aid will help to increase the sound so that the person will be able to hear the sounds.
It is important to identify the cause and the type of hearing loss in a person because the treatment of one kind of hearing loss will vary from the treatment of other kinds of hearing loss. It is also important to identify the hearing loss early enough so that the treatment can be effective. This is especially true about the Sensorineural hearing loss.