Sensorineural Hearing Loss

Also known as sensorineural deafness or nerve deafness, this condition, is a result of problems that happen in the inner ear, when it comes to the nerve present inside that connects itself to the brain. There are many kinds of hearing loss, like conductive hearing loss, which takes place somewhere in the outer, and middle parts of the ear. Brain tumors can also be a cause for hearing loss, damaging the nerve as it worsens. This hearing nerve, that connects itself to the brain, can contain within itself other problems as well. Even the tiny hair cells, that is the nerve endings, that send sound through the ears, could either be prematurely dead or diseased.

Causes of Sensorineural Hearing Loss

The causes of this condition can range from hereditary problems to traumatic causes, infections and so on.

• Age (presbycusis)
• Tumors
• Oxygen reduction
• Leukemia
• Lupus
• Temporal arteritis
• Rubella
• Herpes simplex
• Mumps
• Ear infection (due to fluid present in the ear)
• Influenza
• Birth defects
• Meningitis
• Measles
• Scarlet fever
• Eardrum has a traumatic perforation
• Constantly subjected to loud noises (factory, industrial atmosphere etc.)
• Presence of foreign body stuck in ear canal
• Skull fracture of the temporal bone
• Measles
• Wax buid up in the ear
• Medicines
• Meniere's disease
• Stroke
• Diabetes
• Cockayne syndrome
• Stickler syndrome
• Multiple lentigines syndrome
• Hunter syndrome
• Treacher Collins syndrome
• Kartagener syndrome
• Hereditary nephritis
• Osteogenesis imperfecta
• Mohr syndrome
• Hurler syndrome
• Trisomy 13
• Waardenburg syndrome
• Ectodermal dysplasia
• Otosclerosis
• Effects of fetal iodine deficiency
• Congenital atresia of external auditory canal
• Barotrauma, due to pressure differences
• Chloroquine
• Quindine
• Aspirin
• Anemia
• Aminoglycoside antibiotics
• Allergies
• Injury to the head
• Eustachian tubes blocked within ears

Symptoms of Sensorineural Hearing Loss

Now that you've read about the causes that can take place, due to genetics or other issues, we now look into the signs and symptoms of this condition, and what it means to feel the sudden onset on these signs. These symptoms can be a warning sign that can lead to something more serious, and requires medical check ups to find out the root cause.

• Sounds are soft, or distorted.
• Babies will have trouble responding to sound.
• Frequency of tones is undecipherable.
• Ringing/booming in one's ears.
• Avoiding social gatherings for fear of not being able to hear what one is saying.
• Sounds are muffled
• Itching
• Vertigo
• Babies cannot gurgle or make other noises, if there is deafness.
• Cannot hear loud sounds.
• Pus or other fluid seeping from ear.
• Listening to the TV or other source of sound on high volume.
• Depression due to loss of hearing.
• Constantly asking someone to repeat a sentence.
• Ear pain.
• Asking someone to speak loudly and clearly.
• Irritation in ear.
• Not participating in conversations, due to loss of hearing.
• Can't hear the phone/doorbell ring.
• Not responding to a question, and answering incorrectly.

Treatment for Sensorineural Hearing Loss

Treatment of this problem consists mainly of two methods, that are used to help patients out with hearing loss problems.

Cochlear Implant
This is a surgical procedure of placing a cochlear implant behind the ear that stimulates auditory nerves fibers present in the cochlea. It is embedded under the skin, and acts as a receiver and stimulator, aiding those who cannot hear, to hear better. It also comes with a light weight speech processor and a head set that is designed as a directional microphone, and is fitted behind ear. An added transmitter is placed over this implanted receiver, held in place by tiny magnets.

Hearing Aid
This is a small electronic device, that is fitted into the ear with tiny microphones that pick up sounds. This is then amplified with the help of a volume controller and a tiny speaker that sends sound to the ear. A hearing aid can be switched on or off, and tuned according to the convenience of the person using it.

Sensorineural hearing loss is not a pleasant case scenario, especially when one has to get this problem at an early age. Old age is the main factor for deafness, but there are so many ways to help deal with it now, without having to find it troublesome to not be able to hear right. So don't get your hopes down about this, and the best thing you can do to help yourself/others is getting any recurring problems, or persisting ones, checked out immediately. Stay safe!