Sensorineural facts for kids
Sensorineural hearing loss is a common type of hearing loss. People sometimes call it "nerve deafness." Unlike some other types of hearing loss, this kind is usually permanent.
This type of hearing loss doesn't just make sounds quieter. It also makes them sound less clear. This can make it hard to understand what people are saying, especially when there's a lot of background noise.
What Causes Sensorineural Hearing Loss?
Sensorineural hearing loss happens when two important parts of your ear get damaged. These parts are the cochlea and the hearing nerve. You don't need both to be damaged for hearing loss to happen. Many different things can cause this damage.
- Getting Older: As people get older, their cochlea and hearing nerve can get damaged over time. This is a common reason for hearing loss in older adults.
- Loud Noises: Listening to very loud music or being in noisy places for a long time can hurt your hearing. This kind of damage can lead to permanent hearing loss.
- Illnesses and Medicines: Some diseases can cause hearing loss as a side effect. Also, certain medicines can sometimes damage your hearing.
How Is It Treated?
Sensorineural hearing loss is usually permanent. This means there aren't many ways to completely cure it. However, there are good ways to treat it and make hearing much better.
The most popular way to treat this type of hearing loss is by using hearing aids. Hearing aids do more than just make sounds louder. Making sounds louder doesn't always help if the sound isn't clear. Hearing aids can make speech louder and clearer. They can also reduce background noise. This makes it much easier to understand what people are saying.
Images for kids
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Figure 5: Neural tuning curve for OHC loss. Adapted from.
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Figure 7: Response of the basilar membrane to a pure tone.
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Figure 9: Psychoacoustical tuning curve.
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Noise Exposure Limits
See also
In Spanish: Pérdida de audición para niños
