Sensorineural hearing loss is one of several types of hearing loss, and one of the most common. It occurs when the inner ear is damaged, or when there are problems with the nerves between the inner ear and the brain. It can be caused by head injury, ageing, genetics or exposure to excessive noise, among other factors.

Damage to the hair cells of the inner ear can also result in sensorineural hearing loss. Many factors contribute to this, including excessive noise trauma, infection or injury, and certain medications.

If you have sensorineural hearing loss you may find that soft sounds are harder to hear, louder sounds are muffled, and understanding others becomes difficult. People with this form of hearing loss often find they cannot hear certain letters, and that higher tones are especially hard to make out.

Where noise exposure is the factor you can control, limiting it is the most useful step. Have regular hearing checks to monitor your hearing health, avoid loud environments where practical, and wear ear plugs when you are in them. Hearsafe Australia can suggest hearing protection to suit your particular surroundings and help reduce your noise exposure.

Take a look at our product selector or browse the full range. If you are concerned about your hearing, speak to an audiologist or your GP.