Sensorineural hearing loss is also called nerve deafness because it is caused by a deficit of the auditory nerve or cochlea. While conductive hearing loss is caused by something blocking the transmission of sound from the outer ear to the inner ear, the sound reaches the inner ear but the sound signals fail to reach the brain in sensorineural hearing loss. Sensorineural hearing loss can be present at birth, have a sudden onset, or develop gradually.

Nerve deafness may be a mild decrease in volume to complete deafness. Sensorineural hearing loss is permanent. Tinnitus, or ringing in the ears, and dizziness are symptoms of sensorineural hearing loss. Common causes of nerve deafness include disease, genetic condition, and the use of drugs that compromise the auditory nerve. Aging, tumors, head trauma, injury, exposure to loud noise, and certain diseases are also causes of sensorineural hearing loss.

Sensorineural hearing loss that is present at birth can be caused by a genetic condition, infection, or injury during birth. Usher syndrome is the genetic condition that most commonly causes sensorineural hearing loss as well as blindness. Pendred syndrome is another genetic condition that causes nerve deafness.

Some viral infections can cause nerve deafness in childhood. Measles, mumps, rubella, varicella-zoster, and pertussis are examples of viral infections that can be causes of sensorineural hearing loss. Other viruses are thought to put hearing at risk, but the causal relationship of these viruses such as herpes simplex, influenza, and polio has not been proven. Bacterial meningitis can be a cause of sensorineural hearing loss.

A physician is likely to examine the ear and ask the patient to describe the onset of the hearing loss and the degree of loss before conducting hearing tests to detect and measure the degree of hearing loss. The recommended treatments for sensorineural hearing loss depend on the type and degree of hearing loss.

Cochlear implants are a treatment for sensorineural hearing loss. Cochlear implants are surgically implanted into the skull behind the ear with electrodes leading to the cochlea. These allow sound to directly stimulate the auditory nerve from the cochlea. A hearing aid may be preferred for some types of nerve deafness.