Sensorineural hearing loss is best described as

• A. Damage to the hair cells or nerve linings in the inner ear, which communicate and transmit the input to the brain
• B. Pathways between outer and inner ear are obstructed
• C. Obstruction of ear canal
• D. Temporary middle ear fluid

Answer: (A)

Sensorineural hearing loss occurs when the problem is in the inner ear’s ability to convert sound into neural signals or in the neural pathways that carry those signals to the brain. The cochlea’s hair cells translate vibrations into electrical signals, which then travel via the auditory nerve to the brain; damage to those hair cells or to the nerve fibers means the brain doesn’t receive a clear signal, even though sound waves are present. This contrasts with conductive problems, where sound is blocked before it ever reaches the inner ear, such as obstructions in the ear canal or middle-ear fluid. So the description pointing to damage to the hair cells or inner-ear neural connections best captures sensorineural hearing loss.