Inner ear damage affecting hearing results in which type of hearing loss?

Inner ear damage affecting hearing results in which type of hearing loss?

• A. Presbycusis
• B. Conductive hearing loss
• C. Sensorineural hearing loss
• D. Central hearing loss

Answer: (C)

Inner ear damage disrupts how sound is converted into neural signals, which is the hallmark of sensorineural hearing loss. The cochlea and its hair cells (and sometimes the auditory nerve) are involved, so both air and bone conduction thresholds are elevated with little or no air-bone gap, reflecting a neural or cochlear problem rather than a mechanical issue in the outer or middle ear. Presbycusis is a common cause of this type in older adults, but the category describing inner ear damage itself is sensorineural hearing loss.

Inner ear damage disrupts how sound is converted into neural signals, which is the hallmark of sensorineural hearing loss. The cochlea and its hair cells (and sometimes the auditory nerve) are involved, so both air and bone conduction thresholds are elevated with little or no air-bone gap, reflecting a neural or cochlear problem rather than a mechanical issue in the outer or middle ear. Presbycusis is a common cause of this type in older adults, but the category describing inner ear damage itself is sensorineural hearing loss.