Sensorineural hearing loss occurs in the inner ear, or along the nerve pathways that run from the inner ear to the brain. In a healthy ear, sound travels through the ear canal, and is then processed by the inner ear before passing to the brain. Sensorineural hearing loss occurs when the inner ear is unable to process or send sound vibrations to the brain, due to damaged hair cells. Although medical or surgical  correction is usually ineffective, hearing aids can mitigate the effects of sensorineural hearing loss, which is usually caused by exposure to loud noise, genetics, natural aging or medications. See the video to learn more.