- Dysfunction of sensory hair cells, often coupled w/noise related loss
- Loss develops slowly
- Problems hearing conversations in partic if competing background noises
- Sometimes tinnitus
- Decreased ability to hear whispered words, rubbed fingers thru affected ear(s)
- External canal and TM should be normal (assuming no co-existing conductive loss)
- Weber w/512hz tuning fork lateralizes to normal ear; Rinne indicates air conduction better than bone
- Audiogram to define and quantify degree of loss