Sensorineural hearing loss occurs if the sensitive hair cells inside the cochlea are damaged, or as a result of damage to the auditory nerve (which transmits sound to the brain).In some cases, both may be damaged. Hearing loss caused by age and exposure to loud noises are both types of sensorineural hearing loss.earing loss is the result of sound signals not reaching the brain. There are two main types of hearing loss, depending on where the problem lies. 1  Sensorineural hearing loss is caused by damage to the sensitive hair cells inside the inner ear or damage to the auditory nerve.