1 Sensorineural hearing loss is caused by damage to the sensitive hair cells inside the inner ear or damage to the auditory nerve. 2  This occurs naturally with age or as a result of injury.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.