SNHL
Medical abbreviation · Ophthalmology & ENT
| Stands for | Sensorineural hearing loss |
|---|---|
| Categories | Medical |
SNHL stands for Sensorineural hearing loss, an ophthalmology & ENT abbreviation.
Hearing loss caused by damage to the inner ear (cochlea) or the auditory nerve, the most common type of permanent hearing loss. Causes include aging (presbycusis), noise exposure, genetics, infections and drugs that damage the ear.
Example: Bilateral symmetric high-frequency SNHL consistent with presbycusis; hearing aid evaluation.
Usage notes
On tuning fork testing, sound lateralizes to the better ear (Weber) and air conduction remains better than bone conduction (Rinne). Hearing aids help most patients, and cochlear implants are used for severe to profound loss. In 2022 the FDA created a category of over-the-counter hearing aids for adults with mild to moderate loss.
Related abbreviations
More ophthalmology & ENT abbreviations
- RAPD – Relative afferent pupillary defect
- RD – Retinal detachment
- RP – Retinitis pigmentosa
- SLE – Slit-lamp examination
- SLT – Selective laser trabeculoplasty
- SMILE – Small incision lenticule extraction
- SPH – Sphere
- SRT – Speech reception threshold
- SSNHL – Sudden sensorineural hearing loss
- TED – Thyroid eye disease
- VA – Visual acuity
- VF – Visual field
See all 74 ophthalmology & ENT abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.