Mild noise exposure over duration of time can also cause sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL). For example, there is a high incidence of hearing loss among older dentists whose practices required the use of drills that created mild noise constantly. Same for farmers who drive tractors every day for hours. We are seeing this gradual kind of hearing loss among young people who are using devices to listen to music all the time.

Extreme sudden noise is different that noise over duration, but they both can cause SNHL.

Of course hearing loss can also happen for no obvious reason or cause too. It is a very mysterious malady.