Hi @johnny3, I'd like to add my welcome. I'm impressed by how you are taking charge of your hearing health, asking questions and doing your research.
You may also be interested in this discussion:
* Help: Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss (SSHL) - very scary https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/help-sshl-very-scary/

You ask great questions. "Can anyone tell me if nerve damage means auditory nerve only, or both auditory and vestibular nerve? How one know if they may have balance issues without seeing a specialist? How does your diet play a role in having a healthy hearing lifestyle such as salt intake?(I omitted caffeine)"

Each of these questions could be the start of a new discussion. I'd like to bring in a few members, like @sharieberts @joyces @imallears @judymartin @cjspizz @dsh33782 @mikepa @edschickel and @katherinebouton to share their ideas.

Johnny, what specialists have you seen?