In most cases a well fit, high quality hearing aid will help a person with hearing loss regardless of the type of loss they have. The key here is 'well fit'. "Domes' are a relatively new way to 'fit' a hearing aid as they've taken the place of custom fit molds that do not pop out or disintegrate. If domes are not doing the job ask your provider about custom fit molds.

It also depends on how far sensorineural hearing loss (SHNL) has progressed. SNHL tends to be progressive. It is the most common kind of HL. Exposure to noise is often the cause, but it is often genetic even though it may appear late in life. Damage to the inner ear hair cells in the cochlea is the cause of SNHL.

Many have been told that the hearing nerve/auditory nerve is damaged so nothing can be done to help them. That has been disproven with the development of cochlear implants that go past the damaged cochlea and stimulates the auditory nerve electronically. That stimulation sends signals to the brain. We are fortunate to be living in a time when cochlear implants exist. There are different types of implants.

There is current data that suggests that many more people should/would qualify for cochlear implants if they were encouraged to get them. Why aren't they encouraged? Mostly because the medical people they trust don't encourage them to consider this option. I don't mean to demean the medical professionals. This is a unique field that few have much experience in. The inner ear was considered totally inaccessible except in cadavers just a few decades ago. Cochlear implant research and development have bypassed that belief.

The criteria for qualifying for a cochlear device has been lowered in the last two years. So, if you were told you did not qualify for this procedure, you may want to explore it further.

Your best bet for excellent advice is to go to a cochlear implant surgery center for testing. You should also know that most insurers cover cochlea implants, as does Medicare. Hearing aids are not covered by Medicare and only a handful of insurance companies cover hearing aids. This is definitely wrong and unfair but it's a reality that won't change until the people who need hearing help start advocating.

If more people would join The Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) to get information and get involved in that advocacy, we would see far more positive change in this area. http://www.hearingloss.org It is a 'membership' organization, but a substantial amount of information is available on the HLAA website. Membership is basically a 'donation' to HLAA.