Cochlear Implants

There are many different ways to “correct” one’s hearing loss such as hearing aids and cochlear implants. For some people, they work very well and it is a life changer. For others though, they don’t seem to make much a change or improvement. That is because everyone’s ears and type of hearing loss are different. While hearing aids are where most people start, they don’t last forever. This is especially true if one’s hearing loss continues to get worse overtime; hearing aids can’t keep up with it. In this case, cochlear implants may be the best option.

Cochlear implants were first approved in 1985 for adults and 1990 for children. About 70,000 people (half being children) wear cochlear implants.

The difference between hearing aids and a cochlear implant is that a hearing aid only amplifies noise while the implant works to replace the cochlea in the inner ear. This helps the person hear better because the cochlea is picking up sound now, rather than just hearing loud noise.

A cochlear implant requires an intensive surgery where an implant is placed in the cochlea that connects to a sound processor and coil worn on the outside of the ear. When speech or noise is heard, the sound is picked up by the processor, travels to the coil, then is sent to the implant where the cochlea sends the sound to the brain. This video explains this process as well.

How do you know if you are right for a cochlear implant?

As always, make sure to speak to an audiologist before making any decisions. Most people need to have at least an 80% loss in both ears. This is because the surgery does not always work for everyone. If it ends up not working, the person will most likely be 100% deaf because of the damage from the surgery. This is why most doctors will wait until the candidate is closer to 80% loss, in case the surgery does not work. At this point, 80% verse 100% deafness is not much different. However, the devastation of an unsuccessful surgery is extremely hard to deal with. Other factors to consider are cost (over $40,000), recovery time, and family support.

I had surgery...Now what?

After surgery, it takes time to fully recover and to have the new implants fitted. The few first few days, weeks, and even months can be very challenging. Since the audiologist doesn’t know what or how loud you are hearing, the implants can take a while to be a perfect fit. Just like when being fitted for hearing aids the first time, the implants are picking up on sounds you haven’t heard for a long time, if ever. The most important thing to do is keep wearing them so your ears and brain can adjust to the new world around you.

It's important to note that even with a surgery, cochlear implants will not correct one's hearing 100%. It can though greatly improve it and allow hearing impaired/deaf children and adults to communicate more normally and easily. It's also important to note that not everyone wants to hear normal again. We'll be discussing this in a few weeks so stay tuned.

#cochlearimplants #surgery #hearingaid