Cochlear Implants
A cochlear implant is an electronic medical device that replaces the function of the damaged inner ear. Unlike hearing aids, which make sounds louder, cochlear implants do the work of damaged parts of the inner ear (cochlea) to provide sound signals to the brain.
How Does a Cochlear Implant Work?
Hearing aids amplify sounds so they may be detected by damaged ears. Cochlear implants bypass damaged portions of the ear and directly stimulate the auditory nerve. Signals generated by the implant are sent by way of the auditory nerve to the brain, which recognises the signals as sound.
What Are Cochlear Implants Used for?
Cochlear implants are designed to help severely-to-profoundly deaf adults and children, who receive little or no benefit from hearing aids. Even individuals with severe or profound “nerve deafness” may be able to benefit from cochlear implants.
Do Cochlear Implants Make You Hear?
A cochlear implant is not a hearing aid, which makes sounds louder. It’s a small device that a doctor puts into your ear through surgery. It sends impulses directly to your auditory nerve, which carries sound signals to your brain. The implant doesn’t make you hear normally again, but it can help you with sounds.
Do Cochlear Implants Restore Normal Hearing?
Cochlear implants are medical devices that bypass damaged structures in the inner ear and directly stimulate the auditory nerve. They are surgically implanted to improve hearing in people with severe or profound hearing losses. They can create a range of sound, but do not replace normal hearing.
How Will Cochlear Implants Impact Other Medical Procedures?
If you have a cochlear implant, you must avoid certain medical procedures like standard MRI scans (unless cleared with specific head-wrapping protocols), electroconvulsive therapy, and monopolar electrosurgery near the head. You should also remove external processors during water activities and protect the device from heavy physical impact and static electricity.
Cochlear implants have two main parts with different lifespans. The internal metal and electronic piece placed under your skin is built to last a lifetime. The external speech processor worn outside the ear typically lasts five to ten years before it wears out or needs a tech upgrade.
People with mild-to-moderate hearing loss, conductive hearing loss, absent or non-functioning cochlear nerves, severe inner ear malformations, active middle ear infections, or medical conditions that prevent safe surgery cannot get a cochlear implant. Those who still benefit from standard hearing aids are also not eligible.
How Phone Calling Works With an Implant
Direct Streaming: Many modern sound processors connect straight to smartphones using Bluetooth. Sound goes right into your processor.
Wireless Accessories: Devices like a Cochlear Wireless Phone Clip stream phone audio clearly and let you talk hands-free.
Can You Be Too Old for a Cochlear Implant?
No, you cannot be too old for a cochlear implant. There is no upper age limit for the procedure, and successful surgeries have been performed on individuals in their 80s, 90s, and beyond.
Candidacy depends on overall health and hearing profile rather than chronological age.
Do You Still Wear a Hearing Aid With a Cochlear Implant?
Yes, you can wear a traditional hearing aid in the opposite ear while having a cochlear implant on one side.
This setup is known as bimodal hearing. Many people use both devices together because combining acoustic sound from a hearing aid with electric sound from an implant helps balance overall hearing and improves speech understanding in noisy environments.
At What Level of Hearing Loss are You Considered Deaf?
Hearing loss of 91 decibels (dB) or greater is clinically classified as profound hearing loss, which is medical terminology for being deaf. At this level, a person cannot hear unamplified speech or normal environmental sounds, and can typically only detect extremely loud noises (like sirens or heavy machinery.
Can You Wash Your Hair With a Cochlear Implant?
Yes, you can wash your hair with a cochlear implant, but you must always remove the external sound processor first. Water and soap will permanently damage the electronic.