A cochlear implant is a surgically implanted device that bypasses damaged hair cells in the ear and provides electrical stimulation directly to the auditory nerve, giving patients who are severely hearing impaired or profoundly deaf the ability to hear. It is most beneficial for those who cannot be helped with a traditional hearing aid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Traditional cochlear implant candidates have moderate to profound hearing loss in both ears. Recently, individuals with single-sided deafness have received cochlear implants in their deaf ear and achieved success. Candidacy is reviewed on a case-by-case basis with the cochlear implant team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A cochlear implant works differently than a hearing aid. Hearing aids amplify sounds so that a person with nerve damage can hear more clearly. Cochlear implants generate an electrical signal that the brain interprets as sound. The implant has an external portion that sits behind the ear, consisting of a microphone, a speech processor and a transmitter. These work in tandem with the internal components, a receiver and array of electrodes, which have been implanted in the ear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The microphone picks up sound and sends it to the speech processor, which converts these signals to digital impulses and sends them to the transmitter. The transmitter wirelessly sends the processed audio signals to the internal receiver. From there, they are transmitted directly to the brain through the auditory nerve. While a cochlear implant does not cure deafness or restore hearing loss, it does allow an individual to perceive sound and can help them converse again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you experience moderate to profound sensorineural hearing loss (the result of nerve damage to the inner ear) or have profound hearing loss in one ear and can\u2019t benefit from conventional hearing aids, you could be a prime candidate for cochlear implantation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n