Cochlear Implant Surgery
What is a Cochlear Implant?
A cochlear implant is an electronic device that partially restores hearing. It can be an option for people who have severe to profound hearing loss from inner-ear damage who are no longer benefit from or have limited benefits from using hearing aids.
Unlike hearing aids, which amplify sound, a cochlear implant bypasses damaged portions of the ear to deliver sound signals to the hearing (auditory) nerve.
Cochlear implants use a sound processor that fits behind the ear. The processor captures sound signals and sends them to a receiver implanted under the skin behind the ear. The receiver sends the signals to electrodes implanted in the snail-shaped inner ear (cochlea).
The signals stimulate the auditory nerve, which then directs them to the brain. The brain interprets those signals as sounds, though these sounds won’t be just like normal hearing.
It takes time and training to learn to interpret the signals received from a cochlear implant. Within a year of use, most people with cochlear implants make considerable gains in understanding speech.
At Gore Clinic there is a variety of Hearing loss treatments that are offered to patients and the outcome for every treatment is in patients favor.
Cochlear implant surgery: when do you need a cochlear implant?
Cochlear implants might be an option if you or a loved one constantly struggles to hear, even with the best hearing aids. Hearing aids and cochlear implants operate in distinct ways. Those with mild to severe hearing loss who still have some healthy sensory hair cells in the inner ear that can amplify sound and convey it to the brain can benefit from hearing aids.
People who have mild to severe hearing loss in both ears and are not getting enough assistance from hearing aids can benefit from cochlear implants. The use of a cochlear implant in young children who are deaf or profoundly hard of hearing allows them to be exposed to sounds at a crucial stage in their development of speech and language. According to research, young kids who have Cochlear Implant Surgery and intense training before they turn 18 months old are more able to hear, understand sound and music, and talk than their peers who get implants later in life.
Research has shown that eligible children who receive a cochlear implant before the age of 18 months gain language abilities at a rate equivalent to those of children with normal hearing, and many of them do well in regular classroom settings.
How does a cochlear implant work?
A cochlear implant and a hearing aid are fundamentally dissimilar devices. Hearing aids magnify sounds so that ears with hearing loss can hear them. Bypassing damaged ear tissue, cochlear implants stimulate the auditory nerve directly. The auditory nerve transmits impulses produced by the implant to the brain, which interprets them as sound. It takes some time to retrain one’s ears to hear with a cochlear implant because it differs from regular hearing. However, it enables a lot of people to hear conversations in person or on the phone, interpret other noises in the environment, and recognize warning signals.
The purpose of cochlear implants is to replicate the cochlea’s natural ability to hear. They help deliver clearer sound than hearing aids can by taking up the role of malfunctioning sensory hair cells in the inner ear.
Contrary to hearing aids, which primarily increase sound volume, Cochlear Implant Surgery may further improve sound clarity and increase your capacity for conversational comprehension.
Two elements make up a cochlear implant system:
- External sound processing device.
- The electrode array is inserted in the inner ear, and surgeons implant the device beneath the skin.
By bypassing the non-working portion of the ear, the sound processor and implant deliver sound directly to the hearing nerve.
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Cochlear Implants
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FAQ regarding hearing aids and clinic
There are numerous benefits of cochlear implants such as :
Can hear different types of sounds:
People can perceive many sound varieties with different wavelengths and intensities with the use of CI. They can distinguish sounds like footsteps, engines, phone rings, dog barking, a teapot whistle, rustling leaves, etc. in addition to voices.
Aids in speech comprehension without lip-reading :
The majority of hearing-impaired people still use lip movements to distinguish and recognize words. However, cochlear implants allow users to comprehend lip movements and hear sounds more clearly.
Can effortlessly place calls on the phone:
Over the phone, CI aids in voice comprehension. If they learn how to use the CI, people can even comprehend a foreign speaker.
A thorough medical evaluation is required to decide whether cochlear implants are a good option for you or your kid. A medical professional will do an assessment, which might include: Hearing, speech, and occasionally balance tests, and physical examination to determine anatomy and health. MRI or CT scans of the skull to examine the cochlea and other inner ear structures.
Before the device may be turned on following surgery, a two- to four-week healing interval is necessary. You’ll visit your audiologist again to obtain the external component and activate the implant after a positive post-surgery examination.
As well as the type of implant, the cost of a cochlear implant depends on other pre- and post-surgery expenses. Book an appointment with us to get a customized quote.