COCHLEAR IMPLANT

A cochlear implant is an electronic device that partially restores hearing. It can be an option for people who have severe hearing loss from inner-ear damage who are no longer helped by 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 will not 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.

Adults and children who are as young as six to 12 months old can benefit from cochlear implants. People who have cochlear implants report improved:

• Ability to hear speech without needing visual cues such as reading lips
• Recognition of normal, everyday environmental sounds
• Ability to listen in a noisy environment
• Ability to find where sounds are coming from
• Ability to hear television programs, music, and telephone conversations