COCHLEAR IMPLANT BROCHURE
What is a cochlear implant?
A cochlear implant is an FDA approved device that can help people with moderate to profound sensory hearing loss. The implant lets users regain a sense of hearing so they can understand speech better than they could with a conventional hearing aid. For those who have been implanted, the results can be life changing, allowing them to interact once more in a hearing world.
When should I consider a cochlear implant?
- you currently use hearing aids and are struggling to understand speech
- you are unable to perform your job effectively due to hearing loss and hearing aids don’t help
- you have difficulty understanding people on the telephone with your hearing aids
- you avoid social interactions or activities with family and friends because you cannot hear well enough to participate in the conversation
- you need to look at a person’s face to understand what they are saying
- you struggle to understand people when there is any background noise
How safe is this technology?
Cochlear implants were approved by the FDA for use in the U.S.in 1984. Today, over 90,000 children and adults in the U.S. have been implanted. Worldwide, over 200,000 people with hearing loss have benefited from this technology. The device has been proven to be very safe and extremely reliable.
How is the surgery performed?
The procedure is performed by a surgeon with specialized training in advanced ear surgery and cochlear implantation. It is performed under general anesthesia so you are asleep and comfortable. Most patients go home the same day and have follow-up with their doctor in one week. The implant is turned on four weeks after surgery.
What is it like to hear with a cochlear implant?
Sound perception with a cochlear implant is different than what you heard before your hearing loss. For those who meet the criteria for implantation, the implant allows you to experience sound more clearly and over a wider range of frequencies thanwith conventional hearing aids. This allows users to understand speech more easily.
Over time and with practice listening, the ability to recognize words and voices improves. Many patients are able to use the telephone again. Some are even able to appreciate music.
Factors such as the cause of hearing loss, whether you used hearing aids prior to implantation and the length of time you have been without usable hearing can impact how patients perform with a cochlear implant.
What is common to the majority of patients is that they are able to listen and communicate better using the cochlear implant than they could with conventional hearing aids. It can be a positive, life-changing technology for patients and those around them.
Is there an age limit forreceiving a cochlear implant?
Children 2 years of age to adults over 90 years old have received cochlear implants worldwide and are doing very well. Candidates must first undergo specific hearing tests and medical evaluation to determine if they would benefit from this procedure. Patients with memory impairment or dementia are not candidates for cochlear implantation.
Does insurance cover the cost of this surgery?
Most health insurance companies, including Medicare, provide coverage for cochlear implant surgery if you meet the medical criteria for this procedure.
How long after surgery will I be able to hear?
The cochlear implant is activatedin the clinic four weeks after surgery. The device is programmed by an implant audiologist who will meet with on a regular basis during the first few months after activation. They will help you to learn how to listen with the cochlear implantand guide you each step of the way.
It takes time and practice listening to achieve good hearing results. The greatest gains in speech understanding are made during the first three to six months after activation, but patients will continue to improve their listening skills up to two years after surgery.
What is hearing like when the implant is activated?
The cochlear implant activation day is much anticipated for our cochlear implant recipients, their family, and friends. This is the day when the audiologist turns on and programs the cochlear implant, allowing the recipient todetect sounds through the implant for the first time.You are not expected to understand speech on the day of the activation, but over time you will gain clarity as you learn to recognize different speech sounds through your cochlear implant. The audiologist will adjust the levels to enhance the quality of the sound obtained from the cochlear implant.
How often do I meet for programming?
The first three months after activation will involve several appointments for reprogramming or mapping. This allows your audiologist to adjust settings of the device for optimal performance as you adapt to the sounds. Over time the programming will typically stabilize and audiology appointments will be less frequent. Your speech understanding will also be tested throughout the process to ensure that you are making progress.
Rehabilitation:
A cochlear implant alone usually cannot rehabilitate hearing loss. You will rely on a combination of communication strategies and input from your cochlear implant to understand speech again. It is important to wear your cochlear implant consistently, even if you don’t find the sounds helpful at first. Your brain will depend on regular exposure to speech so it can learn to recognize these new sounds and give them meaning. Each recipient’s performance will vary, but participating in aural rehabilitation will help you reach your full potential.
Will I still be able to use my hearing aids?
If you havebenefited from wearing a hearing aid in your non-implant ear, you will be expected to continue use of a hearing aid on that side. In most cases patients understand more speech when their brain receives information from both the hearing aid ear the cochlear implant ear. This is what we call bimodal hearing, which is important for your rehabilitation process. You will no longer wear a hearing aid in the ear that was implanted, as the procedure generally leaves your hearing organ unable to receive acoustic information.