It’s a Whole New World With Cochlear and Auditory Brainstem Implants

man dancing with woman after receiving implantable hearing aids

If you’re deaf or significantly hard of hearing, it’s easy for it to seem like you’re missing out on things. You want to feel more connected to your environment and better understand conversations with loved ones, hear the dialogue from your favorite movie and recognize other sounds around you.

You might feel frustrated if you’ve tried hearing aids and they don’t work for you. But luckily, you may be able to access a new world of sounds with cochlear implants from The Hearing Solution.

What Are Cochlear Implants?

A cochlear implant is a device that stimulates the auditory nerve by using electrodes placed in the cochlea of the inner ear. This device has both external and internal parts. The external part sits behind the ear and picks up sounds with a microphone. The sound is then transmitted to the implant’s internal components.

While hearing aids amplify sounds, implants bypass damaged portions of the ear and directly stimulate the auditory nerve. The implant generates signals that are sent through the auditory nerve to the brain, which are, in turn, recognized as sounds. 

When Should I Consider a Cochlear Implant?

Implants are often used in the following circumstances:

  • You’re experiencing hearing loss that is not helped by hearing aids.
  • You miss more than half of spoken words or rely on lip reading, even with hearing aids.
  • You have profound sensorineural hearing loss, a condition involving damage to your inner ear.

Typically, you cannot receive a cochlear implant unless:

  • You have damage from a skull fracture.
  • Your auditory nerve is small or missing.
  • The shape of your inner ear doesn’t allow for it.
  • A rare tumor known as neurofibromatosis type II (NF2) is present.

How Can Hearing Implants Help Children?

In 2000, cochlear implants received FDA approval for use in children aged 12 months or older. The technology can potentially change the lives of children who are deaf or hard of hearing. 

Using a cochlear implant when children are young connects them to sounds as they develop speech and language skills. Studies have shown that when a child receives implants and therapy before turning 18 months:

  • They can hear, understand sound and music and communicate with others at better rates than children who receive implants when they are older.
  • They develop language skills at similar rates to peers with normal hearing.
  • They are often successful in mainstream classrooms.

What Happens After I Receive the Implant?

After healing from the surgery, your audiologist will program the device to fit your unique needs and teach you how to care for it. You will also receive aural therapy to interpret the new electrical signals.

The duration of this rehabilitation will vary based on your goals and progress. Whether it lasts for a short time or is a long-term endeavor, The Hearing Solution will be by your side.

Telehealth Cochlear Implant Mapping

Cochlear implants require regular check-ups and reprogramming sessions to continue working effectively.

Traveling to a cochlear implant clinic for the necessary programming and follow-up counseling can be time-consuming (many CI patients travel 2-4 hours to their audiologist for mapping!) and costly if time off work is needed to attend.

There are many different benefits of receiving cochlear implant services in your own home. 

It can be incredibly useful for the audiologist to see you in your “natural habitat” and discuss the listening and hearing challenges specific to your lifestyle. 

Telehealth visits can also reduce travel expenses and time spent in transit. If you work during the day, appointments can be scheduled in the evenings and on weekends to ensure you receive the care and treatment you need.

Frequently Asked Questions

How tech savvy do you need to be to participate? What equipment is needed to do an in-home visit?

If you’re not comfortable operating computers or handling CI equipment, consider getting a “technology helper” to assist you. This can be a friend, an employee or a family member. You or your technology helper needs to be able to turn on a laptop and connect it to the internet (usually via Wi-Fi, but an Ethernet cable is fine too). The audiologist will then provide instructions for connecting the processor to the computer.

How does the level of service of telehealth compare to in-clinic visits?

Several studies have shown that telehealth visits for basic programming and counseling are just as effective as in-person visits.

Is remote CI mapping safe?

The clinician has full control of the cochlear implant during the visit, so it is completely safe.

How does the cost of remote CI remapping compare to the current model?

It depends on your insurance; get in touch for information specific to your needs.