Cochlear Implants

What is a cochlear implant?

A cochlear implant is an electronic medical device designed to help people with very significant hearing loss who no longer receive benefit from hearing aids. Unlike hearing aids, which amplify sounds, cochlear implants do the work of the damaged parts of the inner ear to provide sound signals to the brain. Cochlear implants are designed to bypass the damaged pathway of the inner ear and stimulate the auditory nerve directly.

How does a cochlear implant work?

A cochlear implant is a complex device that consists of several different parts. One part is the external portion that sits behind the ear, and a second portion is surgically placed under the skin. An implant has the following parts:

1. A microphone, which picks up sound from the environment.

2. A speech processor, which collects and arranges sounds picked up by the microphone.

3. A transmitter and receiver/stimulator, which receive signals from the speech processor and convert them into electric impulses.

4. An electrode array, which is a group of electrodes that collects the impulses from the stimulator and sends them to different regions of the auditory nerve.

A cochlear implant does not restore normal hearing. Instead, it can give a person with profound hearing loss a useful representation of speech and sounds in the environment and help him or her to better understand speech.

Why wear a cochlear implant?

Research and patient testimony has shown many benefits to wearing cochlear implants.

• Better hearing than what was being achieved with hearing aids
• Improved ability to hear and communicate in noisy environments
• Improved awareness and safety by hearing more sounds in the environment
• Improved ability to hear on the phone
• Better hearing for music

Have more questions about cochlear implants?

As hearing technologies continue to improve and expand, so do Professional Hearing Center’s services. We are happy to announce that we now provide cochlear implant services. If you are interested in receiving more information about the cochlear implant process, please call our office today at (816) 478-3008. We would be happy to provide a consultation and further evaluation with you to determine if this mode of hearing could be an appropriate option for you.