Who can benefit from using a Cochlear Implant?

Many people with profound sensorineural hearing loss have some remaining auditory nerve fibers. Individuals can be tested to find out if these nerve fibers still function. If they do, the individual may be considered a candidate for a Cochlear Implant. Adults of all ages benefit from Cochlear Implants. These include people who lost there hearing early in life and have had a hearing impairment for a long time.

General Criteria for Cochlear Implants:
• A profound to total hearing loss,
• An inability to hear or recognize speech through hearing aids
• A belief that being able to hear will help the individual be more active and in dependent and enjoy life more

How is it different from a hearing aid?

Hearing aids and other similar devices are amplifiers. They are designed to make sounds louder or clearer so that hearing impaired people receive more sounds. Many people are deaf because their inner ears have been damaged by trauma, disease, or some other condition which causes a sudden or progressive hearing loss. Simply providing amplified sound through a hearing aid may not provide much benefit for individuals whose hearing loss is profound to local. A cochlear implant bypasses some of the damaged parts of the inner ear and can provide useful hearing for individuals who do not benefit from traditional hearing aids.

What is a Cochlear Implant

A Cochlear implant provides useful hearing and improved communication ability for people who have profound to total hearing loss. Many profoundly hearing impaired individuals view the Cochlear Implant as a tool to interact with the hearing world and broaden their educational, occupational and social opportunities.