What is a cochlear implant?
A cochlear implant is a routine medical option designed to help children and adults with at least a moderate-to-profound sloping hearing loss, to communicate more easily.
It is an alternative when traditional attempts to improve hearing ability, with powerful hearing aids, no longer provide assistance.
Unlike hearing aids, which amplify sound, a cochlear implant bypasses the damaged part of the ear and stimulates the hearing nerve directly.
A cochlear implant is designed to help children and adults communicate more easily with others and give you the confidence to live a full and rewarding life.
The Implant
The cochlear implant is the internal part of the system. It includes an electrode array which, when inserted into the cochlea , bypasses damaged hair cells and stimulates the hearing nerve directly.
The Speech Processor
The external speech processor analyses and digitises sound into coded signals. These signals are transmitted through the implant to your hearing nerve so you can hear the sounds.
How are hearing aids different?
Hearing aids are designed to amplify sound. To a person with at least a moderate-to-profound sloping hearing loss, simple amplification may not be sufficient to hear, or may be distorted, as sound is still being delivered through the damaged part of the ear.
A cochlear implant doesn’t simply make sounds louder – it bypasses the damaged part of the ear and sends sound directly to the auditory (hearing) nerve to provide a clearer understanding of sound and speech.
