Cochlear Implants

How Do Cochlear Implants Work?

In some types of hearing loss, the tiny hair cells in your cochlea - in the inner ear—don’t work. These damaged cells cannot send sounds to the auditory nerve for the brain to receive and interpret. A cochlear implant bypasses the nonfunctioning hair cells, sending sounds directly to the auditory nerve.

Cochlear implants require surgery. They can be used in one or both ears. Part of the device is implanted by a surgeon, and part of the device is worn on the outside of your head (external). These components work together to help you detect sound, but they do not restore “normal” hearing.

The external part of the device—called the speech processor—has a microphone that picks up sound. The speech processor converts the sound into a digital signal that is transmitted through the skin to the implant. The implant changes the digital signal into electric pulses to stimulate the auditory nerve. The auditory nerve sends the signal to the brain.

Considering a Cochlear Implant?

Cochlear implants can be used by children and adults. However, they aren’t appropriate for every type of hearing loss. Your audiologist will help you determine if you're a candidate and refer you to a cochlear implant specialist if needed.

It’s important to discuss your expectations with your audiologist. Understanding the new sounds—especially speech—that you hear when you get a cochlear implant takes time and training.

Cochlear implants are most often recommended for people who:

• have significant hearing loss in one or both ears
• are not helped enough by hearing aids

Your experience with a cochlear implant depends on factors like:

• whether you lost your hearing before or after you learned to talk
• your motivation and support system
• your commitment to rehabilitation and training to build listening skills

The Process of Getting a Cochlear Implant

A team of professionals—for example, at a cochlear implant center—will guide you through the process. Your team might include:

• an audiologist
• an ear, nose, and throat doctor (ENT)
• a speech-language pathologist (SLP)
• a psychologist or counselor

The process includes the following steps:

• Evaluation: You’ll have testing done with hearing aids to show whether you are a candidate for a cochlear implant. Your ENT may order additional tests to collect information for your surgery and to make sure you are healthy.
• Surgery: The surgeon implants the device. Some people stay overnight following surgery. Others go home the same day. You'll need time to heal before the implant is activated (turned on and used). The surgeon will follow up with you after the procedure to make sure you are healing.
• Follow-Up: A few weeks after surgery, you will go back to the audiologist. The audiologist will fit and adjust the speech processor to work with the implant, programming the device so that you are able to hear sounds. It may take multiple visits to fine-tune the settings. During these visits, you’ll also learn how to use and care for your implant. After that, you will work with your team to regularly monitor progress and/or address concerns.

After surgery, you will need to learn how to understand the sounds you hear with your implant. An audiologist and/or an SLP can help with this process by providing aural habilitation or aural rehabilitation.

To find an audiologist or speech-language pathologist near you, visit ProFind.

Resources

Inclusion on this list does not imply endorsement.

• American Cochlear Implant Alliance
• Hearing First: Choosing Which Cochlear Implant is Right for Your Child
• National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders: Cochlear Implants