Is a Cochlear Implant Right for Me?
Cochlear implants help people who simply are not getting enough benefit from hearing aids. The following statements can help determine if you are a cochlear implant candidate:
- I have difficulty following conversations without lipreading.
- I hear pretty well in quiet, but I struggle in groups or noisy places.
- I cannot follow most phone conversations; especially if I do not know the person calling.
- I feel isolated and limited both socially and occupationally due to my hearing loss.
If you answered “Yes” to any of these statements, you may benefit from a cochlear implant. This suggests that you should get an evaluation at a Cochlear Implant Clinic to determine if you are a candidate for a cochlear implant.
How Hearing Healthcare Professionals Determine Who May Benefit
A team approach is often taken to determine candidacy for cochlear implantation. A surgeon rules out medical contraindications with a physical examination, an MRI or a CT scan, and medical record review.
An audiologist will evaluate the type and degree of hearing loss, assess the functional benefit received with hearing aids, and discuss the potential benefits to be gained from a cochlear implant.
Biology Influences Hearing Potential
Everyone comes into the hearing journey with his or her own individual hearing potential. Some biological factors that can influence your hearing potential are:
- How old you were when your hearing loss began?
- How long you’ve had hearing loss?
- How old you are when you get a cochlear implant?
- The medical health of your inner ear
- Other related medical conditions
Rehabilitation Influences
For adults with cochlear implants, listening practice can improve performance. Many centers offer rehabilitation programs for you to obtain listening practice but there are also programs available for you to practice listening at home by yourself or with a loved one. Your motivation to practice listening and your support network are factors in your personal performance with cochlear implants.
Technology Accesses Hearing Potential
Regardless of biological factors and habilitation effort, it takes technology to bring sound to the impaired ear. Hearing aids provide limited benefit to people with severe or profound hearing loss because the technology is designed to simply amplify sound.
Cochlear implants, in contrast, do not just amplify sound. Instead, they bypass damaged parts of the inner ear and deliver sound signals directly to the hearing nerve using precise electrical currents, which get instantly “translated” in the brain.
The only way to know for certain if you can benefit from a cochlear implant, is to be evaluated at a Cochlear implant Clinic in your area: Use our Clinic Finder to find a clinic near you.
Next: Questions and Answers About Cochlear Implants>>
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