A cochlear implant is an electrical device that helps to restore hearing somewhat. It may be a possibility for patients who have severe hearing loss due to inner-ear damage and are unable to benefit from hearing aids.

They have an external sound processor as well as internal components such as an electronics package and an electrode array. The external processor receives sound, processes it, and turns it into signals that are delivered through the skin to an internal receiver-stimulator, which delivers the signals along the electrode array into the cochlea, a component of the inner ear. The signal is subsequently delivered to the brain normally via the hearing nerve.

 

You will be evaluated before a cochlear implant is recommended to see if it will help enhance your hearing. If a cochlear implant is recommended, it will be surgically implanted into your ear (or both ears) and turned on three weeks later. Normal hearing is not restored by an implant. Instead, it can provide a helpful representation of noises in the environment and aid with speech comprehension.

Cochlear implants can help adults and children as early as six to twelve months old. People who have cochlear implants report that they have improved capability to hear speech without relying on visual signals such as lip reading, recognizing commonplace environmental sounds, ability to listen in a noisy setting Ability to locate the source of noises Ability to hear television programmes, music, and phone conversations