Cochlear implants are small electronic devices that can help provide a sense of sound to a person who is profoundly deaf or severely hard-of-hearing. They are designed to mimic the function of a healthy inner ear (or cochlea) and replace the function of damaged sensory hair cells inside the inner ear to help provide clearer sound than what hearing aids can provide. Here are some key points about cochlear implants:
- Cochlear implants bypass damaged portions of the ear and directly stimulate the auditory nerve.
- Unlike hearing aids, which amplify sound, a cochlear implant sends sound signals to a receiver and stimulator implanted under the skin, which then stimulates the auditory nerve with electrodes that have been threaded into the cochlea.
- A cochlear implant has two parts: an external portion that sits behind the ear and a second portion that is surgically placed under the skin.
- The external portion consists of a microphone to detect sound, a battery to power the system, a processor to process sound, and a transmitter to send the electric signals to the internal part.
- The internal portion contains the electronic circuits that receive signals from the external system and send electrical currents to the inner ear.
- Cochlear implants do not restore normal hearing, but they can give a deaf person a useful representation of sounds in the environment and help them to understand speech.
- Hearing through a cochlear implant is different from normal hearing and takes time to learn or relearn.
- Cochlear implant surgery is an outpatient procedure that usually takes between two to four hours under general anesthesia.
- Within 3 to 6 months of use, most people with cochlear implants make considerable gains in understanding speech.
In summary, cochlear implants are electronic devices that can help provide a sense of sound to people who are profoundly deaf or severely hard-of-hearing. They bypass damaged portions of the ear and directly stimulate the auditory nerve, and consist of an external portion that sits behind the ear and a second portion that is surgically placed under the skin. Cochlear implants do not restore normal hearing, but they can give a deaf person a useful representation of sounds in the environment and help them to understand speech.
