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<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nImplantable hearing devices work by stimulating the bones of the middle ear (ossicles) rather than amplifying sounds in the ear canal. This strengthens sound vibrations in the inner ear, and enables those with sensorineural hearing loss to be able to communicate. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Implantable hearing devices are less prone to feedback issues that can bedevil those who wear hearing aids, and some devices can be kept in place while a patient bathes and exercises. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Cochlear Implants<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Cochlear implants are devices that are implanted surgically behind the ear. They contain an external portion consisting of a microphone, sound processor and transmitter, and an internal portion that includes a receiver and a group of electrodes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The microphone picks up sounds in the environment, which are then converted by the sound processor into electronic signals that are sent to the transmitter. The transmitter forwards these signals to the receiver, where they are then passed on to the electrodes. The electrodes stimulate the auditory nerve, which carries the information directly to the brain, where it is interpreted as sound. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Cochlear implants allow those who are profoundly deaf to understand speech and other sounds. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
What you should expect:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n- You will hear\nmany sounds that you have never heard or have not heard in a long time.\nIndividuals who have had short-term hearing loss can anticipate an easier\ntransition to hearing with a cochlear implant than those who have had a longer\nperiod of auditory deprivation.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- Many patients\nreport that speech is \u201ccartoon-ish\u201d, robotic, or unnatural at first. They may\nalso hear \u201cbeeping, clicking, tapping, humming, static, or screeching\u201d with\nspeech at the time of activation. The brain needs time to make this new and\nunfamiliar sound meaningful. As the brain learns to understand new sounds,\nvoices and environmental noise are reported to become more natural, clearer,\nand familiar with time and practice. <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- New recipients\noften find higher pitched sounds especially noticeable since hearing aids most\nlikely did not provide as much access to these sounds. Again, with time and\npractice, these sounds will become more natural over time.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- It will\ntake time<\/em> for your brain to\nadjust to and make use of these new sounds. The cochlear implant should be worn\nduring all waking hours<\/em> except while bathing. <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- Cochlear implant\nprogramming requires many visits at first as your audiologist works to\ngradually build your tolerance to sound and fine tune your programming. Implant\nactivation will occur after your surgeon has medically cleared you. This\nprocess can take up to six weeks post implantation and dependent on healing of\nthe surgical site. <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- Cochlear implant surgery does not guarantee that you\nwill develop or be able to hear\/understand speech. It can take anywhere from 1\n\u00bd months to almost a year before a person starts to develop any speech\nunderstanding.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- This can be\nexhausting! <\/strong>As your brain re-learns\nhow to hear and sort speech from noise, you may feel mentally fatigued. It\u2019s ok\nto take a break but try to pick back up again. Don\u2019t give up!<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- Be patient and ask your family and friends for their\nsupport.<\/strong><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
What you should NOT expect:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n- That you will immediately recognize the sounds that\nyou are hearing<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- That you will understand speech right away; you will\nstill depend heavily on lip reading and\/or using a hearing aid on the other\near.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- That you will be able to hear better in noise or on\nthe phone right away. <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Bone Anchored Hearing Devices<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Bone anchored hearing devices consist of a titanium implant, an external abutment and a sound processor. Like cochlear implants, this system bypasses damaged hair cells in the auditory canal and middle ear, transmitting sound vibrations through the external abutment to the titanium implant, which naturally integrates (\u201cossifies\u201d) with the skull bone over time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The bones of the skull act as conductors, transmitting these sound vibrations to the inner ear, where the nerve fibers responsible for hearing are stimulated. A bone anchored hearing device is especially useful for patients with conductive hearing loss and single-sided deafness.<\/p>\n\n\n
- Many patients\nreport that speech is \u201ccartoon-ish\u201d, robotic, or unnatural at first. They may\nalso hear \u201cbeeping, clicking, tapping, humming, static, or screeching\u201d with\nspeech at the time of activation. The brain needs time to make this new and\nunfamiliar sound meaningful. As the brain learns to understand new sounds,\nvoices and environmental noise are reported to become more natural, clearer,\nand familiar with time and practice. <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- New recipients\noften find higher pitched sounds especially noticeable since hearing aids most\nlikely did not provide as much access to these sounds. Again, with time and\npractice, these sounds will become more natural over time.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- It will\ntake time<\/em> for your brain to\nadjust to and make use of these new sounds. The cochlear implant should be worn\nduring all waking hours<\/em> except while bathing. <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- Cochlear implant\nprogramming requires many visits at first as your audiologist works to\ngradually build your tolerance to sound and fine tune your programming. Implant\nactivation will occur after your surgeon has medically cleared you. This\nprocess can take up to six weeks post implantation and dependent on healing of\nthe surgical site. <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- Cochlear implant surgery does not guarantee that you\nwill develop or be able to hear\/understand speech. It can take anywhere from 1\n\u00bd months to almost a year before a person starts to develop any speech\nunderstanding.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- This can be\nexhausting! <\/strong>As your brain re-learns\nhow to hear and sort speech from noise, you may feel mentally fatigued. It\u2019s ok\nto take a break but try to pick back up again. Don\u2019t give up!<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- Be patient and ask your family and friends for their\nsupport.<\/strong><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
What you should NOT expect:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
- That you will immediately recognize the sounds that\nyou are hearing<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- That you will understand speech right away; you will\nstill depend heavily on lip reading and\/or using a hearing aid on the other\near.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- That you will be able to hear better in noise or on\nthe phone right away. <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Bone Anchored Hearing Devices<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Bone anchored hearing devices consist of a titanium implant, an external abutment and a sound processor. Like cochlear implants, this system bypasses damaged hair cells in the auditory canal and middle ear, transmitting sound vibrations through the external abutment to the titanium implant, which naturally integrates (\u201cossifies\u201d) with the skull bone over time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The bones of the skull act as conductors, transmitting these sound vibrations to the inner ear, where the nerve fibers responsible for hearing are stimulated. A bone anchored hearing device is especially useful for patients with conductive hearing loss and single-sided deafness.<\/p>\n\n\n
- That you will be able to hear better in noise or on\nthe phone right away. <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- That you will understand speech right away; you will\nstill depend heavily on lip reading and\/or using a hearing aid on the other\near.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- That you will immediately recognize the sounds that\nyou are hearing<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- Be patient and ask your family and friends for their\nsupport.<\/strong><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- This can be\nexhausting! <\/strong>As your brain re-learns\nhow to hear and sort speech from noise, you may feel mentally fatigued. It\u2019s ok\nto take a break but try to pick back up again. Don\u2019t give up!<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- Cochlear implant surgery does not guarantee that you\nwill develop or be able to hear\/understand speech. It can take anywhere from 1\n\u00bd months to almost a year before a person starts to develop any speech\nunderstanding.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- Cochlear implant\nprogramming requires many visits at first as your audiologist works to\ngradually build your tolerance to sound and fine tune your programming. Implant\nactivation will occur after your surgeon has medically cleared you. This\nprocess can take up to six weeks post implantation and dependent on healing of\nthe surgical site. <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- It will\ntake time<\/em> for your brain to\nadjust to and make use of these new sounds. The cochlear implant should be worn\nduring all waking hours<\/em> except while bathing. <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- New recipients\noften find higher pitched sounds especially noticeable since hearing aids most\nlikely did not provide as much access to these sounds. Again, with time and\npractice, these sounds will become more natural over time.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n