ear, nose, and throat disorders
Management of Hearing Loss
Cochlear Implants
Most severe to profoundly deaf people who cannot hear sounds or understand words even with a hearing aid benefit from a cochlear implant. Cochlear implants provide electrical signals directly into the auditory nerve by means of multiple electrodes inserted into the cochlea, which is the inner ear structure containing the auditory nerve. A cochlear implant can be beneficial when people with a hearing aid do not understand more than half the words in sentences. An external microphone and processor pick up sound signals and convert them to electrical impulses. The impulses are transmitted electromagnetically by an external coil through the skin to an internal coil, which connects to the electrodes. The electrodes stimulate the auditory nerve. A cochlear implant does not transmit sounds as well as a normal cochlea but may provide substantial benefit to the hearing impaired. At a minimum, it helps people read lips. Most people who have implants can distinguish words without reading lips and also use the telephone. A cochlear implant also helps deaf people hear and distinguish environmental and warning signals, such as doorbells, telephones, and alarms. It helps them modulate their own voice to make their speech easier for others to understand. A cochlear implant is more effective in a person whose hearing loss is recent or who has successfully used a hearing aid before the implant. 