Hearing Aid Called Cochlear Implant

For those who have total or near total loss of the ability to sense sounds the use of a hearing aid can sometime not be sufficient. For these people the problem is that they have almost completely lost any sensitivity and that even with the use of one of these appliances they are not getting sufficiently successful results.

The problem that people with profound loss have most often is that a hearing aid amplifies sound. That means that if one has a particularly hard time picking up conversation it is necessary to turn it up higher. Unfortunately, these units are indiscriminate. If one turns the volume up to understand what someone is saying they also amplify the sound of everything else. That means traffic, white noise, the radio and everything else. This can make it hard to even distinguish the sounds that one means to be receiving.

Fortunately, for those with a profound loss there is a new type of hearing aid available. It is a cochlear implants and it works by a different method than simple amplification. Instead of making everything louder this type of appliance is actually replace the damaged part of the ear and communicate straight with the brain. It circumvents the damaged parts of the ear and so there is no need for unnecessary amplification. This way, because the unit communicates directly through electrical impulses, everything sounds a level that is understandable. While this technology may allow the understanding of voices unaided it is not the same as a natural persons senses noise. Advancements have made it better but there is still a fair gap between the technology and nature.

While this type of hearing aid offers a unique solution to the problem of lost senses it is not a procedure to be taken lightly. This type of solution requires surgery and can be painful and hard to adjust to. Typically after undergoing a number of tests and having the operation a patient will wait for a month to heal before having it turned on. Then, after the implant is in use it is necessary to undergo therapy to adjust to it and better understand how it is working and what one can do to make it work better.

Having a hearing aid can be a welcome solution to the problem of difficulty discerning noises. When a problem is particularly severe it may be necessary to pursue new or alternative options. One of these choices is called a cochlear implant and offers a new and different way of increasing sensitivity. There is no reason to be hindered by this type of disability when there are so many options available. Those who qualify for this type of treatment have the ability to reclaim the joy of music and the comfort of conversation.