FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Hearing implants explained
Find the answers to some common questions you about hearing implants. In case you haven´t got an answer you need, please contact us. We are here to help!
Cochlear implant – general questions
There are still no medication which can completely cure tinnitus. However, cochlear implants can help with the noisy sensations like ringing and buzzing in the ear in the treatment of patients with single-sided deafness. Get more information about how cochlear implants can help with tinnitus here:
https://lifelonghearing.com/science/a-modern-help-for-tinnitus/
https://blog.medel.com/cochlear-implants-tinnitus-cure
If you have hearing problems, the first step towards the solution would be to get your hearing tested by an ENT doctor. The doctor will use different methods to see how well you can hear – such as audiogram. He will advise you what to do next, according to the results of your hearing tests and the level of hearing loss.
You can also try and do online hearing tests to get an idea of your problem, however, these tests cannot be a substitution for the doctor´s check. Do the online hearing test here: https://www.medel.com/about-hearing/hearing-test
If you are looking for an ENT doctor in your area, you can contact us at https://lifelonghearing.com/contact/ or at https://www.medel.com/contact-med-el
Cochlear implants overcome problems in certain parts of the ear by mimicing the function of a healthy cochlea (inner ear). They send the sounds directly to the auditory nerve in the brain. The brain receives and processes these signals as sounds. Watch the video below and find out how exactly cochlear implants work: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k93lZHZT4yc
Cochlear implants are partially visible hearing solutions. They consist of two parts: an external audio processor which receives the sounds, placed in the area behind the ear and the implant, which is placed under the skin. The audio processor, i.e. the visible part of a cochlear implant comes in different shapes and styles, and cutting-edge hearing solutions offer many different designs and wearing options to match everyone´s taste.
For example, MED-EL offers over 30 different covers for audio processors! Find out more here: https://www.medel.com/hearing-solutions/accessories/design-covers
Cochlear implant (CI) is a hearing solution developed for more severe cases of hearing loss, when the inner ear is damaged and so-called „hair cells“ in the inner ear can´t do their job normally. Cochlear implants take over the function of the inner ear and present a great solution for cases when hearing aids cannot help anymore. This means that cochlear implants enable people with severe hearing loss to hear again!
Find out how cochlear implant exactly works here!
Cochlear implant surgery
The cochlear implant surgery takes place at the hospital or clinic, under general anesthesia. The surgery usually lasts from 1 to 3 hours.
The provision with a hearing implant always requires a surgery. Nowadays, cochlear implantation is a routine surgery and it is performed in a safe part of a skull. However, the postoperative procedure can still bring some risks: such as short-term tinnitus or dizziness after the procedure. If the wound is not taken care of properly, it may sometimes also come to irritations of the skin wound. Please, get detailed information about the risks at the clinic before the surgery!
After the implantation, you may feel pain, but it will not last for too long as it is only a small incinsion. In older patients, the chance of dizziness after the procedure increases. However, these symptoms should not last long or be too strong. When leaving the hospital, you will get advice from the doctor´s about what to take care of.
Also, the patient cannot hear immediately after the implantation. Only when a patient gets the external part of the implant, which happens at the first fitting around 3-4 weeks after the surgery, the patient will start hearing. This period is necessary for the wound to heal completely.
Find out more about what to expect after the surgery here.
Before the surgery, it is important to take care of your health and don´t catch a cold, which can lead to the postponement of the surgery. Also, check the list of the medication that you are regularly taking with your doctor to prepare for the surgery accordingly. Talk to your doctor about other precaution measures before the surgery.
After you consult with your doctor and decide to get a cochlear implant, the procedure of implantation will be done in a hospital under general anesthesia. The minimally invasive procedure is considered a routine operation and can last from 1 to 3 hours.
Life with a cochlear implant
Having a cochlear implant doesn´t stop you from taking part in the activities that you enjoy. You can swim with the audio processor on, if you use the appropriate accesories that will protect the device from water, e.g. MED-EL´s WaterWear Waterproof Cover: https://www.medel.com/hearing-solutions/accessories/waterwear
Tipps for swimming with WaterWear: https://blog.medel.com/go-swimming-with-the-med-el-waterwear/
The CI users are able to enjoy music with a cochlear implant, especially with implants that mimic the natural sound with their technology, such as MED-EL´s. Still, the more the users listen to music the more they will be able to enjoy it in a right way.
Read more tips for enjoying the music with a cochlear implant here: https://blog.medel.com/listening-to-music-with-a-cochlear-implant/
Rehabilitation after CI surgery
After the implantation, you will probably need to wait for minimum of 3 weeks until the place around the wound isn’t swollen, which is when you will start wearing your audio processor and thus, start hearing. The day of initial activation will be one of the most exciting moments on your CI journey. However, after the first fitting and activation, you will also have to actively work on your CI recovery, as the brain needs to learn to perceive the artifically generated sounds in a right way.
Find useful tips and materials for CI rehabilitation here:
https://blog.medel.com/tips-and-tricks/
https://www.medel.com/support/rehab/rehabilitation-downloads
Cochlear implant for children
Yes, cochlear implants are a great solution for children, as they enable them to have obstacle-free auditory and speech development. The newborns and babies with hearing loss should have all the necessary tests done and if the ENT doctor suggests CIs as a solution, to get implanted around first birthday.
Read more about cochlear implants as a solution for babies here!
