Electric Cochlear Implants: Functions and Benefits

The world is becoming clearer to many thanks to electric cochlear implants. There are many technologies available to people who suffer from a hearing impairment. While hearing aids, in all of their many editions, have been the most common solution to hearing loss, cochlear implants are becoming even more popular for individuals all over the globe. You must understand that cochlear implants are used for people who have a large amount of hearing loss, and can be a solution to both adults and children. With several technologies available to hearing impaired people, electric cochlear implants go beyond the traditional hearing aid to offer something superior to those with profound hearing loss. These devices attach to the person’s skull to make a bypass which allows sound wave to be interpreted by the auditory nerve. These differ from that of a simple hearing aid, which is worn in the ear.

How Do Cochlear Implants Function?

Cochlear implants, necessary for many people in which a hearing aid simply won’t provide the hearing help they need, allows users to experience crisp, clear sound waves for optimal enjoyment. Working through the use of four major components, all parts simulate hearing and work like a well oiled machine. The microphone is located on the outside of the ear. It detects sounds, then passes them on to the speech processor that is near the microphone, which can also be worn in other places on the body. This is where the interpretation and digitization of sound occurs in order for it to be picked up by the transmitter. The transmitter, which gives the signals to the receiver underneath the skin, passes all of the signals to the electrodes cluster located in the cochlea. This sits behind the ear and under the skin, where electrodes fire up special fibers on the auditory nerve.

Benefits of Cochlear Implants

Ideal for those who suffer from a high degree of hearing loss than cannot be addressed through a simple hearing aid, these devices allow the individual to clearly pick up on sounds such as speech and surround environmental sound. This helps the user feel safe in his or her environment as they go through their daily life. As such, electric cochlear implants are the best when it comes to the most integral hearing devices available to the hearing impaired community. Great for people kids and adults who live with a high degree of filter crowd noise.

What Makes A Cochlear Implant?

Most of the components of a cochlear implant are located on the outside of the ear, but some are placed under the skin and behind the ear. There are many significant parts to a cochlear implant. The microphone, speech processor, and a transmitter comprise the external parts of the device, while the receiver and an electrode cluster comprise the parts implanted under the skin.