Some people suffer from uncorrectable deafness problems. Fortunately, there is a way for them to hear.
That’s where cochlear implants come in. This device is surgically implanted, and instead of amplifying sound like a hearing aid, it stimulates the auditory nerve in the cochlea to function through electrical impulses.
This implant consists of many small parts. These parts include a microphone, a speech processor and a radio frequency transmitter. Not many people undergo this procedure because it is very expensive and there are other options available before this.
But is it worth the money? Most patients who have had a cochlear implant say so, because although you get almost near normal hearing.
One study showed that adults who had cochlear implants benefited almost immediately, and their hearing improved fairly quickly during the first six months of tuning. This is not the same for children because they need more time to adjust to the implant.
The device helped them to distinguish between different types of sounds and understand speech without the need to read lips. In fact, a surprising number of people are able to use the phone.
The only limitation of the cochlear implant is that background noise remains, which interferes with the patient’s ability to understand. When this happens, he or she has to rely more on speech or lip reading than on this auditory device.
That’s why doctors say that while cochlear implants have benefits, the extent really depends on the patient. These factors depend on auditory memory, exposure to sounds prior to hearing loss, the shorter period of deafness prior to surgery, and the condition of the cochlea and auditory nerve fibers.
Once the device is implanted, the patient must visit the clinic periodically for the first 6 months to adjust the volume and make sure everything is OK. If a child receives a cochlear implant, they will need to develop their hearing and speech skills compared to adults.
So, how much does a cochlear implant cost? The cost can range from $40,000 to $100,000. It depends on where it is performed and who is the specialist in charge of the procedure. Given that most third-party health insurance health plants now pay a percentage of the cost for people who need a cochlear implant, money should no longer be an issue.
Cochlear implants are the only device that has so far been able to help people with permanent deafness problems. In fact, studies are now being done to see if this can also help people with other types of hearing loss.
In the United States alone, 23,000 adults and 15,500 children have received this device. Most children who receive this procedure are between the ages of two and six, but in 2000 the age requirement was lowered so that children as young as one year old could receive the implant.
There is no doubt that people who are deaf or suffer from permanent deafness problems will benefit from cochlear implants. You might even say it is “life-changing” because you have the opportunity to hear the various sounds in your life again.