CI & Bombs (or other loud noises)

ohmylight

ohmylight

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I might be watching too much CSI: NY, but it made me curious...

What would happen if you had a very loud noise that would usually make a hearing person deafened (long or short term) happen when wearing a CI? I assume it would still affect your eardrum... But would the CI have a threshold where it doesn't tell your brain just how loud the sound is or would your brain perceive a sound like a bomb loud as it is for a hearing person?

Damn you, CSI for my curiosity...
 
Wouldn't an ENT doctor or an Audi know the answer? My guess would damage in the internal processor without effecting any part of one's ear.

aside: to date since implantation no such noise yet- the future?
 
drphil said:
Wouldn't an ENT doctor or an Audi know the answer? My guess would damage in the internal processor without effecting any part of one's ear.

aside: to date since implantation no such noise yet- the future?
Click to expand...

I was stuck at the car dealership for a bit today with Netflix and a wandering mind... Yes I'm sure they'd know the answer but I think it would humor me more than the ENT... I don't see myself worrying as much about my CI as I would about my life if I'm close to a bomb... But it made me curious.

A google search came up with information about nuclear bombs destroying processors and how "naturally we'd die off first because of Darwinism and survival of the fittest". Screw that - I'd become the best apocalypse survivor with or without a functioning CI or HA...
 
I think it wouldn't do nothing much.
When the processor is set, there are upper limits of loudness. So it would be loud, but not harmful.
 
that's funny because I usually hear like a "thump" or "boom" and sometimes it makes me think I fell off my bed when I actually jumped (like a scared quick jump)
weird isn't it? lol
 
I use a CI and in my experience, my threshold has been set to a small concert at a bar/siren within 30 yards sort of loudness. I'm guessing 110-120db. Anything louder will be perceived at that limit, doesn't bother me but your eardrum and guts will feel the pressure! :shock:

During activation/mapping, the threshold is set by giving you a set of increasingly loud beeps for each frequency range each electrode handles. It should be "comfortably loud", but if you feel pressure or pain eminating from cochlea, you were set too high.
 
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This is a function of the IDR (input dynamic range). Any sounds louder than the maximum limit are compressed to the maximum.

AB implants have a maximum IDR of 80 dB, though certain tricks can raise it to the mid 90s. It centers at about 45-50dB so really you'll never perceive sounds being louder than 100 dB with an AB implant.

Cochlear America implants use instantaneous IDR, but only have 40 dB of IIDR. Think of this as a smaller IDR that automatically adjusts the center point based on the last 2-3 seconds of input.

MedEl, no idea, but all implants work in a roughly similar fashion with regards to compression.

Obviously you'd still feel the pressure wave for a truly loud sound, but it wouldn't be unbearably loud unless your implant is set up incorrectly.
 
That makes sense. Haha curiosity is fulfilled :) I thought there would be an upper limit or threshold... But it made me wonder... Lol
 
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