Smile with HA / CI ?

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cammomile

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Hello,

As a gradually hearing loss, I have felt both wearing and not wearing hearing aids. I have been wearing my hearing aids for about two years and now is considering for cochlear implant. I wonder if any of you find it's difficult to smile with your hearing aids or cochlear implant?

With HA, if I smile, my HA will make a feedback sound. And this really change my personality at all corner. I was a smiley girl, even my friends always wonder why I always smile anywhere and everywhere. I can't answer it, maybe that's who I am.

But since I wear a hearing aids, I seldom smile, and my friends think that it's because I lost my hearing. Yes I think they're not wrong, to loss my hearing is something like losing something so precious in my life. But not only that, I also lost my precious smile, I can't smile as I did before because of this hearing aids because it keep making a feedback noise. I feel so ugly now since I can't smile as I did before.

Just curious, any of you who cochlear implant users, have difficulties to smile? Does the internal processor location disturb any of our facial nerve? Does cochlear implant external processor also make a feedback noise like hearing aids?

I also like doing physical activities, such as sports, arts, or dancing. How can we do all of that activities with hearing aids? or cochlear implant?

Thank you!
 
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I had CI since age of four and I never had trouble smiling....

You can do sports, but it just depends on the sports.... for example, swimming, you don't wear that... but if you play soccer, you can wear hearing aids/CI....

You can do Arts and dancing as well with CI/hearing aids....

Pretty much you can do anything with those on.... it just really depends on the situation.
 
I've had my implant since the age of ten. I used to dance from 8-12 years old, I did not wear my implant during dance classes and competitions because it used to fall off my ear and it was more comfortable to have it off rather than holding my processor to my ear. My dance teacher and class was very understanding. You can do anything you want with the CI, except dive(to a certain depth), swim, shower.
 
cammomile said:
Hello,

As a gradually hearing loss, I have felt both wearing and not wearing hearing aids. I have been wearing my hearing aids for about two years and now is considering for cochlear implant. I wonder if any of you find it's difficult to smile with your hearing aids or cochlear implant?

With HA, if I smile, my HA will make a feedback sound. And this really change my personality at all corner. I was a smiley girl, even my friends always wonder why I always smile anywhere and everywhere. I can't answer it, maybe that's who I am.

But since I wear a hearing aids, I seldom smile, and my friends think that it's because I lost my hearing. Yes I think they're not wrong, to loss my hearing is something like losing something so precious in my life. But not only that, I also lost my precious smile, I can't smile as I did before because of this hearing aids because it keep making a feedback noise. I feel so ugly now since I can't smile as I did before.

Just curious, any of you who cochlear implant users, have difficulties to smile? Does the internal processor location disturb any of our facial nerve? Does cochlear implant external processor also make a feedback noise like hearing aids?

I also like doing physical activities, such as sports, arts, or dancing. How can we do all of that activities with hearing aids? or cochlear implant?

Thank you!
Click to expand...

If your hearing aids stop you from smiling then it's time to get new earmoulds!! Cochlear Implants do not produce feedback like hearing aids, so it is easy to smile. Nothing should make you stop making a simple expression. The facial nerves are very closely monitored during surgery so if the internal implant goes near it then doctors will know. It is a rare thing for that to happen
 
I agree with Lissa, you may need new ear moulds. Go back to your audiologist and tell them about your problem, it may also be possible for them to adjust the feedback control system in your HAs. I sometimes get feedback whilst chewing, but have never had a problem with being able to smile.
 
Like others have said, there are no feedback issues. A CI is a totally different beast than a HA. So, if you get a CI, smile away.

As for your other questions...

They have pretty much eliminated facial nerve issues. This is especially true for those related to surgery itself. Some folks may have facial nerve issues due to the electrode itself when it is working. Typically, they turn off one or two of the stimulus points to avoid that problem.

You are pretty free to do any activity you want to do (within certain limits like scuba diving and etc.). Heavy sweat is usually the biggest problem.
 
Feedback when you smile from hearing aids is usually an indication that, if new, the molds don't fit properly, or, if old, it's time for new molds. For a person with a severe or profound loss molds need to fit snug to avoid feedback. The movement of facial muscles, such as when smiling causes a gap in the mold which results in squealing. I have found that when being fit for new molds that I open and close my mouth a few times so that the molds will fit better.
 
sr171soars said:
You are pretty free to do any activity you want to do (within certain limits like scuba diving and etc.). Heavy sweat is usually the biggest problem.
Click to expand...

Hi all, thanks for all the suggestion! I appreciate that much!

Yes that heavy sweat is my main concern. Before wearing these HA, I used to dance or have aerobic lesson until heavy sweat. I don't do all those activities now...

Lissa said:
I've had my implant since the age of ten. I used to dance from 8-12 years old, I did not wear my implant during dance classes and competitions because it used to fall off my ear and it was more comfortable to have it off rather than holding my processor to my ear. My dance teacher and class was very understanding. You can do anything you want with the CI, except dive(to a certain depth), swim, shower.
Click to expand...

If you did not wear your implant during dance classes and competitions, how did you hear the music beat?
 
Watched everybody else's dances through the corner of my eye and copied them. At Competitions and Feiseannas, My dance teacher was given permission to dance with me if I had to dance solo(since I did not have a way to dance with my processor plus I hadn't had it long).
 
Lissa said:
Watched everybody else's dances through the corner of my eye and copied them. At Competitions and Feiseannas, My dance teacher was given permission to dance with me if I had to dance solo(since I did not have a way to dance with my processor plus I hadn't had it long).
Click to expand...

I understand... thanks for sharing! you might be a very great dancer! :wave:
 
I have no problems smiling since i had the implant or with my HA. I reckon u need new ear mold, if it feeds back it's a sign of poor fit.

I sail with CI/HA on even in the wettest weather, Ride horses with helmet on (no problems) and Ski too.

Obviously the external part of the CI cannot be used in bath/shower/swimming. Scuba diving depends on manufacter's guidelines, each device have different depth allowances.
 
If your HA is feed backing when you smile , your earmold it too lose. Did you lose some weight , that can cause your earmold to get lose. This happen to some of my clients when I was health aid. They lost weight and their HA would start to feed back. Or the molds were not fixed very good when being made. I been wearing a HA for 55 years and mine does not feed back when I smile ot laugh.
 
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