Cochlear Yes or Cochlear No?

Trisha

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My ENT gave me brochures on the Cochlear Implant. I am trying to decide if it is something I want to do. I have always had a hard time hearing out of my right ear (my left is good). The doctor said I would be able to have "normal" hearing. I don't know what normal hearing is. I'm 39 and have lived this long without it. Is it worth it? If you have a CI could you tell me what you like about it and what you don't like? Thank you to all that reply.
 
There is no such thing as 'normal' hearing for deaf people.

From what I read, it will give you an ability to hear some things. Each person's experience is different. Some have stated that CI took their profound hearing and brought them back to Severe. Other states even better results along the moderate levels.
 
From my research CI's help the most for those that have some hearing or have recently had hearing and know what things are supposed to sound like. Since you have good hearing in your one ear, a CI might work better than average for you. I'm getting my first implant sometime in the near future so I can let you know in a few months how it worked out for me.
 
Maybe I should just be happy with what I have. I can't hear where sound is coming from, I can't hear what someone is saying if they are walking away from me (they do it all the time), My TV and radio have to be up loud and I only hold the phone up to my left ear. And I say "huh?" and "What?" all the time. But the hearing I do have combined with my lip reading skills allows me to get along just fine. Might just be easier to avoid change. :)
 
Hi Trisha-whether my experience with a Cochlear Implant can be of value to you- not sure.
I became bilateral DEAF in December 2006. Prior to that time I had Hearing aids in both ears-almost 40 years. I have sensorineural loss- yours?

I was the one that got the ENT clinic-St Michaels Hospital/Toronto to refer me to Cochlear Implant section Sunnybrook/Toronto. They did. I was examined and fit the criteria. I was implanted in July/07. Activated August/07. At this point was 70 years old,

It has been a substantial improvement-hearing wise to this date-almost 6 years.
I have an Advanced Bionics-Harmony model.

I have no regrets in getting this implant.

Good luck in your decision making.
 
My ENT gave me brochures on the Cochlear Implant. I am trying to decide if it is something I want to do. I have always had a hard time hearing out of my right ear (my left is good). The doctor said I would be able to have "normal" hearing. I don't know what normal hearing is. I'm 39 and have lived this long without it. Is it worth it? If you have a CI could you tell me what you like about it and what you don't like? Thank you to all that reply.

Every day hearing aids are improving more and more than they have in the past. If your left ear is good, stick with hearing aids. If you have hearing loss, no matter how little or much, there's no such thing as a device that can give normal hearing. Most audis probably know more about hearing loss than ENTs.

Laura
 
If my insurance covered cochlear implants, I would get one tomorrow. Sure, I'm getting married next Saturday but I'd show up to my own wedding with half a shaved head if it meant I could have a better way to keep up with my peers.

This may be because I'm in biomedical grad school and hoping to go to medical school where I have to compete with very smart hearing students.

BUT if your left ear is "good" then you likely don't qualify for a CI. CIs are for adults with bilateral severe to profound SNHL. single sided deafness (where only one ear is deaf and the other is hearing) are helped better by bone anchored hearing aids.
As someone pointed out above, some ENTs are complete idiots. CI are for bilateral deafness.
 
Every day hearing aids are improving more and more than they have in the past. If your left ear is good, stick with hearing aids. If you have hearing loss, no matter how little or much, there's no such thing as a device that can give normal hearing. Most audis probably know more about hearing loss than ENTs.

Laura
You are so so right.

Last time I went to an ENT, I wanted to poke the ENT Doctor's eye out. I have more knowledge of the inner ear than they do. Even if I tell him what's the issue with my ear.

For example I went a few weeks ago because of a possible ear infection. Ear molds were starting to smell a bit. My canal walls were sore and I had scabs on them. Along with excess liquid coming out of my ears. I couldn't go a few days without my hearing aids for them to heal. So I tried to use neosporin, to help clear it up. (yes I was using Q-tips and we are told many times not to use them)

I went and he was checking my inner ear drum and wanted me to take a hearing test. I was like, why bother, I know what's the problem is with my ear. Just do as I ask. I told him 'If you want my audio graph, give me a piece of paper and I will draw it for you. It's never changed in the 35 years I've been deaf.' I told him, can't you see the scabs on ear canal and where my ear molds touches. Then he saw what I was complaining about. So he gave me some ear drops to clear up my ear.

My audiologist loves me. I actually made her into a better Audiologist over the years. I've been with her for so long, we are really good friends. And I love it when I come in and she tells me how the knowledge I shared with her, she was able to share with other deaf clients. Every once in a while, we both come across something neither of us know, and we both research and share what we found out.
 
BUT if your left ear is "good" then you likely don't qualify for a CI. CIs are for adults with bilateral severe to profound SNHL. single sided deafness (where only one ear is deaf and the other is hearing) are helped better by bone anchored hearing aids.

Ohh!!! I didn't realized this.

Nice to know. Funny when i was younger, they told me i was a perfect candidate for CI. But they were suggesting to only do my left ear since it was worst than my right. I guess times have changed that that is not longer effective?
 
You are so so right.
For example I went a few weeks ago because of a possible ear infection. Ear molds were starting to smell a bit. My canal walls were sore and I had scabs on them. Along with excess liquid coming out of my ears. I couldn't go a few days without my hearing aids for them to heal. So I tried to use neosporin, to help clear it up. (yes I was using Q-tips and we are told many times not to use them)

I went and he was checking my inner ear drum and wanted me to take a hearing test.

I hate to be a stickler but you mean external ear/tympanic membrane.
My biggest pet peeve is when people (especially my professors) think the outer, middle, and inner ear are the same.

I'm glad you finally got treatment for your Otitis externa (outer ear infection).

One of my neurology professors actually said that aural atresia (absence or narrowing of external ear) would be equal to complete deafness. WRONG. After class I carefully asked about this and ended up teaching the professor the difference between conductive and sensironeural hearing loss.
 
Ohh!!! I didn't realized this.

Nice to know. Funny when i was younger, they told me i was a perfect candidate for CI. But they were suggesting to only do my left ear since it was worst than my right. I guess times have changed that that is not longer effective?

How "good" is good? If your "good" is normal, mild, or moderate, then you would not qualify for a CI.
If "good" is like my left ear being "better" with thresholds of 110 vs 120, then CI is an option and you should rethink your definition of "good".

Cochlear implants are indicated for people with SNHL that is severe or worse in both ears. The criteria change if you are looking at hybrid implants (where a short electrode is implanted and the same ear wears a hearing aid and CI) but hybrids usually require normal to mild hearing loss in the low frequencies with precipitously sloping hearing loss in the high frequencies.
 
Is your deaf ear totally and completely unaidable? What's the speech reception score on your aidable ear? I do think that the CI can help in some cases........awhile back someone said they had recruitment with hearing aids....and I was like " LOOK into CI! That's the perfect sitution!"
But on the other hand, from what you've said it sounds like you're just dealing with typical HOH issues. Nothing will really help that. Technology is limited with what it can do. Technology cannot fully compensate for the nautral ear or the nautral eye. I do see a tendancy to think of CI as "best of the best" They can be awesome...........but people with CI still overall deal with the same issues that ALL HOH folks do.
 
Is your deaf ear totally and completely unaidable? What's the speech reception score on your aidable ear? I do think that the CI can help in some cases........awhile back someone said they had recruitment with hearing aids....and I was like " LOOK into CI! That's the perfect sitution!"
But on the other hand, from what you've said it sounds like you're just dealing with typical HOH issues. Nothing will really help that. Technology is limited with what it can do. Technology cannot fully compensate for the nautral ear or the nautral eye. I do see a tendancy to think of CI as "best of the best" They can be awesome...........but people with CI still overall deal with the same issues that ALL HOH folks do.

I know you aren't replying to me but my aided discrimination is around 40% at 110dB. I have wicked recruitment but that usually means by the time I can hear something it is too loud and really distorted.
Most sounds I hear through my hearin aids are a mixture of vowels and static. Sounds that are slightly louder than speech sound like static both with and without my hearing aids (of course without my hearing aids (such as in a sound booth) the sound is amplified).
Usually by the time I can hear something it is too loud or sounds like static.

With my hearing aids I can understand some speech but honestly the noise prevents so much understanding. Without my hearing aids I have the freedom to explain that I'm deaf and I need the phrase repeated or written down.
If I'm not going to have to interact with people I NEVER wear my hearing aids.

I think a CI would help by partly/mostly eliminating the recruitment and distortion and allowing the signal to get relayed straight to my auditory nerve. It wouldn't have to pass through my nearly dead cochleas.
 
My ENT gave me brochures on the Cochlear Implant. I am trying to decide if it is something I want to do. I have always had a hard time hearing out of my right ear (my left is good). The doctor said I would be able to have "normal" hearing. I don't know what normal hearing is. I'm 39 and have lived this long without it. Is it worth it? If you have a CI could you tell me what you like about it and what you don't like? Thank you to all that reply.

This is what you need if you have SSD.

SSD
 
I know many folks that are deaf in one ear, they have learned to adapt.

The replies above are all pretty good.

I have 2 CI's, as I am profoundly deaf in both ears. HA's were not good enough. I am a fan of CI's, but, I believe they should only be considered a LAST resort if all else fails.

Since you already have a good ear, you most likely will NOT benefit from a CI on the other ear, as your brain is already adapting to using the good ear for everything, and your CI ear will never be 'normal' again.

CI's do NOT give you normal hearing. They give you some hearing back, but nowhere near as good as a normal ear.

Wearing hearing aids in a partially-deaf ear probably will give you the same results as a CI....without the surgery, risks, etc.

And, lastly, if you have $80K to spend, any doctor will implant you with a CI, as insurance companies will not, since your other ear is fine.

Get another ENT.
 
I know you aren't replying to me but my aided discrimination is around 40% at 110dB. I have wicked recruitment but that usually means by the time I can hear something it is too loud and really distorted.
Most sounds I hear through my hearin aids are a mixture of vowels and static. Sounds that are slightly louder than speech sound like static both with and without my hearing aids (of course without my hearing aids (such as in a sound booth) the sound is amplified).
Usually by the time I can hear something it is too loud or sounds like static.

With my hearing aids I can understand some speech but honestly the noise prevents so much understanding. Without my hearing aids I have the freedom to explain that I'm deaf and I need the phrase repeated or written down.
If I'm not going to have to interact with people I NEVER wear my hearing aids.

I think a CI would help by partly/mostly eliminating the recruitment and distortion and allowing the signal to get relayed straight to my auditory nerve. It wouldn't have to pass through my nearly dead cochleas.

That is exactly my problem too. I tried the new Q's, which are supposed to be "the best" on the market right now and yes, speech is better....unless there is noise and then it's just a constant buzz of static. I'm expecting similar speech results with the CI without the static and distortion. I'm surprised your health insurance doesn't cover CI's. Most plans do even though they don't cover HA's.

I know many folks that are deaf in one ear, they have learned to adapt.

The replies above are all pretty good.

I have 2 CI's, as I am profoundly deaf in both ears. HA's were not good enough. I am a fan of CI's, but, I believe they should only be considered a LAST resort if all else fails.

Since you already have a good ear, you most likely will NOT benefit from a CI on the other ear, as your brain is already adapting to using the good ear for everything, and your CI ear will never be 'normal' again.

CI's do NOT give you normal hearing. They give you some hearing back, but nowhere near as good as a normal ear.

Wearing hearing aids in a partially-deaf ear probably will give you the same results as a CI....without the surgery, risks, etc.

And, lastly, if you have $80K to spend, any doctor will implant you with a CI, as insurance companies will not, since your other ear is fine.

Get another ENT.

I disagree. From the research I have done, people with some hearing have significantly better results from a CI than they do with HA's. CI results from those with little to no hearing are not quite as impressive.
 
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