Sound Signals to the Brain
Cochlear Implants
Discover Cochlear Implants
Would you like to learn more about hearing with an implantable hearing system?
Please join us for a FREE information session to learn more about cochlear implants.
When:
- 17 Feb 2025
- 12 May 2025
- 18 Aug 2025
- 27 Oct 2025
Where:
Suite 2, M City Medical,
2107 Dandenong Rd,
Clayton VIC 3168
- The difference between a hearing aid and a hearing implant system
- How a hearing implant system works
- Understand the cochlear implant journey?
All About Cochlear Implants in Melbourne
A cochlear implant is an electronic medical device that replaces the function of the damaged inner ear.
While wearing hearing aids do you:
- Have trouble hearing on the phone?
- Frequently ask people to repeat themselves?
- Struggle to hear in noisy environments?
If you answered YES to any of the above, then a cochlear implant assessment may be beneficial
Cochlear implants are innovative electronic medical devices that provide a solution for individuals when optimised hearing aids are insufficient to meet a client’s needs. Unlike hearing aids which amplify sounds to send down the ear canal, cochlear implants do the work of damaged parts of the inner ear (cochlea) to provide sound signals to the brain via the auditory nerve. For those exploring cochlear implant options, it’s essential to understand their eligibility criteria, benefits, how they work and the rehabilitation process.
How Do Cochlear Implants Work?
The cochlear implant system has an external component and an internal component working in harmony to help you hear better. Here’s a breakdown of the components and their function:
- External Sound Professor: The microphone on the sound professor is located on the external part of the device, which can sit behind the ear or off the ear. It picks up sound from the environment and the sound processor converts the sound into digital signals, which are transmitted to the implant.
- Internal Cochlear Implant Electrode: The cochlear implant is surgically placed under the skin and the flexible electrode is inserted into your cochlear by the Ear Nose and Throat Specialist. It is here inside the cochlear, that the electrode replaces your previous damaged natural hearing converting it to bionic hearing. The electrodes take over to stimulate the appropriate regions for your cochlear to recognise sounds from bass to treble, and these signals are sent down your auditory nerve to be processed by the hearing centre in the brain.
While wearing hearing aids do you:
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Who is eligible for a Cochlear Implant?
Cochlear implants can help people who:
• have moderate to profound hearing loss
• have profound hearing loss in one ear with normal hearing in the other ear
• receive little or no benefit from hearing aids
• withdrawing from social events due to difficulty understand speech
• score 60% or less on sentence recognition tests done by audiologist in the ear to be implanted
If you or a family member find themselves in any of the above situations reach out to our expert team of audiologists to attend a Discover Hearing Implant session. This is a complimentary group session where you are invited to know, touch and feel how implants work and hear from a cochlear implant recipient about their own hearing journey.
Whilst many start with one cochlear implant, they can in fact benefit from two. Some individuals proceed to have cochlear implants in both ears (bilateral). This can allow for listening with two ears to improve the ability to identify the direction of sound and aid in listening in noisy environments.
Ultimately your audiologist will work with your surgeon to determine if you are a suitable candidate for a cochlear implant. They consider your hearing history, physical health, and personal goals before proceeding with surgery. These evaluations for a cochlear implant is a thorough process that can be conducted at our clinics across Victoria.
Benefits of Cochlear Implants
Cochlear implants offer life-changing benefits, enhancing the quality of life for individuals with hearing loss.
Key advantages can include:
- Better Speech Understanding: With training and rehabilitation, many recipients experience improved speech understanding, which allows them to communicate more effectively without needing to rely heavily on visual cues. Research has shown that adults with cochlear implantscould understand sentences eight times better than they could previously with their hearing aids (Runge CL, Henion K, Tarima S, Beiter A, Zwolan TA. Clinical outcomes of the Cochlear™ Nucleus® 5 cochlear implant system and SmartSound™ 2 signal processing. J Am Acad Audiol. 2016, 27; (6): 425– 440.)
- Access to high frequency sounds: Hearing loss often starts with the high-pitched region of the cochlear being damaged. Therefore, no matter how intelligent a hearing aid may be, in users with a permanent high pitched hearing loss, they will be unable to have access to these sounds. Cochlear implants in these cases will improve sound clarity by providing back high-pitched sounds that one cannot hear anymore. Access to high-pitched sounds can help with environmental awareness, such as hearing alarms, doorbells, or bird songs, enriching an individual’s auditory experience and safety. This can significantly enhance day-to-day communication and improve quality of life.
- Hear on the phone once more: Modern technology allows the cochlear implant to connect to smart phones for phone calls.
- Enhanced Quality of Life: Hearing loss can lead to social isolation and even impact mental health. Cochlear implants allow users to engage socially and emotionally, reducing feelings of loneliness or frustration. (M Contrera, K. J., Sung, Y. K., Betz, J., Li, L., & Lin, F. R. (2017). Change in loneliness after intervention with cochlear implants or hearing aids. Otology & Neurotology, 38(4), 588-591)
- Educational and Career Benefits: For children, early implantation can improve language development, educational outcomes, and cognitive growth. For adults, cochlear implants can make it easier to communicate in the workplace, opening career opportunities.
Everyone has their own hearing journey post implantation, and these benefits are most effective when users regularly visit a cochlear implant clinic for post-surgery services and adjustments to optimise the device’s performance.
Factors can affect the success of an implant
The benefit of cochlear implants is often different for different individuals. This difference is often due to:
- how long they have had hearing loss before receiving a cochlear implant.
- how severe their hearing loss is
- condition of their cochlea (inner ear)
- other medical conditions
- how much practice they include in everyday life when using their cochlear implant system
A history of long-term hearing aid usage prior to cochlear implantation is typically a good recommendation from professionals, as this is an indication the auditory system has been regularly receiving sound. Therefore, it is important to remember that regular hearing aid usage will prepare your ear for future cochlear implantation success.
Different Types of Cochlear Implants
Cochlear implants have evolved over the years, and various types are available today available from different manufactures. Victorian Hearing is a locally owned and run private practice, we are proud to be an independent Audiology clinic. This means we have no ties with any manufacturer, therefore able to offer you choice of all cochlear implant brands.
Cochlear is an Australian implant manufacture that started its journey in Melbourne. They provide off ear and behind the ear solutions. Well known for their connectivity, long battery life and slim sound processors. Their processors are compatible with Resound hearing devices.
Medel has their headquartered in Innsbruck, Austria. They provide off ear and behind the ear solutions. They are well known for the complete cochlear coverage of long flexible electrodes which can assist in music appreciation.
Advanced Bionics is part of the SONOVA Group who also own Phonak, a hearing aid manufacturer. As a result, these implants are well known to be compatible with Phonak hearing aids, utilising the best of implant and hearing aid technology for better listening.
Contact Victorian Hearing for All Your Cochlear Implant Needs
Cochlear implants offer a transformative solution for individuals when hearing aids no longer are adequate, enabling them to experience the world of sound again. By enhancing communication, social engagement, and educational outcomes, cochlear implants have positively impacted countless lives. At Victorian Hearing, we provide a full range of cochlear implant services to help you find the most suitable device, alongside your surgeon, to achieve optimal results. Our dedicated team of will guide you through every step—from initial consultation to post-surgery care—ensuring a comprehensive and personalised experience. Whether you’re considering this for yourself or a loved one, understanding how cochlear implants work and what they entail is an important first step. Connect with Victorian Hearing today to start your journey of hearing better.
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