Hearing Problems and Cochlear Implants

Hearing loss or deafness is one of those conditions that makes life of a person more complicated. It first affects routine communication, as a deaf person find it difficult to understand sounds and speech. There are various causes of hearing loss. For example, prolonged exposure to environmental noise, exposure to chemicals, medications, injuries, diseases etc. Moreover, genetic factors may also play a great role in hearing impairment. So, nobody knows how, when and where one person may loss his/her hearing ability. Yes, there are may treatments for deafness. Hearing aids may reduce some of the problems but are often insufficient, specially for profoundly deaf people.

For severe deafness there is another solution. Yes, I am talking about cochlear implants, which can restore hearing even when conventional hearing aids fails. A Cochlear Implant is a small electronic device designed to help profoundly deaf people. During an operation this tiny device is placed in the inner ear. It works by turning sounds into electrical signals and then stimulating the hearing nerve directly. So, even a deaf person may be able to understand sounds and speech. For quick reference one may think about MedEL Cochlear Implants.

How reliable this procedure is? Various clinical studies have already proved that cochlear implants does help in speech and environmental sound recognition. Cochlear Implant is a good option for children and adults with severe hearing problems. It can be provided for children as young as 18 months old. But wait! These implants are recommended only when a person is badly or severely deaf. In other words, Cochlear Implants are for those who received little or no benefits from other hearing aids.

Cochlear Implant is an expensive procedure and requires patient training for effectiveness. Also there may be some risks associated with the Cochlear Implant Surgery and the whole procedure. That's why it is advised to consult a good doctor to see if a MedEL Cochlear Implant is right for a patient. Moreover, proper selection of implant candidates is also a must. As I have mentioned above, it is not for all. Normally, a candidate is selected after taking into account various factors such as hearing history, causes of hearing loss, hearing aid history, health status etc. So, don't mess with this stuff until and unless it is extremely unavoidable.