Myths and Misconceptions

Ever since the first Cochlear implant surgery in 1972, a lot of myths and misconceptions have bubbled up in the public.

Cochlear hearing solutions have come a long way since then, and more and more people are turning to them when their hearing aids are no longer enough.

Still, there are some people who are held back by fear or by misinformation. We’re here to help clear up these popular misconceptions.

Myth: Cochlear Implants Are Only Good for People Who Are Deaf.

Are you having trouble making out sentences, even with your hearing aids in? You should get evaluated. While we routinely help people with profound hearing loss, Cochlear implants are also recommended for some people with moderate hearing loss depending on the results of their hearing test.

Myth: All I Need are Hearing Aids.

Hearing aids are wonderful, until they no longer work well for you. Studies show that people who have Cochlear implant systems can make out more than twice as many words in environments with background noise than those who wear just hearing aids.1 That means you’re more than twice as likely to hear at the dinner table in a noisy restaurant. The improvement in hearing is even better in quiet environments.2 Isn’t that worth investigating further? 

Myth: There’s a Complicated Procedure Involved, Right?

No. Cochlear implant surgery is usually a 90-minute outpatient procedure. Some people think it involves surgery to the brain, but that’s just a myth. They connect the device to your cochlea, which is a part of your ear, and they are able to do that with very small incisions.

Myth: I’m Too Old to Get Cochlear Implants.

You’re never too old to hear. We have clients in their 80’s and 90’s with successful cochlear implants. After all, when are you ever too old to hear the punchline of a joke? Come in for an evaluation, and we can help you determine if you’re a good fit.

Myth: I’ll Hear Immediately After Surgery.

We’ll wait 2 to 4 weeks before turning the device on, and at that point there’s some training involved to retrain your brain to hear again. This can take some time, but is completely worth it. 

You’re never too old to hear.
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References

  1. Clinical Evaluation of the Cochlear Nucleus CI532 Cochlear Implants in Adults Investigator Meeting. 2019 Apr.
  2. Potts LG, Skinner MW, Litovsky RA, Strube MJ, Kuk F. Recognition and localization of speech by adult cochlear implant recipients wearing a digital hearing aid in the nonimplanted ear (bimodal hearing). Journal of the American Academy of Audiology. 2009 Jun 1;20(6):353-73.
  3. Balkany T, Hodges A, Menapace C, et al. Nucleus Freedom North American clinical trial. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2007; 136(5):757-762.
  4. Semenov, YR, Yeh, ST, Seshamani, M, Wang, N-Y, Tobey, EA, Eisenberg, LS, Quittner, AL, Frick, KD, Niparko, JK, CDaCI Investigative Team. Age-Dependent Cost-Utility of Pediatric Cochlear Implantation. Ear Hear. 2013;34(4):402-412.
  5. Niparko JK(1), Tobey EA, Thal DJ, Eisenberg LS, Wang NY, Quittner AL, Fink NE, CDaCI Investigative Team. Spoken language development in children following cochlear implantation. JAMA. 2010 Apr 21; 303(15):1498-506.
  6. Effects of Hearing Loss on Development. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) [Internet]. 2013 [Cited 2013 July]. Available from: https://www.asha.org/public/early-identification-of-speech-language-and-hearing-disorders/
  7. Sharma A, Gilley P, Martin K, Roland P, Bauer P, Dorman M. (2007). Simultaneous versus sequential bilateral implantation in young children: Effects on central auditory system development and plasticity. Audiological Medicine, 5(4), 218-223.
  8. https://pubs.asha.org/doi/10.1044/0161-1461%282004/031%29