Hearing with a Cochlear Implant

Cochlear implants are specially designed to help adults and children suffering from moderate to profound hearing loss. Unlike hearing aids, which simply amplify sound at the outer ear, a cochlear implant can bypass the damaged part of the ear to directly stimulate the hair cells within the cochlea.

The Nucleus Cochlear implant system features internal and external parts

The sound processor and coil is worn behind the ear. The implant is placed just under the skin, behind the ear, and into the cochlea (inner ear). 

How it delivers sound

  1. The external sound processor captures soundand converts it into digital signals.
  2. The sound processor then sends these digital signals through the coil to the internal implant.
  3. The internal implant converts signals into electrical impulses bypassing the damaged hair cells within the cochlea.
  4. The hearing nerve delivers the signal to the brain. Sound is heard.

The Nucleus Cochlear Implant System features internal and external parts

The Sound Processor (A) and coil (B) is worn behind the ear. The implant (C) is placed just under the skin, behind the ear, and into the cochlea (inner ear).

Why hearing with two implants is better than one
 

  • The ability to more accurately perceive where sounds are coming from.
  • Improved speech understanding and communication in noisy settings.
  • A more balanced perception of sound.
  • Improved overall quality of sound including volume and tone.
  • Advanced programming software and accessories designed specifically for bilateral implants.
  • Bilateral control at the touch of a button with the Nucleus 5 Remote Assistant CR110.

1 North American Freedom™ Clinical Trial: Preliminary Results in Adults, December 06

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How natural hearing works

image of ear outling how sounds is processed

  1. Sound waves enter the ear canal and strike against the eardrum.
  2. The eardrum starts to vibrate, transferring its movement to three small bones or ossicles (the ‘hammer’, ‘anvil’ and ‘stirrup’) in the middle ear.
  3. The vibrations from the ossicles move through the fluid within the spiral shaped inner ear – known as the cochlea – causing tiny hair cells in the cochlea to move. These hair cells detect the movements and release chemical signals to the hearing nerve.
  4. The hearing nerve sends the information to the brain’s auditory centre as electrical impulses, where they are interpreted as sounds.