Is A Cochlear Implant Or A Hearing Aid Right For You?

Perhaps you find yourself at a crossroads

Perhaps you find yourself at a crossroads. You need help with hearing, but the options are vast. There are cochlear implants, and then there is the hearing aid. The options are so much to sift through with different styles and features. You may find yourself wondering what the difference is between the two.

A hearing aid amplifies sound. So the sound is directed into the middle and outer ear. The sound reaches hair cells in the inner ear that transform sound into a signal the brain recognizes. Once in this form, it can be recognized by the hearing nerve, which makes sense of it. When these hair cells are damaged they don't recognize sound at all or it can be distorted. A cochlear implant can take over the hair cells' job or bypass it. So who is a candidate for cochlear implants?

A good candidate would be someone with profound loss. Perhaps this solution would work for someone who is not having success with any other amplification device. A hearing aid is good for someone with mild to severe loss. So not everyone is going to be a good candidate for cochlear implants, and most should try other options first. Often amplification devices offer a trial period. They also offer a follow-up appointment to verify they are fit properly. It is a good idea to go back for this appointment and consider whether this trial period might benefit you. If you are looking for a device for adults or children for the first time, a trial might be a good idea. This will likely cost you, so read the terms carefully.

If you do not notice an improvement in hearing with one of these devices, it may be time to consider a cochlear implant. There are advantages and disadvantages to every option. Advantages include the ease of use, easier time using a telephone, more natural sounding voices, and the ability to bypass hair cells if they are the cause of deafness, which may offer assistance to some who would not have had success with other amplification devices. Disadvantages include the need for surgery, the level of reliance on an audiologist, and the overall expense.

There is certainly room in the hearing loss industry for both units. Both styles have benefits and drawbacks. A hearing aid allows for less commitment and helps many people turn up the sound in their world every day. A cochlear implant may be able to reach out to people who need more than just amplification. A cochlear implant may allow someone who may have been deaf the benefit of hearing.

by: Anna Woodward

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