Common Questions: Cochlear Implants

Accessories for Cochlear Implants

What accessories are available for use with a cochlear implant, especially for the telephone? Please explain the options and alternatives.

Adjusting to a New Cochlear Implant for a Child

Our daughter, age 3, is getting a HiResolution Cochlear Implant this Friday. I’m wondering….when we first amplified Ali with her Phonak hearing aid on the left side, she did not tolerate it very well, and still had significant balance problems. One ye

Airport Screeners, Tanning Beds and Hearing Aids

I wear a digital hearing aid and I am going on a trip overseas and was just wondering if I could go through the scanner at the airport with my aid on and also when I go on a tanning bed should I take my hearing aid off?

Ambulance Alerting Device

I have a patient with severe to profound hearing loss. She functions quite well with binaural digital hearing aids and lip-reading. However, she cannot hear an ambulance siren until it is right in front of her car. This has caused her to have one accide

Are cochlear implants covered by insurance?

Yes. In many/most situations, cochlear implants are covered by Medicare/Medicaid and by the majority of private and commercial insurers. However, it is important to understand…

Assistive Listening Devices and Cochlear Implants

Which assistive listening devices can be used with a cochlear implant?

Bi-Lingual Cochlear Implant Users

My daughter Danielle was diagnosed with profound bilateral hearing loss at one month of age. She was implanted at 10 months. She hears the grass grow. Her receptive speech is about age appropriate, expressive is improving everyday. Danielle has turned two

Binaural Cochlear Implants

I have received a Nucleus 24 contour implant 12/2003. My insurance will only cover one implant. I am wondering if there is any push to have the FDA change to allow binaural implants? With the benefit I am receiving monaurally, I believe binaural would b

Can a Patient With a Cochlear Implant Undergo MRI?

Are there any concerns regarding a cochlear implant patient that needs an MRI of the knee due to a sport injury?

Cochlear Implant Batteries

I used to buy hearing aid batteries by the box. I purchase them thru the internet and noticed that RAYOVAC 675 has different packaging, gold, blue and black. Among the 3 kinds of RAYOVAC batteries, which one best suit for cochlear implant users? For the

Cochlear Implant Candidacy

Adults and children (12 months of age and older), with severe to profound sensorineural hearing loss, may be candidates for a cochlear implant. Typically, candidates will have been fitted with hearing…

Cochlear Implantation with Facial Neuralgia

Does anyone happen to know if there are any contraindications to doing cochlear implant surgery on someone with atypical facial neuralgia?

Cochlear Implants and Reports of Associated Health Risks

Please address the issue of cochlear implants and recent reports of associated health risks.

Cochlear or Middle Ear Implant Candidate?

My mom has a terrible hearing loss. Please tell me the difference between a cochlear implant and a middle ear implant and which one do you suggest?

Completely Implantable Cochlear Implants

Will a completely implantable cochlear implant be available?

FDA Regulations and Cochlear Implantation for Unilateral Deafness

My son lost his hearing in one ear due to a motorcycle accident, the hearing is completely gone in one ear. He still has normal hearing in his other ear. Is there any technology that can be used to restore hearing in one dead ear? I see that Cochlear im

FM Systems with Cochlear Implants

I am presently working with a five-year-old preschooler with a cochlear implant in a public school setting. Our educational team is beginning to discuss her transition to the regular kindergarten classroom next year. Some of our teachers use FM systems.

FM Systems with Cochlear Implants

My friend has a cochlear implant. In her job, she has many public speaking engagements. She will often have to present information and answer questions from the audience. She turns up the microphone so the audience can hear her. She turns her cochlear im

Frequency of MAPping and Therapy for Cochlear Implants

My daughter who is now 21 months of age recently underwent cochlear implant surgery and the processor was turned on July 28. My question is how often would she require speech therapy? Right now the therapist is recommending once a week. Is this sufficien

How does a cochlear implant work?

A cochlear implant works by electrically stimulating the hearing nerves. When a patient receives a cochlear implant, it means their ear is not working in a typical or way….

Ideal Age to Receive a Cochlear Implant

What is the ideal age for a deaf child to receive a cochlear implant?

Implant for Tinnitus?

I have heard that there is an implant which will effectively mask or eliminate the constant ringing of tinnitus. I have had this condition for 38 years. It would be nice to have some silence, finally. Any ideas other than supplements. Thanks.

Mapping FM Systems for Use with Cochlear Implants

My 5-year-old uses a cochlear implant, has just started kindergarten, and has begun to use the personal FM system. There seems to be a difference in opinion by audiologists as to whether a separate map for the processor should be used when using the FM sy

Medicare paying for Cochlear Implants?

Will Medicare pay for bilateral CIs? For replacing an existing CI with a newer internal device? For a new BTE?

MRI and Cochlear Implants

I am case managing a 12 yo child with a history of brain tumor, which was removed at age 3, followed by radiation, chemo. He has had several CVA’s post radiation and developed bilateral sensorineural hearing loss. He requires yearly MRI’s. No further radi

Options for Profoundly Deaf Children

I would like to ask if a pediatric patient with a profound sensorinueral hearing loss would still have any chance of improving his hearing with the use of hearing aids? The patient in question is 5 years old.

Phone Use With a Cochlear Implant

If I get a cochlear implant, will I be able to use the telephone?

Phonemic Regression

As a geriatrician I’ve noticed that some of my hearing impaired patients can still hear reasonably well for about a half-hour after removing their hearing aids. How is this possible? —- Dr. K.O.

Single Channel versus Multi-Channel Cochlear Implants

Please tell me the difference between a single channel and a multi-channel cochlear implant?

Speech Language Therapy Needs for Cochlear Implant Recipients

I have questions about the ‘‘quantity’‘ of speech and language therapy needed for a four year old who has had a cochlear implant for two years.

What are cochlear implants?

Generally speaking, cochlear implants are for patients with severe-to-profound, sensorineural hearing loss. There are approximately 500,000 patients in the USA with…

What is a cochlear implant?

For patients with severe to profound sensorineural hearing losses, hearing aids are often not able to improve speech understanding. While very powerful hearing aids exist, that…

Who gets cochlear implants?

In general, cochlear implants are used to allow deaf people to hear. Although many people who are “hearing impaired” or “hard of hearing” believe they are…