Cochlear implants are small electronic devices to help people with severe or total hearing impairment to hear. The type of deaf that can be helped with this tool is sensorineural deafness, which is deafness due to hearing nerve damage in the cochlea which causes total deafness.
Hearing loss is a sensory disorder that causes a person to be difficult to communicate and get information through sound. Humans have a pair of auditory organs in both ears that function to detect sound waves and process them into information that will be processed in the brain. But if there is interference or even worse total deafness, the sound waves cannot be captured, delivered, or processed into information properly. But with the advancement of modern technology, there are now various hearing aids that function to help sufferers of hearing loss. One of them is for sensorineural deafness, which is cochlear implant.
Cochlear implants are not a hearing aid that can make sounds louder. This tool works by sending impulses directly to the auditory nerve, which will then carry sound signals to the brain.
The cochlear implant consists of two parts, namely the outer part which is placed behind the ear and the inner part which is placed inside the ear through the operation process. Broadly speaking, the parts of a cochlear implant are:
- Microphone, to capture sound.
- Sound processor, converts sound waves into digital signals.
- Transmitter and receiver / stimulator, receive digital signals from the sound processor and forward them to the implant body.
- Implanted bodies and electrodes, implanted in the ear, function to receive and convert digital signals into electrical impulses, which are then transmitted to the auditory nerve.
How Cochlear Implants Work
The cochlear implant which consists of the outside and inside works together to capture sound and deliver it to the brain so that it can be processed to support the function of the sense of hearing. Here's how the cochlear implant works:
- The microphone captures sound.
- Sound detected by the microphone is sent to the sound processor.
- The processor analyzes the sound waves and turns them into digital signals.
- The transmitter sends digital signals from the processor to the body of the implant that is mounted in the ear for translation.
- Inside the ear, the implant body processes the digital signal and converts it into electrical impulses that can be transmitted by electrodes to the auditory nerve.
- Messages in the form of electrical impulses in the auditory nerve are then delivered to the brain, to be processed into auditory information (sound).
Cochlear implants allow users to hear and understand speech to enjoy music. Most users report that the sound obtained with a cochlear implant is initially a little "mechanical", for example there are those who simply hear a "beep" or an unclear sound.
After inserting the cochlear implant, the doctor and other team of experts will help the patient to adjust the regulation of sound signals that are processed in the auditory nerve through the cochlear body and assist the patient in speech therapy. Everyone has different sensitivity and development. Therefore patients and those closest to them need to be patient and continue to follow the advice and exercise programs recommended by doctors in order to adjust to this tool.
Appropriate User of Cochlear Implants
Young children ranging from 14 months to adults who suffer from hearing loss can use cochlear implants to catch sound waves. There are several important factors that determine the effectiveness of cochlear implant installation, namely: the age of the patient when the implant will be installed, deafness suffered before or after the patient has language skills, and motivation of patients and their closest people. The younger the patient who is suffering from total deafness to get cochlear implants, the greater the success of using this tool to help restore speech and hearing function.
One study even found that cochlear implant placement before the age of 18 months can make children experience significant improvements in listening, speaking and learning. In addition, cochlear implants can also help older children who lose their hearing after learning to speak.
Advantages and Risks of Using a Cochlear Implant
Benefits of cochlear implants:
- Can hear sounds almost normally.
- Can understand speech without reading lips.
- It's easier to talk on the phone and hear the sound on TV.
- Can hear music better than before.
- Can hear different types of sounds (soft, medium, or loud).
- Can control your own voice so that other people understand better when talking.
Cochlear implant surgery is quite safe to do. But keep in mind that the results obtained from using this tool can differ from one person to another. Considerations for cochlear implant placement must be preceded by a health examination and hearing function by ENT specialists and other expert teams to minimize the risk of complications.
Risks and complications that can occur in cochlear implant placement include:
- Bleeding.
- Infection.
- Side effects of anesthetics during surgery.
- Nerve injury that disturbs the taste buds.
- Nerve damage that causes the face to be weak or paralyzed.
- Dizziness or disturbance
- Become totally deaf.
- Tinnitus or ringing ears.
- Brain fluid leak.
- The cochlear implant device did not work or was infected.
- Meningitis or infection of the lining of the brain.
Cochlear implant placement will be more effective if done on adults with severe deafness or total deafness in both ears that cannot be helped by other hearing aids, deafness occurs after the patient is able to speak, there are no other health problems that can increase the risk of surgical complications, have a strong desire to be able to hear more, and understand the limitations and risks of cochlear implant placement. In children, cochlear implant placement is better done under the age of 5 years and without the presence of certain conditions that can increase the risk of surgical complications. In addition, support from the surrounding environment such as parents, schools, and speech therapists also play an important role.
Cochlear implants can be one way to overcome hearing disabilities. Consult with a specialist beforehand to get the most appropriate advice and treatment.
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