Short version I’m in a position that my ENT wants to put in a cochlear implant in my right ear when they go in to do some other work. I have had no hearing in my right ear in 20 years and have tinnitus in both for the last 25 years. Looking for someone else that has had hearing loss and received the implant. How long have you had it? Is it worth all the hassle and expenses? Does the garbling sounds ever disappear? How comfortable are they? How differently do people look at you for wearing it?
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Depending on our hearing background, our hearing experience will be different. You will find more accurate answer from people who have similar profil to you.
As for myself. I’m profoundly deaf since my birth. I weared hearing aid since my 3 years old and decided to get an cochlear implant in my thirty years old.
I prefer starting by debunking misconception about cochlear implant. :)
how the operation will go ?
It will be quick, the operation last 2h. You will fell nothing at your wake up. Over hours your hear will hurt lightly, it will last 1-2 weeks. You will have some vertigo for 1-2 weeks.
And one month later, they will activate the cochlear implant.
Don’t play with rugby and Electromagnetism
The cochlear implant doesn’t like choc : boxe, rugby…and anything that can interact with its aimant under your head’s skin : airport scanner, irm scanner…
You will stay deaf
Yes, you will hear better and it is better than hearing aid. You will hear more detail. Hearing aid cannot produce high-pitched sound, only cochlear implant can achieve that.
It will improve your communication. But lot hearing people do the mistake thinking you can hear as everyone do. No, you are deaf. And the cochlear implant will exaust you, you won’t notice it. So, use every possible meant of communication that can help you daily :
The cochlear implant doesn’t work immediately, there is 1-2 year of auditory rehabilitation
You won’t be able to hear sound speech the first time your cochlear implant is activated. There is 1 to 2 years of auditory rehabilitation.
It depends of people but usually, the first time, people will hear nothing or some cryptic sound. Let’s imagine you don’t know chinese. If you go there, the first time their chinese will be mixed, you can’t distingish a word. And over time, you will be able to notice the same word “niiao”, then later see the word “Nihao”.
There is 1 to 2 years of auditory rehabilitation. You will have to wait 1 month to distingish the speaking sound. And around the 3-6 months you will start hearing words, or sentence. It depends of people. Maybe it will be faster, slower…
You will never hear as hearing people do, tfe sound is different
The sound will be different, maybe metalic. However, you can hear bird, small noise. Your communication will be easier. Maybe the picture won’t have the accurate color, the same blue us most people, but no pixels will be missing and the color will be blue.
In loud environnement, it will be hard to discuss with people. The cochlear implant can’t filter sound as a hear does but there are option to reduce ambient noise and improve communication in loud environnement
Hearing with a cochlear implant or hearing aid will exhaust you. People . You will be not aware of your fatigue