“If your hearing loss came as a result of medical malpractice or another traumatic incident caused by someone else’s negligence, your attorney can get the additional support they need from the nurse consultants at SPLNC Legal Nurse Consultants.”
Are you suffering through medical malpractice related hearing loss? People with hearing loss unfortunately cannot completely restore their hearing, but they can use aids to amplify sound and improve their ability to hear. However, even hearing aids can’t help everyone with profound hearing loss or deafness. That is why many use cochlear implants.
In this blog, we will explain what cochlear implants are and how they help people suffering from traumatic hearing loss.
What Are Cochlear Implants?
A cochlear implant is a small electric implant that is designed to produce hearing sensations to people with severe hearing loss. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the first cochlear implants were approved by the FDA in the mid-1980s, nowadays these devices are used by people worldwide.
How Are They Different From Hearing Aids?
Hearing aids are devices that amplify sounds so they can be detected by people with hearing loss. Cochlear implants differ from hearing aids in a few ways. Rather than amplifying sound, cochlear implants work by electrically stimulating nerves in the inner ear.
When a sound is detected by a cochlear implant, the sound processor sorts out the noise and signals a transmitter attached to the user. The transmitter then sends electrical impulses to the cochlea in the inner ear. The electrical currents activate the auditory nerves, which sends a signal to the brain that recognizes it as hearing. People who benefit from cochlear implants are children and adults who are deaf or extremely hearing-impaired.
Do They Require Surgery?
Cochlear implants require surgery inside the ear as well as rehabilitation and significant therapy to learn or relearn your sense of hearing. The device cannot be activated until the ear is fully healed from the surgery. Patients can expect routine checkups with their audiologist after surgery to inspect the ear and to begin programming the device.
Surgical implants are normally safe, although complications can occur, just as with any kind of surgery. If you happen to receive surgery for a cochlear implant that only caused further injury or harm, SPLNC Legal Nurse Consultants can assist your legal team. We work directly with you and your attorneys by analyzing medical records and creating supporting documents in medically-related cases.
How Successful Are Cochlear Implants?
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), there have been approximately 736,000 registered devices implanted worldwide since December, 2019. So these devices are quite popular and seem to work well for many people. Most people don’t recognize the noises coming through the implant during their first programming appointments, so patients must work closely with their audiologist to train you ear to interpret sounds in a way you understand.
Hearing loss is different for everybody, and how much benefit people get from cochlear implants depends on several factors:
- Whether hearing was lost at birth or gradually over time
- How often they use the implant
- Intelligence/ability to learn
- Your age
Are You a Victim of Medical Malpractice Related Hearing Loss? Contact SPLNC
If your hearing loss came as a result of medical malpractice or another traumatic incident caused by someone else’s negligence, your attorney can get the additional support they need from the nurse consultants at SPLNC Legal Nurse Consultants. We are committed to serving all residents in Detroit and Ann Arbor, MI. Please contact us today at (517) 256-5011 so we can help you win your case!