Hear more with Cochlear

A hearing implant could make all the difference

If hearing aids aren’t helping as much as they used to, it’s time you discovered hearing implants. They can make a noticeable difference to how you experience sound, so you can focus less on your hearing and more on enjoying the moment.

Hearing implants may be a solution when hearing aids are not enough

Even with hearing aids, you or someone you love may not be hearing everything. Cochlear™ hearing implants work differently from hearing aids. They are a proven solution designed to make sounds louder and clearer, helping you get back the sounds you’ve been missing.

If you or a loved one are struggling to hear, even when using powerful hearing aids, and are unable to understand what is being said, a cochlear implant may be the solution you’ve been waiting for.

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The first sound I heard was my wife’s voice. I could hear again, and I was so overwhelmed. Now I’m the person I was all those years ago. It’s a life-changer. It’s amazing that a piece of technology can do that.

Dave from Wales

How hearing implants help

Cochlear implants may be a solution if your hearing aids are not helping you understand sounds and speech. They are designed to provide you or a loved one with the clarity of sound and speech that may be missing.

Cochlear implants:

  • Are designed to make sounds clearer
  • Help you understand speech1
  • Give you access to the sounds you’re missing
  • Improve hearing in noise2
  • Increase hearing satisfaction and improve quality of life
  • Have proven results for over 30 years with hundreds of thousands of users3
  • Available on the NHS
  • Require a well-established surgical procedure

Do you qualify for a hearing implant?

Cochlear implants can help people with severe to profound hearing loss, who do not receive enough benefit when using hearing aids.

For some people, using a hearing aid with a severe to profound hearing loss can be like listening to a loud, badly tuned radio. You may hear parts of what is being said and it may be loud enough, but the words are not clear.

Note: Wearing hearing aids first is a necessary step in the evaluation process for a cochlear implant.

Take a short quiz

Want to know if a cochlear implant may be a solution for you or your loved one? Take a short hearing quiz!

I have a problem hearing over the telephone.

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I have trouble following the conversation when two or more people are talking at the same time.

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I have trouble understanding things on TV.

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I have to strain to understand conversations.

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I have to worry about missing a telephone ring or doorbell.

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I have trouble hearing conversations in a noisy background such as a crowded room or restaurant.

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I get confused about where sounds come from.

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I misunderstand some words in a sentence and need to ask people to repeat themselves.

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I have trouble understanding the speech of women and children.

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I have trouble understanding the speaker in a large room such as a meeting or place of worship.

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Many people I talk to seem to mumble (or don't speak clearly).

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People get annoyed because I misunderstand what they say.

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I misunderstand what others are saying and make inappropriate responses.

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I avoid social activities because I cannot hear well and fear I will reply improperly.

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Family members and friends have told me they think I may have hearing loss.

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Source: Koike, J.; Hurst, M.K.; and Wetmore, S. J. Correlation between the American Academy of Otolaryngology -Head and Neck Surgery five-minute hearing test and standard audiological data, Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Survery, Volume 111 (5), pp. 625-632.

How cochlear implants work

Cochlear implants are designed to mimic the function of a healthy inner ear, called the cochlea. They replace the function of damaged sensory hair cells inside the cochlea to provide clearer sound than is achievable with hearing aids.

Cochlear implants can seem like a miracle because they provide access to sounds that previously you could no longer hear.

There are two primary components of the Cochlear™ Nucleus®System:

  1. The external sound processor
  2. The implant which is surgically placed beneath the skin, and attached to a row of electrodes that are inserted in the cochlea.

Steps to getting a hearing implant

Your journey to better hearing is worth every step. Learn more about the steps to getting a hearing implant.

  • Step 1: Talk to your audiologist or doctor

    Ask about the possibility of an implant. Your audiologist will be able to determine whether you or your loved one could benefit from an implantable hearing solution and refer you to a specialist clinic if necessary.

  • Step 2: Assessment

    The clinic will use their professional expertise to determine if an implant is right for you. If you or your loved one meet the criteria for an implant, the cost will be covered by the NHS.

  • Step 3: Surgery

    Hearing implant surgery is a routine procedure that lasts only a couple of hours and is performed by a specialist Ear Nose and Throat surgeon.

  • Step 4: Fitting

    This is the moment you have been waiting for! Around four to six weeks after surgery, your audiologist will adjust the sound processor, and you or your loved one will begin to experience the joy of sound through the implant. With time and practice, you will gradually become more accustomed to and confident in this new way of hearing.

  • Step 5: Rehabilitation and Aftercare

    The team at your clinic have specialised training and expertise to help you or your loved one understand the new sounds. You will have a series of appointments over the first few months so your audiologist can make adjustments and fine tune the sound processor to help ensure you have the best hearing experience. You will have access to a wide range of tools and support so you can continue to practice at home.

See how our Cochlear Implants are changing lives.

Karl Klenner, Cochlear Implant recipient

Reference:

  1. Novak MA, Firszt JB, Rotz LA, et al. Cochlear implants in infants and toddlers. Ann Otol Rhino Laryngol Suppl 2000;185:46-49.
  2. Hirschfelder A, Gräbel S, Olze H. The impact of cochlear implantation on quality of life: The role of audiologic performance and variables. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2008 Mar;138(3): 357-362.
  3. Kwon BJ, van den Honert C. Dual-electrode pitch discrimination with sequential interleaved stimulation by cochlear implant users. J Acoust Soc Am 2006;120(EL1-EL6).