To date, cochlear implantation is considered to be the only system of measures and technical means that can restore physical hearing . The inability to clearly hear all the sounds around you is a great tragedy. Of course, even to life in complete silence you can get used to it. But for sure, anyone suffering from hearing impairment or complete deafness is ready to do everything possible to forget this habit.
What is the method of cochlear implantation?
When a person is damaged too much of the snail receptors, it only perceives low-frequency sounds of medium or very high volume. As a result, speech begins to seem illegible and incomprehensible.
A cochlear implant is an electronic device that allows deaf people to hear different sounds. Many confuse him with ordinary hearing aids and mistakenly consider them ineffective. But this device does more, and not just amplifies hearing.
One of the components of the system is a speech device. It is this device that is designed to catch sounds, to encode them and to turn them into serial electrical pulses. It is usually attached to the ear or somewhere on the body.
In addition to the speech apparatus, an implant is implanted during cochlear implant surgery. He receives electrical signals and passes them on the electrode array inserted into the inner ear. Electrosignals act on the auditory nerve, which in turn transmits impulses to the brain, where they are recognized as sounds.
The best manufacturers of hearing equipment are:
- Cohlear;
- iEnjoy sound;
- Med'El;
- Nutrotron;
- Advanced Bionics;
- MXM.
Who makes cochlear implantation?
As a rule, people with a border hearing loss of 75 - 90 dB are sent to the cochlear implantation who can not be saved by ordinary hearing aids. Among patients who are shown cochlear implantation, there can be representatives of different age categories, starting from twelve months. Although if necessary, manipulation of the ear can be done earlier. The main thing - before the operation, it is necessary to undergo a complete examination and take into account all the features of the state of health.
Previously, among the contraindications to cochlear implantation were such defects as visual impairment , cerebral palsy, mental retardation. But medicine is developing. And already today patients with all the above disorders can implant a cochlear implant. Although there are still those who do not need to be operated on:
- Implantation is contraindicated in cases of damage to the auditory nerves or central parts in the auditory analyzer.
- Do not help the implant and someone who has suffered from hearing loss for a long time and did not use a hearing aid.
- It is very undesirable to carry out the operation with ossification or calcification of the cochlea.
Rehabilitation after cochlear implantation
At the stage of recovery, the most important thing happens. First, the speech processor is turned on and set up, and after the patient it is necessary to pass a course of studies with the teachers, which will help to "tighten up" the auditory speech, explain how to use absolutely new sensations. It is important to understand that all these actions are stretched for a sufficiently long period of time.
After the operation of cochlear implantation, both the patient and his family may need the help of psychologists, as well as other specialists. In addition, even when the hearing is restored, from time to time it will be necessary to reprogram the speech processor.