What is a Bilateral Cochlear Implant?

What is a bilateral cochlear implant?

A bilateral cochlear implant means having cochlear implants in both ears. It's like giving each ear its own special device to help with hearing. This is especially helpful for people who have severe hearing loss in both ears.

How is it different than bimodal hearing?

‍Bimodal is different. It means using a cochlear implant in one ear and a hearing aid in the other. This combo can help balance the natural sound from the hearing aid with the electronic sound from the implant. It's like having one foot in the world of natural hearing and one in the world of electronic hearing.

Why get a bilateral cochlear implant?

1. Better Hearing in Noise: With two implants, it's easier to hear in noisy places. Each ear picks up sound, helping the brain to filter out background noise and focus on what you want to hear, like someone talking to you in a busy cafeteria.
2. Sound Direction: Having implants in both ears helps you figure out where sounds are coming from. It's like having two sound detectives working together to pinpoint the location of a sound.
3. Ease of Hearing: Two implants can make hearing less tiring. Your brain gets a fuller, more balanced sound picture, making it easier to understand and enjoy sounds.
4. Improved Cognition: There is lots of evidence linking untreated hearing loss to dementia and Alzheimers. The mechanism for this is unknown. Under treated hearing loss is likely correlated with dementia as well. Hearing loss is the single largest risk factor to prevent dementia that you can control.

When to get a bilateral cochlear implant?

‍Deciding when to get a bilateral cochlear implant depends on a few things. If both ears have severe hearing loss and a single implant or bimodal hearing (hearing aid in the non implanted ear) isn't enough, two implants might be the way to go. Doctors usually look at how much hearing is left, how well the first implant works, and overall health to make this decision. It's about figuring out the best way to make hearing as good as it can be for each person.