We often have people coming to visit us for their first hearing assessment feeling unsure about what they need, especially for those with more severe hearing loss challenges. It can be hard to figure out what you need best for your unique ears.
Will hearing aids be enough? Or will you need something more that will help enhance your hearing beyond what the most powerful hearing aids could do?
Sometimes, you need something a little more than hearing aids to help your hearing loss challenge; cochlear implants work to help your hearing far beyond what a hearing aid could do and are reserved for those with severe to profound hearing loss challenges.
But how are they different from hearing aids?
Cochlear Implants
Cochlear implants are surgically implanted devices to enhance hearing that work best for individuals with a severe to profound hearing loss.
These devices have two parts: external components that sit outside the ear and internal components implanted into your cochlea, the snail-shell-like cavity in your inner ear where sound waves are converted to electrical impulses the brain will interpret as sound.
Cochlear implants work by training your hearing to listen electronically, so they take some time to get adjusted to, but they work wonders for those with a severe hearing loss.
Hearing Aids
Hearing aids are assistive devices that sit in or around your ear to help amplify volume, allowing individuals with a mild to moderate hearing loss to hear the world around them clearly.
Negative stigmas surrounding hearing aids often make people think of bulky, buzzing devices that aren’t too pretty to look at, but those stigmas have changed; today’s advanced prescription hearing aids are tiny but mighty!
Modern hearing aids include rechargeable batteries, Bluetooth connectivity, background noise control, and artificial intelligence-powered sound processing to allow for on-the-go adjustments so you hear what you want and need most.
The Key Differences
While both devices work wonders for people with hearing loss challenges, there are some key differences between cochlear implants and hearing aids that make them work better for different individuals’ hearing challenges.
Hearing aids are wearable, while cochlear implants are implanted into your ear. They both work for different levels of hearing loss; cochlear implants would be a good fit for those with severe to profound hearing loss challenges, while hearing aids would be a better choice for those with a mild to moderate hearing loss.
The costs for both are also vastly different but can be covered by insurance, depending on your insurance provider.
If you’re unsure of which choice would be best for your hearing loss challenges, feel free to contact us, and we can get you started with a hearing assessment that will help you understand your current level of hearing loss and see what would best work for you.
Feel free to request a callback, and we’ll get in touch with you as soon as we can. For a more immediate conversation about your hearing loss challenges and your unique situation, you can call us at (830) 360-2000.
