Frequently Asked Questions

Why implant the "good ear"?

This is probably one of the biggest concerns that any CI candidate will have. I feared the same thing, as I wore a hearing aid in my right ear my entire life. However, it was stressed that the results of the CI will be better than implanting my "untrained" ear -- and the fact that I was getting next to no benefit with the hearing aid in my right ear. I always thought I was getting a good amount of benefit, until I went for testing in speech discrimination. And got a measly 4 percent of simple sentences -- I think my audiologist was just being nice, though :)... The rest of the testing I got ZEROs.

So.. With much prayerful consideration and realizing that ANY amount of improvement in speech discrimination is certainly better than 4 percent, I opted to go with my better ear - and it paid off. (The results are on my web site). Of course, everyone is different and it is still a "gamble" to take. But the technology is excellent and if you go with a wonderful implant team, you can be assured that you will get the best care and follow-up services. They will make sure that you get the most benefit as possible out of your implant.

How does music sound to you now?

Music sounds wonderful to me now! At first -- for about 3-6 months -- it sounded a little high-pitched and quacky, but I was able to understand the words and hear other instruments that I never did before. Nowadays I fully enjoy most music-- the church organ still irritates me. The piano, flute, saxophones, etc -- sound very clear. I am not enough of a music buff to always actually pick out the instruments in a song, but I know a harmony when I hear it. It is actually funny sometimes because I get disappointed when I hear an old song now -- because I tended to "fill in the gaps" of what I could not hear with my hearing aid. Now I know what the song really sounds like, and I find myself saying "I liked my version better" :)

What should you look for in a CI?

My best recommendation is let the clinic provide you the technical details of all the different manufacturers. They can show you the pros and cons of each device. Ask about the manufacturer's history, its customer service, and its long-term care for its users. Are the products backward-compatible -- meaning if a new processor is available, can I benefit from it without any new surgery to replace the implant? Ask about battery life of the the different products. Is the device comfortable to wear? Is it light or heavy? Ask about the reliability of the implant.

What kinds of results should I expect?

Implant teams tend to be a little cautious about offering advice on what kind of results to expect. And they should, since no one really knows how well a recipient will do. And THAT is why everyone struggles with the decision. We all want some kind of guarantee. I was fortunate to have a very supportive wife and family -- Jenni worked with me to "train" my listening skills, and continues to do so. Some people take longer than others - particularly learning to use the telephone.

Can you use the telephone now? A cell phone? Do you use a telecoil with the phone?

Yes, with much ease.

The MED-EL does not have a telecoil -- but I find that it is not needed for me to hear on the phone. I am able to have telephone conversation in noisy environments. Sometimes I may turn my sensitivity switch down to eliminate background noise -- but I do not have to do it often.

Does the MED-EL product have telecoil switches, patch cords? Can they be easily used with ALDs without extra components?

MED-EL does not use a telecoil switch. MED-EL is working with an engineer to develop additional patch cables for use with the TEMPO+ angled battery pack. Several already exist.... mainly for use with FM systems. Each TEMPO+ angled battery pack comes with an audio-input cable, for use with battery operated devices (i.e. CD player).

There is a Telemic -- which is an external microphone that has a built-in telecoil -- available for use with the TEMPO+. It works great for FM systems, especially for those using induction loop systems.

Any major concerns regarding limitations of activities to a CI user (contact sports, scuba diving)?

I believe this is a personal decision. I believe that some surgeons recommend against participation in contact sports (i.e. football)... but, you might want to ask your audiologist about that. But, basically, I would say that you can easily participate in the same types of activities that you did with your hearing aids. In addition, with one of the wearing options you can secure the battery pack to an article of clothing (inside of t-shirt, etc.) so that if the processor does fall off, it will not hit the ground. Some users have worn earmolds with their BTE devices to keep them from falling off. I wear a headband to protect the device from sweat and to keep it secure.

In addition, a "dive" study has been performed by Dr. Backous at Va Mason in Seattle. He found that normal scuba depths had no effect on the implant. However, this was done with an implant device alone- NOT implanted in a person, so it is still recommended that the maximum safe depth to be one atmospheric pressure (ATP) or roughly 32ft. Most recreational diving is done in this range.

Can I have an MRI?

MED-EL's cochlear implant has received US FDA approval for MRI scan using a .2-Tesla. Unlike other systems, the user does not need to undergo any additional surgery to obtain an MRI. Erwin Hochmair, husband to Inge Hochmair (CEO of MED-EL), has devoted a greater part of his career investigating MRI in cochlear implant patients. We have him to thank for this capability (I'm not smart enough to understand all the physics behind it ;-) ).

According to MED-EL’s website, here is what it says about it:

MED-EL implant compatible with MRI
 
The MED-EL COMBI 40+ is the first and only cochlear implant with a fixed internal magnet to receive US FDA approval for use with Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI).
The MED-EL Cochlear Implant System is MRI safe (causing no additional risk to the patient) and compatible (causing no significant impact on the device or image quality) at 0.2-Tesla with:

No need for surgery to remove internal magnet
No incision or swelling to heal after MRI scan
No recovery time to affect implant use

With over 500 0.2-Tesla MRI systems nationwide, there are more 0.2T scanners located within the US than cochlear implant programs

How many times can you have an implant?

Many patients have been reimplanted without any problems. Many of the revisions were due to the patient getting hit in the head over the implant area, car accidents and some were device failures. In each case, the revision went well. Revision surgeries are usually less invasive and require less recovery time. It is a good question since the technology continues to improve. It is likely that the whole unit will be entirely implantable within the next 10 years with a rechargeable battery that will be charged through the skin like a pace maker.

How does the BTE handle background noise?

MED-EL has a sensitivity dial for this purpose. You easily adjust the dial to eliminate background noise or "take it all in". This can be particularly effective when using the telephone or having a conversation in a noisy restaurant.

Another product has a Whisper Feature, does MED-EL have anything like this?

The answer is yes, MED-EL has something similar but it has to do with the Input Dynamic Range (IDR). If you think about our IDR in terms of a slide where the 55db sound window moves up and down between 25 and 100db. The Nucleus system's sound window is also capable of moving up and down the decibel scale. However, it is not automatic. By switching on the Whisper setting, they shift their window down to the lower portion to capture the quieter sounds. When they switch back to normal- the window shifts back to the upper portion of the scale.

So there is really only 2 positions for the window: low and high. The MED-EL does this automatically. It takes in sound sample and decides where the window should be on the decibel scale. If it's a quiet sound, it will pass on the lower portion, if it's a loud sound- upper portion, normal sounds- middle portion, and so on. So technically, the MED-EL"Whisper" setting is always on.

Have you had any trouble with the exposure to static electricity. The info I received said there could even be some interference with mobile phones? Overhead power lines? Near computer monitors? Any problems there?

No problems whatsoever with any of these issues. I do consider it important to note that the MED-EL has what they call a SoundGuard feature, which is designed to protect your programming in the speech processor in the case of electrostatic discharge.

What was it like after surgery? Was there much pain after surgery?

There is pain after surgery especially around the incision. For the first few days, there may be with some throbbing discomfort, but you will have some medication for that. In many cases, the pain eases down after few days. Common post-op discomforts are loud tinnitus, sore jaw, and sore neck. The tinnitus can be quite loud -- enough to keep you awake -- but it is only temporary. The medication you will take for pain will also help you sleep. Do not be alarmed by the loud ringing, as it is very common due to the trauma in the ear, and takes a few days to subside. You may also have a sore jaw and not be able to open your mouth fully for a few days. You can still eat, of course, but may need to eat softer foods for the first couple of days following surgery.

There will be swelling around the incision. The swelling may cause your implanted ear to "droop" lower than normal, but it will correct itself as the swelling goes down. There may also be some tenderness around the incision, and around the ear for several weeks. The swelling can last for as long as 6 weeks.

Another common complaint is the bandage. Just about everyone will tell you how uncomfortable it is to wear -- and by week's end you are about ready to rip it off yourself! Sometimes it can be too tight, and if that is the case, you can call the clinic and they can advise how to loosen it. It can also be very irritating to the skin -- and itch like crazy. One suggestion is to get a good haircut prior to your surgery to help minimize any irritation.

PLEASE BE SURE TO NOT LIFT ANYTHING HEAVY for 4-6 weeks after surgery. Your post-op instructions advise that you not lift anything heavier than a gallon of milk. Your cochlea needs time to heal and any lifting or straining can prolong the healing process. I did not heed that advice and, as a result, found myself bedridden with vertigo for four days. Not fun.

Have another question or tip you would like to add to this section? Was this information helpful? Send me an e-mail -- I would like to know your thoughts.