Cochlear Implants
Definition
A cochlear implant is a small, complex electronic device used to treat severe to profound hearing loss. It is surgically implanted underneath the skin behind the patient's ear.
Purpose
A cochlear implant delivers useful auditory signals from the environment to the patient by electronically bypassing nonfunctional parts of the ear and directly stimulating the auditory nerve. Unlike a hearing aid, it does not merely amplify sound. Instead, an implant increases the amount of nervous response to sound. Although it does not restore normal hearing, the additional input provided by the implant often improves sound detection and increases speech understanding.
Description
Normal hearing occurs because sound...
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