Wie klingt ein Hörimplantat?

Jeder Hörimplantat-Träger macht seine eigenen Erfahrungen. Menschen, die ihr Gehör verloren haben und kurz darauf mit einem Implantat versorgt wurden, hören mehr und anders als Menschen, bei denen der Hörnerv das erste Mal seit sehr langer Zeit durch ein Implantat aktiviert wird. Trotz der großen Bandbreite der Höreindrücke berichten viele Implantat-Träger darüber, dass sie die Welt unmittelbarer, wacher und direkter wahrnehmen. Das gilt auch für Kinder: Die große Mehrheit der jungen Nutzer entwickelt mit Cochlea-Implantaten ein gutes bis sehr gutes Sprachverstehen.

Brauchen beide Ohren ein Hörimplantat?

Es werden nicht automatisch beide Ohren mit Hörimplantaten versorgt. Man kann Hörimplantate mit Hörgeräten gut kombinieren oder auch zwei Implantate tragen. Je nach individuellem Hörverlust wird entschieden, welche Kombination vorteilhaft für Sprachverstehen, Hören im Störschall, Richtungshören und einen angenehmen Klang ist.

Talking Openly About Hearing Implants

Things to Know About Hearing Aids

A hearing implant piques the curiosity of many people. What exactly is that cool piece of technology on someone's head?

At a Glance

Openness Helps—Embracing Cochlear Implants as a Matter of Course
Is a cochlear implant a hearing aid?
What does the hearing implant sound like?

People are sociable and curious. We want to learn about and understand everything new. Of course, this also applies to hearing implants. Here, we provide answers to many questions that friends, coworkers, relatives, or even strangers may have. Talking openly about hearing implants is easier than you might think.

Will you need your hearing implant forever?

Yes, that’s right. A hearing implant is a hearing aid that overcomes hearing loss, for example, by directly stimulating nerve fibers in the cochlea of the inner ear. However, it does not restore hearing. This means that in order to hear, I need the implant and must wear my external audio processor.

My hearing implant—simply a part of me

Whether children, young adults, or older adults, anyone who accepts their hearing loss and sees their hearing implant as a natural part of their personality is helping themselves. “At first, I tried to hide my cochlear implant,” explains one person affected by hearing loss. Then she began to explore the topic more deeply. “I realized that the implant isn’t a disadvantage—it’s just normal.” This adult cochlear implant user first had to build up that self-confidence. Today, she can talk openly about her cochlear implants.

Parents should support their children through this important process. They can practice with their child how to explain their hearing loss and the implant. It’s very helpful for both adults and children to be prepared for questions. It often helps to document one’s own hearing history and some answers in a hearing experience journal.

Are cochlear implants actually a special type of hearing aid?

Both are hearing systems and provide people with hearing loss with a new hearing experience and a better quality of life. However, the way cochlear implants work differs significantly from that of hearing aids. Hearing aids amplify sound, allowing people with hearing loss to clearly perceive sounds and speech again. Cochlear implants, on the other hand, convert sound signals into electrical signals and directly stimulate the auditory nerve. This makes hearing possible even when conventional hearing aids are no longer sufficient.

What does a cochlear implant sound like?

That’s a very personal question, because every user has their own experience. Describe your impressions and speak openly about cochlear implants and the sounds they produce. People who have lost their hearing and received an implant shortly thereafter hear more and differently than people whose auditory nerve is being activated by an implant for the first time in a very long time. Despite the wide range of auditory experiences, many implant users report that they perceive the world in a more immediate, alert, and direct way. This also applies to children: The vast majority of young users develop good to very good speech understanding with cochlear implants.

Can you hear well right away with a cochlear implant?

Success can come very quickly or only after a certain period of adjustment to your new hearing. Tell us about your first impressions of hearing—perhaps a clicking sound or the ability to understand speech right away. Many people don’t realize that implant users often need perseverance, patience, and hearing training to achieve optimal hearing results. Hearing in noisy environments, in particular, often has to be learned.

Do you need an implant in each ear?

Hearing implants can be easily combined with hearing aids, or you can wear two implants. It’s not automatically the case that both ears are fitted with hearing implants. Depending on your individual hearing loss, a decision is made as to which combination

is best for speech understanding, hearing in noisy environments, directional hearing, and a pleasant sound. It’s even possible to use a cochlear implant and a hearing aid in the same ear. In this case, the cochlear implant makes high frequencies audible, while the hearing aid amplifies the low frequencies.

Are you allowed to fly and swim?

Yes, definitely both. At airport security checkpoints, you can either remove the audio processor or keep it on. It’s a good idea to bring your identification card with you so you can let security know right away if the metal detector goes off. Exercising with an implant is encouraged. Swimming is no problem at all; you can either remove the audio processor or, depending on the model, use a special protective case.

Some people ask their questions directly, making it easy for hearing implant users. Others aren’t quite sure how to go about it. Take the first step. Talking openly about hearing implants helps both you and those around you. Learn more here.