Treating Hearing Loss in Adults with Cochlear Implant Technology

By Dr. Sumit Mrig in ENT(Ear Nose Throat)

Nov 28 , 2020 | 1 min read

According to a 2018 WHO report, 63 million individuals suffer from hearing impairment in India. Hearing impairment may include adult-onset deafness, individuals born with hearing disability, & individuals who reported onset of disability after 60 years of age.

Treatment of hearing loss depends on its causes and severity:

Remove wax blockage:

The doctor can remove the earwax through suction or a small tool with a loop at the end.

Surgical procedures:

Certain surgeries can help in treating some types of hearing loss. Problems where surgeries can be beneficial include abnormalities of the eardrum or hearing bones (ossicles).

Hearing aids:

Hearing aids are beneficial if the hearing loss is due to damage in the inner ear.

Cochlear implants:

Cochlear implant surgery help in restoring hearing in individuals with hearing loss and hearing aids are no longer beneficial for them. Adults and children aged six to twelve months old can benefit from cochlear implants.

A 54-year-old man visited Max Smart Super Speciality Hospital, Saket. His sense of hearing had started deteriorating 20 years back. He was using hearing aids till June 2016. He started facing difficulties in doing his regular activities including conversations with friends and family and listening to music.

Dr Sumit Mrig, Principal Consultant & Head - ENT, Max Smart Hospital, Saket, advised cochlear implant in this case. The patient had never heard of cochlear implant to cure hearing loss. He believed that cochlear implants are an option only for infants or toddlers.

A cochlear implant is a small electronic device that electrically stimulates the cochlear nerve (nerve for hearing). The implant has external and internal parts. The external part sits behind the ear; picks up sounds with a microphone. It then processes the sound and transmits it to the internal part of the implant.

Dr Sumit counselled the patient and resolved his doubts regarding the surgery. The patient can now hear well after the treatment and enjoys his interaction with family and friends.