Cochlear Implant VS Hearing Aid: What’s the Difference?

Hearing devices are a modern wonder essential for people with auditory issues. They help them perceive the sound in the environment.

These devices are typically categorized into two types: hearing aids and cochlear implants. Both of them help people who have sensorineural hearing loss or damage to the cilia in the structures of the inner ear or the nerves that connect to the brain. However, they function differently and do not address the same levels of hearing loss.

If you or your loved ones have hearing disabilities, then you should find out which kind best suits each particular condition. Read on to learn more about the difference between a hearing aid and cochlear implant.

Hearing Aids

Hearing aids are small electronic devices that are worn either in the ear or behind the ear and can easily be removed after use. They are programmed to what a person can hear and amplify certain pitches to help people hear the sounds around them. A microphone picks up the sound waves, and the device processes it and plays it over a speaker that usually fits into the ear canal.

Since these devices deal mostly with sound amplification, they are meant for people with less severe hearing loss. They are good for those whose inner ear structures can still perceive some sound and have an adequate understanding of speech.

Hearing aids come in different shapes and sizes. There are some that have a main body that sits behind the ear, while others can discreetly fit into the ear canal. Users can choose whichever unit they can wear more comfortably.

Cochlear Implants

Cochlear implants are a bit more complicated than hearing aids. These devices have parts that have to be surgically implanted under the person’s scalp and attached to their nerves. This is because they are designed to directly transmit signals to the brain through auditory nerves. They also have an external portion often worn like a hearing aid. This part receives the sound in the environment and processes it into electronic pulses for transmission by the implant.

This type of device is best for people who have severe hearing problems. Since the device goes straight to the nerve, it allows the person to have the sensation of sound even if they have serious inner ear damage.

Contact Bluegrass Hearing Clinic

Call Bluegrass Hearing Clinic and schedule a visit to one of our locations in Kentucky for a diagnostic hearing evaluation. We can help you make a more informed decision when choosing between a cochlear implant vs a hearing aid.