When the consequences of a hearing loss require hearing implantation

If a sudden hearing loss occurs without an obvious cause, usually on one side, it is called an acute hearing loss. In that case, you have to go to your ENT specialist immediately. However, if the result is despite all measures an irreversible severe hearing loss or even deafness, the cochlear implant offers an ideal solution.

In most cases, a hearing loss occurs completely unexpectedly and only in one ear. If the result is a profound hearing loss or deafness, getting an implant should definitely be considered, even if the other ear is intact.

Because the second ear is not just a backup for the first one – it is necessary for many functions that our ear does every day. That is why the experts advise to restore the hearing ability on both sides, if possible.

If you would like to learn more about the importance of bilateral hearing, you will find numerous articles on the topic here: Gehört.Gelesen Spezialausgabe: Doppelt hört besser.

With a cochlear implant, bilateral hearing becomes possible again. It enables speech understanding in noisy environments, three-dimensional sound perception and localization of sound sources. Only when we hear with both ears, can we correctly localize where the sound is coming from. We can only experience the pleasure of the stereo system with two intact ears. Many dangerous situations in everyday life can often be prevented if the source of noise can be located thanks to both functional ears.

Although it takes a little practice to combine the auditory sensations of the naturally functioning ear with the new sound offered by a cochlear implant – the brain is incredibly adaptive and users soon won´t be able to tell the difference between their two ears.

Do you want to learn more about cochlear implants? You can find everything about implantable hearing systems here:

You are reading:

Cochlear implant after an acute hearing loss