What is a cochlear implant and how does it work?
A cochlear implant is very small, complex electronic device that can provide sound to a person who has a severe or profound hearing loss. One part is surgically placed inside the inner ear while the other external part is worn behind the ear. The cochlear implant delivers electrical stimulation to the inner ear (the cochlea) and bypasses the damaged hair cells, directly stimulating the hearing nerve. These electric currents activate the nerve, which then sends a signal to the brain. The brain learns to recognize this signal and the person experiences this as “hearing”. Unlike a hearing aid which amplifies sound, the cochlear implant bypasses the damaged, non-working hair cell parts of the inner ear. In normal hearing, the inner ear converts sound waves into electrical impulses that are sent to the brain, and a hearing person recognizes them as sound. The cochlear implant works in a similar way. It electronically finds useful sounds and then sends them to the brain. However, the result
