03/16/2026
WHAT DOES HEARING SOUND LIKE WITH A COCHLEAR IMPLANT?
A cochlear implant is not a hearing aid, but it does help people with certain types of hearing loss hear sounds better, and for some patients they make lip reading and understanding speech easier. Hearing aids rely on the ear’s natural ability to make sounds louder. Cochlear implants, on the other hand, use an electrical current to stimulate the part of the ear that doesn’t work. This helps a person detect sounds, which may at first seem unfamiliar but become understandable with brain retraining and reprocessing. While these sounds vary by patient, they may initially sound mechanical or robotic. Over time, usually 3 to 12 months, the brain learns the stimulation patterns the implants create and the sound quality changes.
Don’t let a hearing impairment keep you on the outside looking in. Help is available in many forms, from cochlear implants to tiny hearing instruments, but all begin with a comprehensive hearing evaluation by an audiologist. BOBCAYGEON HEARING SERVICE carries state-of-the-art testing equipment and a full range of today’s innovative hearing aids designed to bring back the sounds of life to the hearing impaired. And our staff is second to none when it comes to providing first-rate, compassionate, personalized services.
P.S. One benefit of cochlear implants for many people is the ability to hear their own voice and to improve their voice tone and pronunciation, making it easier to communicate.