Cochlear Implants in NYC
Cochlear Implant Surgery by the top NYC Ear Surgeon
If you’re very hard of hearing or deaf, a cochlear implant surgery may help you get back the sounds you miss. Hearing aids help the majority of people with mild-to-moderate hearing loss, but they can’t help everyone.
The cochlear implant was first designed in the 1960’s and then FDA approved in 1985 for people with severe hearing loss that could not be helped with hearing aids. After decades of advancements, cochlear implants have proven to be uniquely successful intervention for advanced hearing loss.
When the hairs in the inner ear, or cochlea, are damaged, the brain can’t properly interpret signals coming from an external source. The implant has two parts – one that is surgically placed in the inner ear. The external device looks much like a hearing aid and it transmits sound to the implant as electrical impulses. These impulses go straight to the auditory nerve and the brain learns to interpret this as sound.
The benefits of receiving a cochlear implant can include:
- An implant can allow a deaf child to learn verbal language (not possible previously)
- Provide access to sound when standard hearing aids cannot
- Monitoring the volume of your voice
- Being able to hear sounds that you previously could not
The cochlear implant has become widely recognized as an established treatment for profound hearing loss. Dr. Sperling and his team have years of experience with cochlear implants and accept most insurance.
Are Cochlear Implants Like Hearing Aids?
Children and adults who are not sufficiently helped by hearing aids may benefit from cochlear implants. Unlike hearing aids cochlear implants are surgically implanted to improve hearing in people with severe or profound hearing losses. They do not deliver sound acoustically like a hearing instead they bypass damaged hair cells in the cochlea and stimulates the remaining nerve fibers directly through the application of electrical current.
Are Cochlear Implants Covered by Insurance?
Health insurance coverage for cochlear implant services has improved greatly in recent years. More than 90 percent of commercial health insurance policies or health plans provide full or partial coverage of cochlear implant surgery. We accept most major insurance and let you know if cochlear implants are covered under your insurance policy.
Am I a Good Candidate for Cochlear Implants?
Adults who have severe to profound hearing loss in both ears and have benefited only minimally from hearing aids may qualify as candidates for cochlear implantation. Children, as young as 12 months, with severe to profound hearing loss in both ears and who demonstrate little progress in development of auditory skills may also be a good candidate for some implant devices.
During your initial hearing consultation, we will be able to assess your condition and if cochlear implants are the right solution to improve your hearing impairment.
We have 3 convenient offices in NYC located in midtown Manhattan and the Upper West Side in Manhattan. Call us today to schedule your appointment to see if cochlear implants are a good solution for you.
If you still have questions about cochlear implants give us a call today or visit our frequently asked questions about cochlear implants.