CI stands for cochlear implant. Some claim it is a miraculous device enabling deaf people to hear again, others label it as unethical. As users of cochlear implants, we believe that this device can restore the joy of hearing, and it enables us to engage in communication via the acquisition of speaking skills. What exactly is a cochlear implant?
A cochlear implant (CI) is a device offering the opportunity of hearing for the great majority of deaf people and for people living with severe hearing impairment. It is certainly not a cure-all; however, its optimal use can work miracles: people formerly living in absolute silence or hearing very little will have a restored hearing that makes them able to lead a normal life. CI offers remedy for the most widespread disease resulting in hearing loss, that is the illnesses of the inner ear. CI practically takes over the function of the inner ear. The device consists of two parts: an implant and an external unit called the speech processor, worn behind the ear or somewhere else on the body. It works in a completely different way to traditional hearing aids:
Hearing aids amplify sounds so that you can percieve them with your existing hearing. They work well if one has some hearing remained, but they do not help at all if there is a near-total or total loss of hearing. CI ignores the damaged inner ear and stimulates the hearing nerve directly, therefore it produces good results irrespective of the degree of lost hearing. Cochlear implants are an optimal solution for people, children and adults alike, who live with a severe loss of hearing, receiving no help from hearing aids anymore.