I want to encourage the people in this discussion who say their hearing is getting worse and worse, even with hearing aids, to consider the cochlear implant option. Cochlear implants, until recently, were only considered for people with profound hearing loss. Due to the success of this technology the criteria for CI candidacy has been lowered to include people with less severe hearing loss, and also for those with single sided hearing loss. CIs are generally covered by Medicare and by insurance, unlike hearing aids. The implantation surgery is far less invasive than it once was and is generally done on an outpatient basis.

In most instances, cochlear implants will provide the clarity that hearing aids don't. After implantation my hearing tests went from 35% understanding to 90% understanding in audiology testing. That is not uncommon. My implant surgery was done in 2005, so it's been a long time for improvements to develop, and they have.

Age is not a factor in determining CI candidacy. I personally know several people in their 80s who have had CI surgery done. Their only regret is that they didn't do it sooner.

Not all audiologists and ENT specialists are well informed about cochlear implants, as it is a specialty aside from theirs.

Has your ENT or AuD mentioned the cochlear implant option? If not, ask about it.

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