Cochlear Implant Simulation Results - and Thoughts?

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Johnny99

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Hello all -

Earlier this week I went in for a CI simulation (not sure what the official word for this is) where they numb the ear and insert electrodes in your ear past the eardrum and send currents to see if you hear any sounds (I have a completely dead ear in the left ear where the simulation was done and have profound loss in my right but wear an aid).

During the simulation, I could feel intense pressure, but could not hear any sounds (which is what the doctors were testing for). At one point, the pressure was getting to much, so we stopped the procedure. I am curious if any of you have had similar experiences - especially where you didn't hear sound (but felt pressure), and decided to get the CI anyways. And if so, how the CI sounded or if it worked?

One of the attending people during the procedure stated that it was possible that my brain was sensing "pressure" where it normally would be hearing sound because my auditory nerve has been out of use for so long (approximately 34 years - I am 35 years old).

Any thoughts or similar experiences?

Thanks!
 
Bumping this - I hope some of our CI users see your question. Very interesting experience.

I use HAs, not CIs, so have no experience with the type of test you mentioned, but it's very interesting to me. While I get a good benefit from aids right now, that might not last forever, so I'm always interested in the experience of those who are considering or using CIs, as to what they think of it and how the CIs work for them.
 
This is called Electronic Auditory Brain Response aka EABR. I have done mine two weeks ago and I was able to hear these sounds sent through the electrodes inserted in my right ear however nothing was recieved in the left.
 
JClarke - Thanks for the response. Did the doctor say anything in regards to possibly getting a CI in your left ear even though the EABR didn't produce sound in that left ear? Curious if he may have stated cases where the ear doesn't produce a response, but a CI still worked? Thanks -

Thanks Beach girl for the bump...
 
Johnny99 said:
Hello all -

Earlier this week I went in for a CI simulation (not sure what the official word for this is) where they numb the ear and insert electrodes in your ear past the eardrum and send currents to see if you hear any sounds (I have a completely dead ear in the left ear where the simulation was done and have profound loss in my right but wear an aid).

During the simulation, I could feel intense pressure, but could not hear any sounds (which is what the doctors were testing for). At one point, the pressure was getting to much, so we stopped the procedure. I am curious if any of you have had similar experiences - especially where you didn't hear sound (but felt pressure), and decided to get the CI anyways. And if so, how the CI sounded or if it worked?

One of the attending people during the procedure stated that it was possible that my brain was sensing "pressure" where it normally would be hearing sound because my auditory nerve has been out of use for so long (approximately 34 years - I am 35 years old).

Any thoughts or similar experiences?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

I'm skeptical of that explanation due to the fact that the stimulus is processed in different areas of the brain and detected by different types of neurons.
 
I am bilateral DEAF since December 2006 and do have a Cochlear Implant. The operation was July 12, 2007. I don't recall any "stimulation" prior to the operation. I have never heard of EABR.
Is this a recent procedure?
 
I have never had any testing similar to what you described....
 
I'm not really sure, but I think I had this test too. Or at least something similar.
The problem is that I had it almost 13 years ago and I don't remember it very much :) But I remeber that I had this test twice because first result wasn't very good. Second result was better. I think they wanted to know if I heard one or two "beeps".
It was my left ear which was deaf for 9-10 years and HAs had no effect (as far as I remember). Then I got CI there and it works.
But the fact is that I could hear something during that test, so I don't have experience you are looking for :)
 
I had this test done over 12 months ago to see if I would be able to hear with a CI in my right ear, which I have been profoundly deaf in since 13 months old after having meningitis. I had a moderate-severe hearing loss in my left ear up until 22-23 years of age, but it started to deteriorate since then and I'm lucky to have a severe-profound hearing loss on my good days now (now 26 years old).

I could hear the noise.. the longer I listened to it, the more clear it became to me and I was able to explain the noise to them with the use of my hands in attempt to mimic it. I can still remember the noise pretty clearly now.

I don't know much about your experience unfortunately, I wish you the best of luck!
 
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