Re: Sam & Jackie (Hearing Aid in unimplanted ear)

[Guest guest]

Dear Sam & Jackie,

I've been approved for a CI, but I'm puzzled about the use of your

hearing aid in your unimplanted ear. What happens when you use the CI

alone? If you still need the hearing aid in your unimplanted ear, how

much benefit would you say you're getting from your CI? I have a

substantial amount of low-frequency residual hearing in my better ear,

and I'm making he CI decision cautiously, as I do not want to do this

unless it will give me substantial benefit over what I currently hear.

Is the benefit of the hearing aid in the unimplanted ear the binaural

sound, or does the hearing aid bring in sounds or clarity that you're

not getting with the CI alone?

Thanks,

Dana

[Guest guest]

Dana,

Two ears are better than one, no matter how bad the other ear is.

If you have some residual hearing in the unimplanted ear, you would

probably benefit from wearing a HA. That's what I am planning on

doing when I get implanted in 11 days. For years my right ear

provided no useful hearing (0 on word discrimination). A few years

ago I totally lost my right ear (overnight), and it was much more

difficult to hear and understand people after that. The more input

you give your brain, the better you can hear in noisy environments.

Doug

>

> Dear Sam & Jackie,

>

> I've been approved for a CI, but I'm puzzled about the use of your

> hearing aid in your unimplanted ear. What happens when you use

the CI

> alone? If you still need the hearing aid in your unimplanted ear,

how

> much benefit would you say you're getting from your CI? I have a

> substantial amount of low-frequency residual hearing in my better

ear,

> and I'm making he CI decision cautiously, as I do not want to do

this

> unless it will give me substantial benefit over what I currently

hear.

>

> Is the benefit of the hearing aid in the unimplanted ear the

binaural

> sound, or does the hearing aid bring in sounds or clarity that

you're

> not getting with the CI alone?

>

> Thanks,

> Dana

[Guest guest]

Hi Doug,

Thanks for responding to my question. We are in a similar situation

in that I currently get 0% discrimination in my right ear (though on

another eval it was 12%, still negligible). I rely on my left ear

which is " good " by comparison, but actually not good by any stretch of

the imagination! Interestingly, I do far better with both ears than

with only the left (soundfield testing), so even though that right ear

is useless on its own, it does provide some help in that it feeds some

sound, however minimal and distorted, to the brain. Sounds a lot like

what you described before losing more hearing in your right ear.

I've decided, with my surgeon's input and support, to implant the

right (worse) ear.

I guess what I see as a [small] red flag is when people report that

they can't discriminate with the CI alone, and need the hearing aid in

the other ear to help. I understand the benefit of binaural hearing,

but I'm hoping that the CI will give me some discrimination in itself.

Otherwise, I really won't have more than I have already.

Dana

> >

> > Dear Sam & Jackie,

> >

> > I've been approved for a CI, but I'm puzzled about the use of your

> > hearing aid in your unimplanted ear. What happens when you use

> the CI

> > alone? If you still need the hearing aid in your unimplanted ear,

> how

> > much benefit would you say you're getting from your CI? I have a

> > substantial amount of low-frequency residual hearing in my better

> ear,

> > and I'm making he CI decision cautiously, as I do not want to do

> this

> > unless it will give me substantial benefit over what I currently

> hear.

> >

> > Is the benefit of the hearing aid in the unimplanted ear the

> binaural

> > sound, or does the hearing aid bring in sounds or clarity that

> you're

> > not getting with the CI alone?

> >

> > Thanks,

> > Dana

[Guest guest]

Hi Sam,

Thanks for clarifying. I think we may be alike in having high

expectations. Even though I know that my expectations should be

realistic, I have high expectations for myself in general, so of

course this translates into my hearing/communication. I also have

demands at work that will require me to be responsive, so don't feel

like I have the luxury to just wait for half a year until sound comes

to me on its own. Those high expectations are probably both the

blessing (that keeps me on top of my game) and the curse (that keeps

me fighting to stay in that game).

It sounds like your newest map has offered some improvement, or at

least some new listening challenges. You seem to have returned to

" normal life " and to traveling quickly. I'm inspired.

Best of luck to you,

Dana

> Hi Dana,

>

> Please understand that I was recently hooked up so I haven't gotten

used to

> it. My frustration is from having higher expectations than are

being met

> (and I thought my expectations were realistic!). I've been told it will

> take three to six months before I really benefit from the CI. So

for now

> when I need to understand someone at work I just flip on my HA then

turn it

> back off.

>

> Regards,

> Sam

>

> N24C: 10/06/2004

> BWP: 11/11/2004

>

>