While the journey to cochlear implantation is unique for everyone, it often comes with many questions, a sense of anticipation, and some uncertainty about what lies ahead.
While the journey to cochlear implantation is unique for everyone, it often comes with many questions, a sense of anticipation, and some uncertainty about what lies ahead.
The main difference between conductive and sensorineural hearing loss is where the problem occurs in the ear. Conductive hearing loss happens in the outer or middle ear, preventing sound from reaching the inner ear. Sensorineural hearing loss occurs in the inner ear or auditory nerve, reducing the ear’s ability to convert sound into nerve signals or send them to the brain.
What if hearing with a cochlear implant could feel more natural—not just louder or clearer, but truly aligned with you? For MED-EL cochlear implant users Mariia, Nandini, and Tracie, that’s exactly what anatomy-based fitting (ABF) did. Read on to find out how anatomy-based fitting can improve your hearing experience with a cochlear implant.
Degrees of hearing loss describe how severe hearing loss is, from mild to profound, based on the quietest sounds you can hear during a hearing test. These levels are measured in dB HL (decibels hearing level) and help explain what your results mean in everyday life. Understanding these degrees can make hearing test results easier to interpret and less overwhelming.
Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) is a type of hearing loss caused by damage to the cochlea or the auditory nerve. Historically, it was also called “nerve hearing loss” or even “nerve deafness,” and it affects how sound signals travel from your ear to your brain.
Muffled hearing in one ear can feel like your ear is blocked, clogged, or “underwater.” When it happens suddenly, it’s natural to worry. In many cases, this one-sided muffled hearing is caused by something temporary and treatable—such as earwax buildup, congestion, fluid, or pressure changes in the ear.