Disadvantages Of Cochlear Implants

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A cochlear implant is done for any person who has severe hearing loss, but there are also disadvantages of cochlear implants. The device is placed in the cochlear part of the ear by a simple surgery and this is the reason for the device being called as a cochlear implant. The cochlear implant is an electronic device that receives the sound waves from the environment and sends it to the brain.

There are various disadvantages that are associated with the cochlear implants. As a surgical procedure is used to implant the device, there are many risks associated with the surgery including infections and other surgical complications. There are some people who may have associated loss of facial muscle function. This happens because of the damage to the facial nerve during the surgery.

There are some people who start suffering from tinnitus after the cochlear implant surgery. Another risk of surgery is that there could be a complete loss of the ability to hear. The other major disadvantages of cochlear implants include the fact that there are some devices that can fail and there will be no benefit for the person who has undergone the surgery.

Some of the people who have had a surgery to get the implant placed can also suffer from problems like meningitis. The people who have had a cochlear implant should not indulge in certain activities like swimming. Even while showering, proper precautions need to be taken. This is a disadvantage too as the lifestyle of the individual is curbed to an extent.

Since the cochlear implant is an electronic one, the person who is using the device needs to be very careful and should avoid standing in areas where there could be a strong magnetic field present. If such a field is present, it can lead to the damage of the implant. Avoiding places where there could be a magnetic field is very important.

Another important disadvantage is that the external component of the cochlear implant may have to have the batteries changed at regular intervals. If the device runs on rechargeable batteries, then this problem can be overcome. Though there are many advantages of a cochlear implant, there are some disadvantages too. So, any person who is planning to have a cochlear implant done should calculate the risk reward ratio and then make an informed decision. This will help the person to overcome the disadvantages of cochlear implants.