To hear again at last – this wish can come true for those with a hearing impairment or who are deaf. A cochlear implant is an inner ear implant that enables the hearing impaired to learn a new way of hearing. The MediClin Bosenberg Kliniken offers a unique concept for the rehabilitation of these patients.
Around 14 million people in Germany suffer from a hearing impairment. One per cent of those affected or around 140,000 sufferers have only a rudimentary level of hearing or are already deaf. Those suffering from hearing problems often withdraw from their social environment and isolate themselves as a result from colleagues or even from family and groups of friends.
Cochlear implants: An electrically operated inner ear implant
Cochlear implants (CI) give these people new hope. A cochlear implant is an electrically operated inner ear implant designed to take over the functionality of the inner ear that has been completely lost – the most common cause of deafness. After the operation and the first adjustment of the speech processor in the hospital, the real work then begins for the patient, i.e. learning a new way of hearing and recognising speech using the cochlear implant. According to Dr. Harald Seidler, Head Physician at the ENT Specialist Clinic in the MediClin Bosenberg Kliniken, this is a challenge that is comparable to learning a foreign language.
Rehabilitation concept for those with cochlear implants
A target group-specific rehabilitation concept for those with cochlear implants has thus been developed in the MediClin Bosenberg Kliniken. The goal is to enable these patients to communicate once again and, therefore, participate in a social life. In the process, the clinic places a strong emphasis on unrestricted access. The treatment rooms, therapy rooms and the reception are equipped with communication systems for patients. Employees are trained in communicating with the hearing impaired or deaf people and even the patient’s rooms are equipped in a way suitable for these patients.
During the treatment, the patient is intensively trained to hear and the settings on the speech processor are optimised. It is possible in this way to increase the speech recognition of patients from below 30 % to around 70 % within six weeks. Immediately after the cochlear implant has been fitted in the hospital, the patients can only perceive the sounds and noises unclearly without being able to differentiate between them. However, the patient can hear signals with the newly fitted cochlear implant and also determine whether these are high or low or if they are loud or quiet, although at this stage the patient can not yet differentiate whether the sound is an alarm clock, a bell or an aeroplane. In a learning process, the auditory centre in the brain must first get used to a new way of hearing using the cochlear implant. The special feature of the therapy delivered in the MediClin Bosenberg Kliniken is the simultaneous use of technical aids and therapeutic measures.
Cochlear implants: Technicians and therapists working next door to one other
If the logopedic and audio therapist detect during the hearing training that a patient, for example, cannot differentiate between a “B” and a “P” then the patient is referred to the cochlear implant technician who is located next door. After the technician has readjusted the settings for the relevant electrodes, the patient with the cochlear implant can immediately resume the therapy using the improved implant settings. Therefore, obstacles can be quickly resolved. Optimisation of the speech processor settings, technical advice and testing of technical aids takes place in unison and supplements the therapeutic measures. Patients with cochlear implants are also exposed to everyday problems during the rehabilitation. These include things such as telephone training or practising real life situations in the “communication cafe”. Even a patient’s existing knowledge of foreign languages can be reactivated.
Ahmed Bellagnech is the Head Cochlear Implant Technician at the MediClin Bosenberg Kliniken. He is a physics graduate and a biomedicine technician – a hearing aid technician is not trained for dealing with cochlear implants. Bellagnech is one of the most experienced technicians in Germany in the area of cochlear implants, and during the last few years has provided most of the cochlear implant patients with the optimal settings for hearing.