A cochlear implant is a small electronic device that helps people with severe hearing loss hear sounds more clearly. The device has 2 main parts:

• Internal implant: Placed under the skin and inside the inner ear (cochlea) during surgery
• External sound processor: Worn behind the ear to pick up and process sound

The sound processor turns everyday noises—like voices, music, or traffic—into electrical signals. The internal implant sends these signals to your hearing nerve. Your brain receives these signals as sound.

While the sound may seem different at first, most people adjust quickly. With follow-up care and practice, they can start hearing details they’ve missed for years.

How cochlear implants are different from hearing aids

Hearing aids and cochlear implants both help people hear better, but they work in very different ways.

Hearing aids make sounds louder so your ear can detect them. They’re a good option when your hearing nerve still works well enough to send sound signals to your brain. Most people with mild to moderate hearing loss do well with hearing aids.

Cochlear implants, on the other hand, bypass the damaged part of the ear completely. This helps people who have severe or complete hearing loss and get little or no benefit from hearing aids.

Cochlear implants are usually for adults who have lost hearing gradually over time. As they age, they may now find that hearing aids no longer work well enough.

Children born with significant hearing loss may also be good candidates for a cochlear implant. Getting an implant early in life can improve your child’s speech and language development.

Because cochlear implants require surgery and follow-up, they’re not a good option for everyone. Your ENT surgeon and audiologist will use hearing tests and imaging to see whether cochlear implants are an option for you.

Getting a cochlear implant is a process that happens over several steps. You’ll need testing, surgery, healing, activation, and adjustment. Your care team will guide you through each stage, so you know what to expect.

Before surgery

Your ENT doctor and audiologist will review your results and answer your questions. They’ll make sure you know how the implant works and what it can and can’t do.

You’ll complete specialized hearing tests and get imaging to check the inner ear. You may also meet with anesthesia and medical staff to prepare for surgery.

During surgery

The doctors will put you to sleep with a medicine called general anesthesia. Your ENT surgeon makes a small incision behind the ear and places the internal device. Surgery takes a few hours. Most people go home the same day or stay one night for observation.

After surgery

Your ear will need time to heal before we turn on the sound processor—usually 2 to 4 weeks. You may have mild soreness or swelling that fades in a few days. During this time, your care team checks your incision and makes sure the implant site is healing well.

Once healed, your audiologist connects the external sound processor and activates the device. The first time you hear through your implant, sounds may seem unfamiliar or mechanical. That’s normal.

Over several visits, your audiologist adjusts (or “maps”) the implant to improve how the implant works with your brain. Learning to interpret new sounds takes practice and support. You’ll return for regular check-ups to fine-tune the device. You’ll need to repeat hearing tests to measure your progress.

Many people notice steady improvement in clarity and comfort as their brain adapts to the new sound signals. Your care team can connect you with listening therapy and community resources.