by Neil Bauman, Ph.D. October 24, 2016   A lady asked, I have lower back pain from degenerative disk disease. I’m wondering if I can use a TENS unit on my back now that I have a cochlear implant? If you are not familiar with TENS, TENS is not what comes after NINES and […]

  by Neil Bauman, Ph.D. April 4, 2016   If you have lost some or much of your hearing, perhaps you are wondering just how well you might do with a cochlear implant (CI). Wouldn’t you like to know right now whether there are any factors that might help predict how successful you might be […]

  by Neil Bauman, Ph.D. January 11, 2016 A lady asked, Are there assistive listening technologies that are compatible with cochlear implants (CIs)? I pore over your articles, but it is not very clear to me with reference to which technologies match the needs for people with CI devices. Each inquiry directed to other resources […]

  by Neil Bauman, Ph.D. Have you ever wondered whether there are any significant differences in the performance results you could expect, depending on which cochlear implant (CI)  you chose? Doctors, and cochlear implant centers typically tell you that all CI brands are good (and this is true).  Thus, you might assume that they all […]

by Neil Bauman, Ph.D. A lady wrote, I am 57 and wonder when is the time to get a cochlear implant. I am getting conflicting information. My hearing aid dealer and ENT say wait until I can’t carry on conversations one on one anymore. Another ENT quickly tried to schedule me for an implant. My […]

by Neil Bauman, Ph.D. Here’s a chart comparing the three main Cochlear Implant companies and their various cochlear implants. Once on this page, click on the “Cochlear Implant Comparison Chart” link. It compares Cochlear (Australia), Advanced Bionics (USA) and MedEl (Austria). This information quickly goes out of date as each manufacturer releases new products and […]

by Neil Bauman, Ph.D. MedEl just launched their RONDO, the first single-unit cochlear implant in the world. Now, for the first time, the microphone, speech processor, coil and batteries are all housed in a single unit. As their press release states, “The fully-integrated design makes RONDO simple to wear, and is especially comfortable for people […]

by Neil Bauman, Ph.D. A man explained, I have very severe hearing loss in both ears. My doctor says I need to have cochlear implants. He then requested, Could you shed some light on how successful they are, and what I should expect as a result of the surgery. Cochlear implants (CIs) are typically very […]

by Neil Bauman, Ph.D. When you get “turned on” at your first cochlear implant (CI) mapping session,  it’s a given that the sounds you’ll first hear will not sound normal at all. Don’t be surprised at the strange, robotic nature of the voices you first hear. In time, your brain will learn to understand them […]

by Neil Bauman, Ph.D. It’s always hard to separate the truth from the hype on most manufacturer’s websites. This is just as true on the cochlear implant websites. Each site touts their product as being the latest and the greatest and the one that incorporates the latest technology, blah, blah, blah. Thus it is always […]

by Neil Bauman, Ph.D., with Michele and Dawn People have asked me about cochlear implants (CIs), and want to know whether a CI might be a good choice to help them hear better. They want to know what kind of hearing results they might expect. I can’t think of a better way to explain this, […]

by Neil Bauman, Ph.D. A man wrote: I read your article ‘Hair cell regeneration—looking beyond the hype’ which was very encouraging. Currently, my hearing has been severe to profound since age 13. I’m 48 now, but I’ve worn a hearing aid since I was three. I am now in the process of undergoing a cochlear […]

by Neil Bauman, Ph.D. A concerned mother wrote: I have a daughter who was born with congenital CMV [Cytomegalovirus], and she experienced a progressive hearing loss. She was fitted with hearing aids at 13 months, and she has had them for two months. It is great to hear her making more sounds and responding to […]

by Neil Bauman, Ph.D. A lady wrote: I have bi-lateral Meniere’s and was recently approved as a candidate for a cochlear implant. Your article “Which is the Best Cochlear Implant?” published December 6, 2007 mentions one surgeon in Baltimore as being “one of the top rated CI surgeons anywhere”. Could you tell me how us […]

 by Neil Bauman, Ph.D. Advanced Bionics produces their “Bionic Buddy” calendar each year. Their website says, Advanced Bionics has a longstanding tradition of creating a fun and inspiring calendar each year, presenting Bionic Buddy and highlighting children with cochlear implants. The 2009 Bionic Buddy Calendar is a wonderful opportunity to showcase our pediatric recipients and […]

  by Neil Bauman, Ph.D.   A lady asked, Can you direct me to some good sources to read about cochlear implants? To learn first-hand about cochlear implants and to get many of your questions answered, the nicest (friendly, no brand wars) on-line group for cochlear implants is the one in the SayWhatClub. Ask to […]

by Neil Bauman, Ph.D. A man wrote: I had sudden hearing loss and need your help. If you had to have a cochlear implant today, which implant would you have, and where would you have it done? Fortunately for me, I live close to one of the best cochlear implant surgeons, Dr. John Niparko at […]