How the Cochlear Implant Works

This animation shows how the cochlear implant works.

Click Here to View the Cochlear Implant Video

The drawing shows the outer ear, middle ear, and inner ear, along with implanted and external components. The external components are a microphone and a sound processor, placed behind the outer ear, and an external transmitter that is attached to the outside of the skin. Directly opposite the external transmitter is an internal receiver placed beneath the scalp and implanted into the bone behind the ear. From the internal receiver a wire passes into the cochlea and wraps partly around the internal spiral of the cochlea. The cochlea sends impulses through the auditory nerve to the part of the brain that perceives sound.

The cochlear implant restores the perception of sound for the profoundly deaf. The doctors of Colorado Springs Ear Associates work as a team to evaluate, implant, and support patients who need cochlear implants. Please contact us if you believe that you or someone you are close to may be a candidate for a cochlear implant.