Cochlear Implant Services
Providing full care and support for Cochlear Implant recipients and candidates
Sometimes hearing aids are no longer enough…
Do you wear hearing aids and still have trouble hearing on the phone or in noisy environments? Are speech and ambient sounds muffled and garbled? Are you relying more on lip-reading and guesses to get you through?
Hearing loss can have a huge impact on how you live your life and a cochlear implant can be a great option for those who aren’t getting results from hearing aids. For some patients, a cochlear implant can help them to connect with loved ones and feel more confident to participate in everyday activities.
Your friendly local Country Hearing Care team would love to help you
How does a Cochlear Implant work?
Cochlear implants are very different to hearing aids! – Hearing aids help many people by making the sounds they hear louder. Unfortunately, as hearing worsens, making sounds louder doesn’t always make them clearer. Cochlear implants can help give you that clarity, even in noisy environments.
There are two main components of the cochlear implant system:
- The external sound processor (resembles a hearing aid)
- The internal implant (surgically implanted into the cochlear)
The sound processor and internal implant work together to bypass the ‘hearing organ’ (the cochlea) that no longer functions properly and delivers digital sound directly to your hearing nerve.
The implant transfers the digital sound signal to the cochlea.
How much does a cochlear implant cost?
There are funding options through private health insurance or through the public system depending on where you live. In Victoria, cochlear implant surgery and the associated devices are now fully covered.
At Country Hearing Care, there are some standard assessment fees, whilst we perform all the required tests, to establish your suitability as a candidate. As always, we strive to keep your out-of-pocket expenses to a minimum to continue to make our services as accessible as possible for everyone.
How can We Help?
Country Hearing Care are now able to see adult patients in Victoria for cochlear implant services as part of the VCIP (Victorian Cochlear Implant Program). Our Audiologists have
had extensive training and support from Cochlear and The Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital (RVEEH) to be able to provide these much-needed services to regional Victoria.
Historically, to access these services patients would need to make multiple trips to their state’s capital city for all cochlear implant services. Country Hearing Care’s involvement in the VCIP program means significantly less travel for our clients, allowing them to receive gold-standard cochlear implant services locally.
From initial hearing assessments and discussions, we can guide potential candidates through the first steps of the process and if you are a suitable candidate for an implant, we will be able to take care of all your post-implant needs too.
What is the process?
The great news is that these services are more accessible than ever and waiting times are now very short. We can guide you through the process step by step:
Hearing Test
First, you’ll need a hearing assessment with one of our highly skilled Audiologists who can help to determine whether a hearing implant is the right option for you.
Implant Procedure
In Victoria, the cochlear implant procedure will take place in Melbourne. The procedure is considered a routine procedure and takes 1-2 hours to perform. As with any surgery there are associated risks which your surgeon will discuss with you.
Activation/Fitting
In most cases, Country Hearing Care can now take care of all of your post-surgery implant needs. Firstly, a ‘switch-on’ appointment will be scheduled at one of our clinics. From there
we will help ‘map’ or programme your device and begin the journey to better hearing with you!
Your friendly local Country Hearing Care team would love to help you
If you would like more information on Cochlear implants or any of our services, please
contact the Country Hearing Care Team today on:
1800 432 748, admin@chcare.com.au or
to book a hearing test or for any advice about your hearing please click the button below.
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Take the first step to a happier life
Find your nearest hearing clinic
Find a clinic near you that can help you with all your hearing needs.
Take the first step to a happier life
Find your nearest hearing clinic
Find a clinic near you that can help you with all your hearing needs.