The outer ear collects sound waves that pass through the air.
The sound waves vibrate the eardrum and the three tiny bones (hammer, anvil, and stirrup) in the middle ear.
This vibration moves the tiny hairs of the sensory cells in the inner ear or cochlea; sensory cells convert the vibrations to an electrical signal that is sent to the hearing nerve.
The signal travels up the nerve and into the brain, where it is interpreted as sound.
The Normal Hearing Process
When any part of this delicate system is damaged, hearing loss can result.
For adults, hearing loss, whether sudden or progressive, can cause frustration, isolation, even depression. It can do the same to a child, as well as impact the ability to learn and speak, causing the child to fall behind in his or her development. But for people of all ages, cochlear implants may help end the isolation from hearing loss by bringing the world of sound back into his or her life.
