They BOTH are artificial hearing devices, battery operated.
Hearing implants;
-one component; microphone, amp, earphone.
-amplifies vibrations to physically stimulate nerves of cochlea.
-uses normal auditory pathway.
-detects fewer sounds than cochlear implant
-sits on ear canal
-conditioned to substitute for middle ear damage (ruptured tympanic membrane, damaged ossicles)
-do not require surgery
-almost invisible
-relatively inexpensive
-no sideeffects
-no programming needed
Cochlea Implant;
-3 components (implanted receiver package, speech processor, headset)
-electrically stimulates nerves of the cochlea.
-able to detect more sounds.
-receiver and electron array in inner ear, head set and speech processor worn externally.
-conditioned for profoundly deaf people; when hair cells in the cochlea are damaged.
-requires surgery.
-visible
-post-operative side effects
-expensive w/ ongoing costs
-needs programming/ adjusting.