Guide To Effectively Treating Neurofibromatosis

Cochlear Implants

Some patients with neurofibromatosis 2, or NF2, can benefit from cochlear implants. NF2 generally involves benign tumors on the nerves that affect the inner ears, which can interfere with the brain's ability to receive balance signals and sound information. A cochlear implant can sometimes help with hearing loss or tinnitus. A cochlear implant is a medical device that electronically provides the information a damaged inner ear cannot.

These implants can either go in one or both ears. The patient wears a sound processor to capture sound, which is transmitted into digital code and transmitted into the implant. The implant turns the sound into a series of electrical impulses that travel along the electrodes in the inner ear. These electrodes stimulate the hearing nerve, and then the impulses are interpreted by the brain as sounds.