A small number are even able to understand speech on the telephone, and some do not need to lip read anymore. However, there is some variability in the results of individual patients. In many cases, this relates to deterioration of the hearing nerve during the period of deafness. Fortunately, the proportion of patients who do very poorly with a cochlear implant is small. Most patients note significant improvement.
Most patients say that speech has a higher pitch than normal but is usually understandable.
Patients have generally much improved awareness of sounds around them. This can be very helpful for safety issues, such as hearing an oncoming car. A few patients are actually able to regain an appreciation for music, but this is less common. Interestingly, the exact cause of hearing loss does not affect whether a patient will benefit from a cochlear implant. As more and more patients with different types of ear disorders receive cochlear implants, we are finding that the cause is generally not important.