It is customary to implant only one ear. To be considered for a cochlear implant, you will need to receive an evaluation by a physician and audiologist associated with a cochlear implant clinic. Ideal candidates are motivated to work hard in their rehabilitation after surgery. It helps to have good family support and to live close to a clinic in order to conveniently make the follow-up trips for therapy. Cochlear implant performance varies.
People hear better over time with practice.
It takes a while to get used to hearing sounds in a new way. Speech processors are computers worn on the person and can come in a body pack - about the size of a deck of cards. Use of the phone varies among individuals. Some people plug into the speech processor directly. Others hold the phone up to the ear, while others are not able to use the phone comfortably after their implant.