Cochlear Implant Tucson | Cochlear Testing

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Cochlear Implants in Tucson, Arizona

When Hearing Aids Are No Longer Enough

At Sonora Hearing Care in Tucson, Arizona, we understand that hearing loss can progress over time. Many patients begin their journey wearing two hearing aids. However, as hearing loss advances, hearing aids may no longer provide the clarity and understanding you need.

If your hearing aids aren’t delivering enough benefit, it may be time to consider cochlear implants.

For many individuals, combining a cochlear implant in one ear with a hearing aid in the other ear creates a richer, more natural listening experience.¹ This approach is called bimodal hearing, and it can significantly improve speech understanding and overall hearing performance.²

Dr. Cristi Moore and the team at Sonora Hearing Care are here to help you determine whether this next step is right for you.

Signs Your Hearing Aids May Not Be Providing Enough Benefit

With hearing aids, do you:

Have difficulty hearing conversations, especially in background noise?
Frequently ask people to repeat themselves?
Often misunderstand what people say?
Have trouble hearing on the telephone?
Turn up the TV louder than others prefer?
Feel like people are mumbling?
Struggle to hear sounds of nature, such as birds chirping or rain falling?
Smile or nod during conversations when you’re unsure what was said?
Withdraw from conversations because hearing feels too difficult?
Rely heavily on lip reading to understand speech?

If you answered “yes” to several of these questions, a cochlear implant evaluation may be beneficial.

How Do Cochlear Implants Work?

Cochlear implants are designed to mimic the function of a healthy inner ear (cochlea). Unlike hearing aids, which amplify sound, cochlear implants bypass damaged sensory hair cells inside the inner ear and send sound signals directly to the hearing nerve. This often provides clearer sound than hearing aids alone.

A modern cochlear implant system, such as the industry-first Cochlear Nucleus Nexa System, includes two main components:

An external sound processor worn behind the ear
An internal implant, surgically placed under the skin and connected to an electrode array inside the inner ear

Together, these components bypass the non-functioning portion of the ear and stimulate the hearing nerve directly.

Proud Member of the Cochlear Provider Network

As a proud member of the Cochlear Provider Network, Sonora Hearing Care works closely with local surgeons in Tucson, Arizona to assess and treat individuals who may be candidates for a cochlear implant.

At Sonora Hearing Care, Dr. Cristi Moore conducts comprehensive candidacy evaluations to determine whether a hearing implant is right for you. We also provide ongoing support, including:

Initial activation
Programming and fine-tuning
Troubleshooting
Technology upgrades
Equipment orientation and patient education

Our goal is to support you every step of your hearing journey — from evaluation through long-term care.

If you live in Tucson, Arizona and are wondering whether cochlear implants may help you hear more clearly, schedule a consultation with Sonora Hearing Care today.

References

Gifford RH, Dorman MF, McKarns SA, Spahr AJ. Combined electric and contralateral acoustic hearing: Word and sentence recognition with bimodal hearing. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research. 2007;50(4):835-43.
Dorman MF, Gifford RH, Spahr AJ, McKarns SA. The benefits of combining acoustic and electric stimulation for the recognition of speech, voice and melodies. Audiology and Neurotology. 2008;13(2):105-12.