Can I join the military with cochlear implants?
Current Defense Department hearing requirements bar the deaf from serving, as well as individuals who currently require or previously used a hearing aid, or have a cochlear ear implant.
How do ear implants work?
A cochlear implant uses a sound processor that you wear behind your ear. A transmitter sends sound signals to a receiver and stimulator implanted under the skin, which stimulate the auditory nerve with electrodes that have been threaded into the cochlea.
What are the benefits of a cochlear implant?
What are the advantages of a cochlear implant?
- You may be able to hear speech at a nearly normal level.
- You may be able to understand speech without lip reading.
- It’s easier to talk on the phone and hear the TV.
- You may be able to hear music better than before.
Can you be deaf in one ear and join the military?
However, those joining the military and losing their hearing during service are allowed to use hearing aids and serve. Those trying to join and already using hearing aids, don’t qualify, however. While there may be a possibility of the deaf joining the military in the future, as of right now, it’s not possible.
Does the US military take deaf people?
Deaf people can’t enlist in the military because they aren’t able to pass the physical requirement of being able to hear beyond a certain threshold. Several bills have been introduced through the years to try to remove that hearing requirement.
Is there an age limit on cochlear implants?
Cochlear implant Outcomes in Older Adults: There are no “age limits” for cochlear implantation in older adults. Cochlear implants support cognitive health and have been shown to improve quality of life in people of all ages.
How can a deaf person hear again?
A deaf person does not have a functioning inner ear. A cochlear implant tries to replace the function of the inner ear by turning sound into electrical energy. This energy can then be used to stimulate the cochlear nerve (the nerve for hearing), sending “sound” signals to the brain.
Who Cannot benefit from cochlear implants?
Cochlear implants cannot help when deafness is caused by the injury or absence of the auditory nerve fibers.
How long does a cochlear implant last?
lifetime
How long will a cochlear implant last? The internal device is designed to last for your lifetime, and the manufacturers offer a ten year warranty, with some restrictions. While rare, internal devices can and do fail.
Is tinnitus a military disqualifier?
The military considers tinnitus a disqualifier. Those that suffer from tinnitus have a condition that the military considers not perfectly fine or fit for service. There are other chronic ear diseases which are unfortunate disqualifiers.