Binaural Hearing Rehabilitation Improves Speech Perception, Quality of Life, Tinnitus Distress, and Psychological Comorbidities

Abstract

Objectives: To determine and compare the benefit of binaural hearing rehabilitation via cochlear implantation (CI) on speech perception, assessment of auditory abilities, tinnitus distress, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and psychological comorbidities in patients suffering from asymmetric hearing loss (AHL) as well as bilaterally-deafened and sequentially bilaterally-implanted patients. Methods: 53 patients were implanted between 2011 and 2016. 24 AHL patients were implanted unilaterally, using a hearing aid on the other side. 29 bilaterally-deafened patients were sequentially implanted bilaterally. Speech perception, subjective hearing quality, HRQoL, tinnitus distress, anxiety, depressiveness, perceived stress level and coping abilities were evaluated before implantation, as well as 6 and 24 months postoperatively. Results: Before CI, AHL and bilaterally-deaf patients showed significant differences regarding assessment of auditory abilities, speech discrimination, tinnitus distress and HRQoL. 24 months after CI both groups significantly improved in those scales. We could not find a significant difference between the groups after 2 years. Tinnitus distress significantly decreased 6 and 24 months postoperatively in both groups. Conclusions: This study demonstrates the long-term benefit of binaural hearing rehabilitation in AHL and bilaterally-deaf patients not only regarding speech perception but also HRQoL, tinnitus distress and subjective hearing quality. Bilaterally-deafened patients present lower scores preoperatively, but they did not differ from AHL patients 2 years after CI. Up to now, this is the first study evaluating the outcome of CI in AHL patients compared to bilaterally-implanted patients and demonstrating the benefit of binaural hearing rehabilitation in these specific groups.

The Effect of Cochlear Implantation on Tinnitus and Quality of Life: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

“…The total number of patients included in this review was 1,285 with a mean of 45.9 (SD 35.8) patients per study (range 20–153). The gender breakdown was reported in 16 studies (n = 772) (1,2,5,6,8,22–25,27–29,36,38–40) with 389 (50.4%) men and 383 (49.6%) women. The age of participating patients ranged from 14 to 81 years and the mean age as reported in 17 studies (n = 969) (1,2,5,6,8,22–25,27–29,35,36,38–40) ranged from 42.5 to 64.2 years of age; here, we report a weighted mean age of 54.5 years for those patients.…”

“…The age of participating patients ranged from 14 to 81 years and the mean age as reported in 17 studies (n = 969) (1,2,5,6,8,22–25,27–29,35,36,38–40) ranged from 42.5 to 64.2 years of age; here, we report a weighted mean age of 54.5 years for those patients. The mean duration of hearing loss was reported in five studies (1,22,25,28,40) and ranged from 8.8 (SD 11.2) years to 18.8 (SD 18.8) years; the most common causes of hearing loss as reported by seven studies (5,6,8,22,24,26,29) were congenital hearing loss, idiopathic hearing loss, and infection-related hearing loss. Except for five patients, all had post-lingual deafness.…”

Sound therapy for cochlear implant users with tinnitus

“…Despite the positive previously reported effect of a CI on tinnitus in a large group of hearing impaired patients (Ketterer et al 2020;Peter et al 2019;Ramakers et al 2015Ramakers et al , 2017, tinnitus remains a problem for a significant proportion of CI users (Gomersall, Baguley, and Carlyon 2019). Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the acceptability and the effect of sound therapy on tinnitus and speech perception in CI users who still experience tinnitus during CI use.…”

“…Auditory stimulation can also be electrically provided by a cochlear implant (CI). So far, the benefit of a CI on tinnitus is mainly studied in patients receiving their implant because of severe to profound hearing loss (Ketterer et al 2020;Peter et al 2019;Ramakers et al 2015Ramakers et al , 2017. In these studies, a decrease in tinnitus burden or even complete suppression of tinnitus has been demonstrated, with only a minimal risk of inducing tinnitus (Peter et al 2019;Ramakers et al 2015).…”

Hearables as a Gateway to Hearing Health Care: A Review

“…CI companies are currently working with HA manufacturers to provide communication benefits to individuals with hearing loss. There is abundant scientific evidence regarding the effectiveness of CIs in aural rehabilitation [45][46][47][48][49][50][51][52][53]. In 2009, Laske et al [47] assessed the subjective and objective benefits of CIs in adults.…”