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Recommendations and precautions to take when carrying out your activities with a cochlear implant

(See document to download on this page)

Wearing and keeping the sound processor on the ear

• There are several retention strategies that have been tested and approved by our cochlear implant users.

Maintenance of cochlear implant parts

• Tips for removing moisture from your sound processor and extending its useful life. 

• To keep your sound processor working properly, you must clean it regularly. You can wipe away dirt on all external parts using a dry or slightly damp cloth, making sure to avoid the microphones.

• Check the condition of the wires to make sure they are not cracked.

• Do a regular check of the magnet strength of your headpiece. 

  • You must lower the strength :

    • if you’ve recently gained or lost weight.

    • if the headpiece is causing redness, irritation, or marks or imprints on your skin.

    • if you are experiencing throbbing pain in this area.

  • If this is happening, consult your programming audiologist. Do not take this lightly! An overly powerful magnet could eventually cause the skin to thin, leading to problems with contact between the headpiece and the internal device. In more advanced cases, this could lead to skin ulcers with possible necrosis (tissue death) and exposure of the implant, infection, and the risk of having to remove the implant.

• It is normal for the headpiece to fall off if you hit it with your hand, hair brush, or a hat. It is also normal for it to fall off if you are being very active. Wearing a bandana or a helmet can help keep the headpiece in place during sports.

• You can replace your earhook if it becomes dirty or discoloured. 

• Note that the T-mic replacement for Advanced Bionics processors will only be done in cases of malfunction.

• ​For users of Nucleus processors (7 and 8) and Sonnet (2 and 3), you should change the microphone covers at least every 6 months. Users of a Marvel M90 processor should change the T-Mic microphone cover at least every 6 months.

• For people who use rechargeable batteries, it is recommended to occasionally clean the battery contact points (gold parts), both on the batteries themselves and on the sound processor, with a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol.

• You can also get protectors that completely cover the sound processor to protect it from dust. Your audiologist can give you more information about these.