Laynie's Audiology Appointment

We went back to Johns Hopkins today to have Laynie's implant checked. She was experiencing intermittent, odd, sometimes painful sensations in her left ear (the one with the implant) and sometimes down her neck, so Steve, her audiologist, wanted to see her.

First, he tested her acoustic reflex, which he thought might explain the sensations going down her neck. He provided the stimulus to her implant, with the probe in her right ear. His hunch was correct: Laynie's acoustic reflex thresholds were below the stimulation levels that were on Laynie's map, especially for electrodes 9 and 11. Hm, the ones next to the "problem" electrode, number 10.

Steve adjusted Laynie's map to keep the stimulation below her acoustic reflex thresholds. All of the electrodes are back on now, although 9, 10, and 11 are set lower than the rest. Steve explained that Laynie might have a bundle of nerves in the cochlear right in that area, so it may not need as much stimulation to perceive sound. It's not necessarily a bad thing, and it does not mean that the frequencies transmitted by electrodes 9, 10, and 11 will be at a lower volume than other frequencies.

Laynie left feeling like things were too quiet, but that seems to happen every time. Hopefully this solves her problem.