Facial Nerve Stimulation Problems-Question regarding triphasic pulses or other programs to help

[Richard Adams]

Hello all!   I'm very new to the CI world, and I have single sided deafness.  Had my implant placed in mid January, and got my processor in February.  I've had several appointments and have gone up in volume with several programs.  However, right now they are leaving it on one program, due to my eye twitching.   I know they would like to get my volume up and I would as well.  It seems that my facial nerve is stimulated on all electrodes.  So I'm assuming they cannot turn off the offending electrodes. 

Would programming it with triphasic pulses help me?  Has anyone out there programmed their processors around this problem?

Thank You

[Mary Beth]

Triphasic pulses are designed to avoid this problem.  Definitely worth trying.

Have you had imaging after implantation to check the position of the electrode array?  I would definitely speak with my surgeon about that too.

[Richard Adams]

Thank you Mary Beth, they did a CT scan a couple of weeks after surgery.   I can run this by my surgeon.   Also, I'm going to talk to my audi to see if they can try to program it with the Triphasic pulses.   I'm getting close to having the volume match my good ear so this may work.

Thank You!               

[Mary Beth]

You may find this interesting @Richard Adams

http://s3.medel.com.s3.amazonaws.com/Podcasts/Podcast Transcripts/5. Podcast Transcript - New tools in MAESTRO 7.0 Pulse Characteristics.pdf

 

https://blog.medel.pro/products-updates/triphasic-pulses-for-facial-nerve-stimulation/

[Asher kim]

Hi I have triphasic  mapping and have for 7 years,  my facial nerve  was affected,  I got vertigo and pain as the volume was increased  I got very  frustrated  as like yours it was all electrodes.  I had my mapping done by the Med el  rep and  he tried  triphasic. It works  not perfectly  but enough that I can hear  well.  I can  enjoy  music  and am really  happy with it. 

Good luck. 

[Richard Adams]

Thanks so much.  My Audi is reaching out to med el’s, in house people. She is sending them my maps and I hope they can figure something out.  So glad that it has helped you.  I would just love to get my volume up some.

Thank you for your story of encouragement.   

[Asher kim]

Don't worry too much  about  volume  I have found that you don't need to have the volume up that much  to hear well and if you push it too far you will  regret it  as you won't be able to bear it. Lots of baby steps is the way to go.

[Richard Adams]

Thanks, That's good to know.  I got my audio processor on Feburary 9th, with several adjustments since.   I really do need to be patient.  I have noticed a huge difference already.   It's all very new and exciting. 

I guess my brain has to learn.   Rattling certain types of plastic bags sound very loud.  I notice that things up close to me, I can hear and understand pretty fair.   However, if the voices and sounds are coming from a distance, it's hard for me to hear well.  It sounds almost too quiet.  Maybe this is natural at the start?.

 I'll try not to obsese to much about the volume.     I believe I need to focus on quality and not quantity.   

 

[Mary Beth]

@Richard Adams

you can ask to have a program set to omni mic setting which will give you more access to sounds around you from further away if you wish

[Asher kim]

18 hours ago, Richard Adams said:

Thanks, That's good to know.  I got my audio processor on Feburary 9th, with several adjustments since.   I really do need to be patient.  I have noticed a huge difference already.   It's all very new and exciting. 

I guess my brain has to learn.   Rattling certain types of plastic bags sound very loud.  I notice that things up close to me, I can hear and understand pretty fair.   However, if the voices and sounds are coming from a distance, it's hard for me to hear well.  It sounds almost too quiet.  Maybe this is natural at the start?.

 I'll try not to obsese to much about the volume.     I believe I need to focus on quality and not quantity.   

 

 Yes quality is best. 

My Audi kept a cup and a spoon in her office  and stirred the cup, if I was pushing the volume too far it was painful  and the twitching  would  start  and nystagmus  side to side.  If it  was OK with the cup in the office then I  could  tolerate the noise  outside. 

You will find noises loud after  mapping  and  you use the volume  control to keep it comfortable  but you will  soon  start turning the  volume up as your  brain  gets used to it.

[Richard Adams]

That cup and spoon sounds like a good idea.  I'm wondering what the overall difference is between the standard biphasic pulses, versus the triphasic pulses?   Is there a difference in the perceived sound the brain understands?   It looks like it will help me reach a better MCL, because my volume isn't quite there. 

 

It sounds like it has been a blessing for you these past 7 years.  And I think that is great!  You mentioned that you listen to music and understand speech better and that it isn't perfect, but then I hear that with a CI it helps a great deal but it isn't like that of what a teenager with good hearing can understand.

 

Who knows...with technology always changing.  Perhaps one day they find (with some different programming, tweaking, and playing with different wave patterns, i. e. square wave, triangular wave, etc.  and I'm only guessing, I'm no expert) that the brain will better understand speech and sounds better with triphasic and maybe that will become the standard in the future.

 

[Asher kim]

Have you seen the  Med el blog about it?

https://blog.medel.pro/products-updates/triphasic-pulses-for-facial-nerve-stimulation/

[Richard Adams]

Yes, thats a good read.  I hope they can use this triphasic on me to help me get there with less discomfort.

 Just think, if they keep playing around with differnent types of pulses/stimulations, it could lead to clearer sounds for all.   It is something how technology changes.   How about computer displays 30-40 years ago, verses the ultra high definition we have today.