I would like to introduce you to Ms. Miyuki Yamamoto. She has a progressive sensorineural hearing loss and is a nurse who wears a cochlear implant. ShareMedical Inc. receives many inquiries from doctors, nurses, medical students, nursing students, and universities who are interested in pursuing a career in medicine with hearing impairment.
One of the letters we received this time concluded that "the sensation of listening with the old stethoscope and the feeling of listening with Nexstetho were the same," and our staff was very happy that Nexstetho could be a medical ear.
My hearing is 104dB on the right and 105dB on the left without any cochlear implant. There are 24 electrodes in the cochlear implant that transmit sound, and I turn off several electrodes for high-pitched sounds in my right ear because high-pitched sounds give me a headache. I hear sound differently in the left and right ears, but the mapping (adjustment) is done so that there is a balance when I listen with both ears.
I have had a cochlear implant for 8 years, and until 9 years ago, I was a nurse in a normal clinical setting and did audiology.
The cochlear implant is a Cochlear Nucleus 5, which is two generations old and cannot use Cochlear's streamers. As a cochlear implant system, I use a Phonak Roger Pen.
(1) Direct audio cable connection between Nexstetho and cochlear implant.
This connection method was the best for me. The sound reaches the cochlear implant directly. By turning on both the I and II buttons, the ambient noise disappears and the heart, breathing, and intestinal peristalsis sounds become easier to hear. Since there is no audio cable for both ears, the two earphone jacks can be connected to each ear to listen with both ears. Since I hear sounds differently on each side, being able to listen with both ears is important and very good.
(2) Connect Roger's pen to Nexstetho and attach a receiver to the cochlear implant to send sound.
The hearing was good with this method, but I felt that there was a little noise coming from the Roger Pen.
It was convenient to have a receiver attached to the cochlear implant and a Roger Pen connected to the Nexstetho so that I could simply turn it on and start listening whenever I wanted to.
The sound was adjusted to be easy to hear by adjusting the I and II buttons according to the surrounding conditions and noise, rather than the frequency. It is difficult to distinguish between noises and abnormal sounds when there are noises, so I appreciate the ability to adjust the sound so that noises can be reduced and I can hear them.
(3) Connect the headphones to Nexstetho via Bluetooth and wear the headphones over the cochlear implant.
This method requires the least amount of time and effort because there is no need to connect many things, but it emphasizes the bass sound differently from (1) and (2). I thought it would be good for listening to heartbeats, but at the same time, I didn't hear enough bass in (1) and (2). At the same time, I wondered if I wasn't hearing enough bass in (1) and (2).
At the same time, I thought it was good for listening to the heartbeat.
What I liked about Nexstetho.
A commercially available stethoscope can be used, so the patient can feel comfortable knowing that it is a stethoscope.
Even with a cochlear implant, hearing is good because there is little noise, even over clothes.
There are two earphone jacks, so you can listen together with others and double check.
I am worried about my hearing, so being able to check with others is a relief.
By turning off the microphone, external sounds can be heard through the cochlear implant when the patient is not listening, and conversations can be held without disconnection.
What I couldn't do.
The Roger Pen has Bluetooth, but I was not able to pair the Roger Pen with the Nexstetho.
What we want to try in the future at Nexstetho
The ST (Speech Language Hearing Therapist) at the otolaryngology clinic asked me if it was possible to insert the earphones into the earphone jack and listen with the earphones and Bluetooth at the same time. I haven't tried it yet, but I would like to try it.
I didn't challenge myself because I don't have a Bluetooth speaker, but I was curious to see how the sound from the speaker would sound with a cochlear implant.
What range of sounds can you hear with a cochlear implant, and what sounds can you not hear? I would like to be able to confirm this while using it.
Does the mapping of the cochlear implant change the way I hear or the range of sounds I can hear? I would like to know. Personally, I think that the way I hear sounds may differ depending on the mapping of the cochlear implant. Due to the time constraints of the hospital visit, I was not able to try the different cochlear implant maps and how I hear them.
After purchasing the Nexstetho, I am talking to my doctor about having a hearing map made for my cochlear implant rehabilitation in June.
Also, because my cochlear implant is an older model, I couldn't use a streamer. The doctor said it might be more convenient to use a streamer.
A medical student at a university hospital who also has a cochlear implant is considering a stethoscope, and we introduced Nexstetho to him through ST.
What I found most amazing after trying Nexstetho.
The most amazing thing about trying Nexstetho was that the feeling of my previous stethoscope was the same as what I heard with Nexstetho. It felt different with other electronic stethoscopes. I was so happy and moved to tears because it brought back the nostalgic feeling I had when I had a good hearing.
For a while, I had given up on stethoscopy. I didn't have a stethoscope that suited my needs, and I had to import my own stethoscope, which cost over 100,000 yen.
However, in my current workplace, most of the people around me are caregivers. If there was no nurse near me when I needed to be auscultated, I would ask the caregivers to tell me what they heard.
It was very inconvenient and I felt like it was a burden on the caregivers.
Now that I have met Nexstetho, I realize that being able to do the auscultation by myself is truly a blessing.
I'm so glad I didn't give up and took the challenge! Thank you for making a wonderful digital stethoscope.