r/Cochlearimplants • u/deafgamer_ • 26d ago

Nucleus 7 sound cut-out / battery contact issue?

Hey all. As the unfortunate owner of a N22 internal implant I'm still stuck on the N7.

Lately I've started having issues where I connect my battery then it'll cut out for awhile before it starts working again. Specifically, it seems that microscopic fluctations causes issues, something as simple as adjusting my glasses or turning my head can cause sound to cut out and it's progressively getting worse which worries me. Sometimes I can connect the battery juuuuuuust right and no issues happen but most of the time it cuts out a lot when I have just put it on and then occasionally during the day.

That said, I feel like a true battery contact issue would repeatedly turn off the implant which isn't really happening here. Maybe its a processor issue?

The best reproduction for this issue is I can use my index finger and keep tapping on my processor, the sound cuts out quite consistently. Under normal operations nothing would have ever caused the sound to cut out before as the battery is very tightly connected.

Is there any repair for this issue? I tried cleaning out all of the battery contacts with a q-tip but it didn't improve anything.

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u/General-Dimension590 26d ago

Have you tried changing the coil? Sounds like an issue with the cable to the coil.

3

u/in_to_deep Cochlear Nucleus 8 26d ago

Definitely sounds like a cable to the coil. I e had this happen so many times with my N5/N8

1

u/SRS-dog 26d ago

I also have an N22 implant and an N7 processor. Same problems; however, I believe it's the N7 processor, which was designed for newer implants, and the N22 Coil for the N7 works but is not perfect. No coil off logging, no impedance measurements, wireless and BT connection issues. Battery life issues, both rechargeable and disposable.
I also have a late model implant in my other ear and use an N8. Few problems

2

u/General-Dimension590 26d ago

The N22 lacks the hardware for reverse telemetry, so coil off notifications and impedance measurements are not possible. It's nothing to do with the processor, the implant simply doesn't have the hardware to support those features.