This Week in Hearing

Occupational hearing conservation is often viewed as a compliance requirement—but it also represents a significant opportunity for audiologists and hearing care professionals to expand patient care, strengthen community outreach, and grow their practices. In this episode, Brian Felsen, Chief Hearing Loss Preventionist at Your Ears Rock , discusses the growing impact of noise-induced hearing loss a...

This week, host Bob Traynor is joined by Sheena Burks, Chief Clinical Officer at WSA, and Dr. Eric Branda, Head of Audiology and Research, for an in-depth discussion on the unique hearing healthcare needs of U.S. veterans and how new technology is helping address one of audiology's greatest challenges: understanding speech in noisy environments. The conversation explores the realities facing VA au...

What does the future of hearing restoration look like? Are we approaching a world where hearing loss can be treated with pharmaceuticals rather than simply managed with hearing aids? Originally presented at the Future of Hearing Healthcare (FHH2026) conference, this expert panel explores the latest advances in inner ear therapeutics and what they could mean for the future of hearing healthcare. To...

New research is providing one of the first detailed looks at the clinical performance of Nuance Audio Glasses, an over-the-counter hearing solution that has generated significant interest since its launch. In this episode, host Shari Eberts sits down with Dr. Tami Harel, Chief of Audiology at Nuance Audio, to discuss the newly published findings , what they reveal about speech understanding in noi...

Are today’s routine audiologic evaluations keeping pace with the rapidly evolving landscape of hearing healthcare? In this panel discussion from the 2026 Future of Hearing Healthcare Conference, moderator Dr. Bob Traynor is joined by Dr. Jay Hall, Dr. Frank Musiek, and Dr. De Wet Swanepoel to examine whether the traditional audiologic test battery is still sufficient for today's patients—or if...

Can an OTC hearing aid really deliver premium features at an affordable price? This week, host Bob Traynor sits down with Dr. Heather Andrews, Director of Audiology at Cearvol , to explore the new Cearvol Wave OTC hearing aid. The conversation highlights the innovations that helped the device earn 17 awards following its debut at CES 2026, as well as Cearvol’s approach to blending consumer electro...

From artificial intelligence and OTC hearing aids to emerging technologies and clinical innovation, the American Academy of Audiology (AAA) 2026 Annual Convention, held April 22–24, 2026, in San Antonio, Texas, offered a firsthand look at where hearing healthcare may be headed next. Recorded live from the convention floor, Andrew Bellavia discusses the biggest conversations, trends, and observatio...

For people living with hearing loss, navigating healthcare settings can be one of the most stressful communication challenges they face. In this panel discussion from the 6th Annual Future of Hearing Healthcare Conference, moderators Shari Eberts and Gael Hannan are joined by advocates Tony Iacolucci and Peggy Ellertsen to explore the urgent need for better communication access throughout the heal...

What happens when Widex adds a dedicated AI chip to its signature natural sound platform? Andrew Bellavia travels to WSA headquarters in Copenhagen for an early hands-on look at the new Widex Allure AI RIC and Compass Cloud 2.0. Andrew sits down with Sonnie Harris and Karen Hougs from WSA for an in-depth discussion on the technology behind the new Widex Allure AI RIC, Compass Cloud 2.0, and the fu...

Author and advocate Shanna Groves shares the emotional reality of living, parenting, and communicating with progressive hearing loss. In this conversation with Shari Eberts, the creator of Lip Reading Mom discusses her experience growing up with an undiagnosed hearing loss, navigating motherhood and professional life with hearing challenges, and ultimately receiving a cochlear implant in 2025.Shan...

What if phone calls and video chats could finally adapt to the way people with hearing loss actually communicate? In this conversation, Gael Hannan speaks with Paul Lee, COO of InnoCaption, about the company’s latest accessibility innovations designed to improve communication for people with hearing loss. From AI-powered text-to-speech tools and predictive communication features to the launch of t...

What does hearing have to do with performance on the pickleball court? Live from the American Academy of Audiology (AAA) Conference 2026 in San Antonio, Shari Eberts speaks with Christine Jones, Vice President of Marketing, Wholesale U.S. at Sonova, about Phonak’s new partnership with USA Pickleball and the launch of the nationwide “Hear to Win” campaign. The initiative aims to encourage a more pr...

What does it take to compete at the highest level of sport while growing up with hearing loss? In this conversation, U.S. ski jumper Estella Hassrick shares her journey—from being diagnosed with hereditary cochlear dysplasia at age three to competing on the U.S. national team. She discusses the realities of hearing loss in high-performance sports, including the challenges of wearing hearing aids u...

Could understanding individual sound preference be the key to improving hearing aid adoption and satisfaction? Bob Traynor, live from WSA headquarters in Copenhagen, speaks with Lise Henningsen, Head of Audiology Evidence & Validation at WSA, about the emerging concept of sound preference—and why it may be a missing piece in hearing care. Drawing on WSA’s latest research, they discuss how pati...

What happens when a once-in-a-lifetime travel experience is made truly accessible? In this conversation, Shari Eberts speaks with Dr. Alison Richard—former Provost of Yale and a leading primatologist—about a recent trip to Madagascar and the Seychelles. While the journey itself was memorable, one thing that stood out was how a simple tool—PowerPoint captions—transformed the experience for particip...

In Part 2 of this conversation, the focus shifts from understanding tinnitus to how it’s actually managed. Dr. Jennifer Gans returns to speak with Shari Eberts about tinnitus management strategies. Building on their previous conversation, she outlines a practical framework for evaluating treatments, centered on three core elements: reducing anxiety, providing accurate education, and supporting ner...

Dr. Harvey Dillon’s career in audiology spans more than four decades of research, innovation, and leadership that have helped shape modern hearing care around the world. A former Director of the National Acoustic Laboratories and Professor of Audiology at both Macquarie University and the University of Manchester, Dr. Dillon’s work bridges psychoacoustics, engineering, and clinical practice, influ...

The NAL-NL3 fitting algorithm is now entering clinical practice, following GN’s recent global rollout—marking a significant evolution from the widely used NL2 standard. In this discussion, Pádraig Kitterick of the National Acoustic Laboratories explains how NL3 moves beyond a “one-size-fits-all” approach, introducing new modules designed for real-world listening challenges, including speech in noi...

Hearing loss affects millions of people across all ages—but you wouldn’t know it from mainstream media. New data from a multi-country survey reveals just how rarely hearing aids and cochlear implants are seen in everyday media—and how often those portrayals miss the mark. Andrew Bellavia speaks with Ceri Whittaker, Senior External Relations Manager at GN, who leads communications around initiative...

How has cochlear implant care evolved—and are clinical practices keeping pace with today’s technology? Brian Taylor speaks with Dr. Terry Zwolan, Senior Director of Medical Affairs at Cochlear Americas, about the evolution of cochlear implants and the newly developed Cochlear ™ Care Consensus . Drawing on more than three decades of experience, Dr. Zwolan reflects on how cochlear implant technology...

What if cochlear implant care didn’t always require a trip to the clinic? Host Shari Eberts speaks with Dr. Kensi Saia, Product Manager at MED-EL, about how new telehealth tools are changing the way cochlear implant recipients and clinicians connect. MED-EL’s Remote Care platform and HearCare app allow audiologists to monitor devices, review patient data, and even make programming adjustments with...

Central Auditory Processing Disorder (CAPD) remains one of the more complex and often misunderstood areas in audiology. In this week’s episode of This Week in Hearing, host Bob Traynor is joined by Dr. Frank Musiek to discuss the upcoming third annual “Quest for the Best in CAPD and Neuroaudiology” Pathways Symposium, a virtual event taking place March 28.During the conversation, Dr. Musiek outlin...

Tinnitus care is no longer just about masking sound—it’s about treating the whole person. This week, Shari Eberts speaks with Dr. Maren Stropahl, Senior Director of Holistic Hearing Care and Head of Audiology for Sonova’s retail organization, about why tinnitus requires a broader, more integrated approach. Dr. Stropahl explains that tinnitus is not simply an “ear problem,” but a complex interactio...

How are over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids evolving as the market continues to develop? This week, host Bob Traynor speaks with David Hogan, Managing Director of ELEHEAR, about the growth of the OTC category and how new technologies are shaping consumer hearing solutions. Hogan brings more than 30 years of experience in audio wearables and hearing technology, including previous roles with GN and...

Every year, World Hearing Day brings global attention to one of the most common — and often overlooked — public health challenges: hearing loss. In this discussion, experts from the World Health Organization and the global hearing health community explain the purpose and impact of World Hearing Day, an international initiative focused on improving awareness, prevention, and access to ear and heari...