Robert Traynor

Robert M. Traynor, Ed.D., is a hearing industry consultant, trainer, professor, conference speaker, practice manager and author. He is a founding member of HHTM and had previously written a regular weekly column for the site for many years. He has decades of experience teaching courses and training clinicians within the field of audiology with specific emphasis in hearing and tinnitus rehabilitation. He serves as Adjunct Faculty in Audiology at the University of Florida, University of Northern Colorado, University of Colorado and The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.

Featured image for “Ear Candling… A Triumph of Ignorance Over Science”

Ear Candling… A Triumph of Ignorance Over Science

Ear candling, a popular alternative medicine therapy believed to remove earwax, has garnered attention and raised doubts among medical professionals. This practice involves inserting a cone-shaped device made of linen or cotton soaked in wax or paraffin into the ear canal, which is then lit on fire. Advocates claim that the burning candle creates a vacuum effect, drawing out earwax

Featured image for “Cochlear Explorers – Part VI – Rosenthal’s Canal”

Cochlear Explorers – Part VI – Rosenthal’s Canal

Welcome to the sixth installment of Hearing International’s series celebrating the achievements of Cochlear Explorers. In this series, we acknowledge the practice of naming cells and other body structures after the researchers who first identified them, a practice known as eponyms. This week, we shine a light on Friedrich-Christian Rosenthal (1780–1829), an anatomist born in Greifswald, Germany. It’s worth noting

Featured image for “Cochlear Explorers – Part V – Boettcher’s Cells”

Cochlear Explorers – Part V – Boettcher’s Cells

Welcome back to the ongoing Cochlear Explorers series at Hearing International. As a quick reminder, many cells and structures in the field of anatomy are named after the researchers who initially described them, and these are referred to as Eponyms. So far we’ve look at prominent Cochlear Explorers Alfonso Corti, Friedrich Claudius, Dieters Cells, Victor Hensen and Friedrich Claudius. In

Featured image for “Cochlear Explorers – Part IV – Dieters Cells”

Cochlear Explorers – Part IV – Dieters Cells

Welcome back to the ongoing Cochlear Explorers series here at Hearing International. Just a quick reminder, many cells and structures are named after the researchers who first described them, and these are known as Eponyms. This week, our focus is on Otto Friedrich Karl Deiters (1834-1863), a German neuroanatomist. Deiters Cells First, let’s understand what and where Deiters cells are

Featured image for “Cochlear Explorers – Part III – Hensen’s Cells”

Cochlear Explorers – Part III – Hensen’s Cells

It was appropriate to commence this series with Alfonso Corti, given that most of the Cochlear Explorers introduced in this series are named in honor of the individuals who first identified the anatomical structures within his renowned Organ of Corti. Up to this point, we have examined the contributions of Corti and Friedrich Matthias Claudius. The next explorer featured in

Featured image for “Frank’s Sign: The Earlobe Crease and its Association with Coronary Artery Disease”

Frank’s Sign: The Earlobe Crease and its Association with Coronary Artery Disease

In the realm of auditory anatomy, one intriguing feature that catches the attention of audiologists is the Auricle, commonly known as the Pinna. This discussion delves into the historical and medical significance of the Auricle, examining its association with Chinese medicine and its potential as a diagnostic tool for various ailments, particularly coronary artery disease (CAD). While the subject has

Featured image for “Cochlear Explorers – Part II – Cells of Claudius”

Cochlear Explorers – Part II – Cells of Claudius

It was fitting that this series began last week with Alfonso Corti, since most of the Cochlear Explorers in this series are named for components of his famous Organ of Corti. The origins of anatomical terminology can be traced back to the early days of humanity when our ancestors first started naming different parts of the human body. The use of

Featured image for “The Dizziness of “Stultis the Fool””

The Dizziness of “Stultis the Fool”

A few months ago, Hearing International delved into the story of Vincent Van Gogh, uncovering some intriguing details. This week, we turn our attention to the renowned British naturalist, Charles Darwin, celebrated for his groundbreaking 19th-century Theory of Evolution. Charles Darwin was born in 1809 to affluent parents in Shrewsbury, England. Sadly, he lost his mother at the tender age

Featured image for “Cochlear Explorers – Part I – Organ of Corti”

Cochlear Explorers – Part I – Organ of Corti

This series aims to explore the pioneering anatomists and their groundbreaking discoveries that significantly contributed to our understanding of cochlear structure. When we consider the tools they had at their disposal and the techniques employed for specimen staining during their time, it’s quite remarkable that they were able to uncover the microscopic intricacies of the cochlea. One commonly recognized component

Featured image for “Meniere’s Disease on the Moon”

Meniere’s Disease on the Moon

The incredible journey of success began with the selection of the Mercury 7 Astronauts. On October 4, 1957, the launch of Sputnik 1 by the Soviet Union shook American confidence in its technological prowess, sparking the Sputnik crisis. In response, President Dwight D. Eisenhower initiated the Space Race, leading to the establishment of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)