To Those Who Are Now or Have Been Working from Home, How Are You Dealing with Conference Calls?

I don't use headphones due to my tinnitus, so I typically use my iPhone on speakerphone. The problem with that is the speaker makes me right ear go crazy with pain. I think the sound from a small speaker is too high pitch, and triggers my hyperacusis / TTTS. I've tried using my laptop and iPad, and I still have similar issues.

I'm sure I'm not the only one dealing with this, so I'd like to hear what you are doing to make these calls more comfortable.

 

I recently heard these apps, I haven't tried one yet, that were developed for hard of hearing people. They transcribe phone calls in real time and put the words up on your screen. I really want to find a good one so I can turn the call volume way down and rely mostly on reading the words. Maybe you could try that and ask whoever you're conferencing if they'd be willing to do a phone call instead?

 

I use my earmuffs while taking calls on my iPhone speakerphone. Works well.
Or a bit of cotton and sometimes earplugs. Can't talk without anything in between the phone and my ears even on the lowest volume or for a second.

 

K I tried the apps, on iPhone I had Rogervoice and myCall-to-Text available. Both freaking sucked and we’re obviously made by the same people, they were exactly the same. It only picked up on a third of what I had my mom saying on the other line, if I wouldn’t have had the volume on and was listening to it it would have made no sense. I was hoping that I could just mute the speaker and read the words, but yeah it sucked.

 

I find my laptop speakers at low volume are best, compared with my phone, or my laptop with speakers. I guess it depends on the speakers but for me this is least disturbing to my hyperacusis.

 

I just put the volume down. I guess I'm lucky that my hearing is pretty good.

 

Turn the volume down / Plug in an external speaker. They have more lower frequencies.

 

Yeah, this is what I ended up going with. It's not a huge improvement, but it's still a bit better.