# Which ear do you use for the phone? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 27, 2011, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-ear-do-you-use-for-the-phone/607488 "2011-12-27T03:30:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2011, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-ear-do-you-use-for-the-phone/607488/1 "2011-12-27T03:30:53Z")
I’m right handed and always use my right ear for talking on the phone. Can’t use my left - somehow it feels completely wrong. So I’m wondering if most people use their dominant side ear too? Or are there switch listeners? ---
**Author:** ![Blackberry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecd19e/32.png) [@Blackberry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blackberry)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2011, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-ear-do-you-use-for-the-phone/607488/2 "2011-12-27T03:40:31Z")
I’m right handed but normally use my left ear for the phone. I only use my right ear if I’ve been on for a long time and my left ear starts to hurt. ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2011, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-ear-do-you-use-for-the-phone/607488/3 "2011-12-27T03:41:54Z")
Right handed and I use my right ear. I only swap sides if my ear hurts from talking too long. ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2011, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-ear-do-you-use-for-the-phone/607488/4 "2011-12-27T03:48:24Z")
I’m right handed and I nearly exclusively use my left ear. I can’t write while talking on the phone if I hold the phone in my right hand! It just became a habit and now I joke that I can’t hear on the phone in my right ear. ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2011, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-ear-do-you-use-for-the-phone/607488/5 "2011-12-27T04:04:35Z")
Both simultaneously via headphones. Holding the phone drives me crazy and makes my arm fall asleep. ---
**Author:** ![Sudden\_Kestrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecd19e/32.png) [@Sudden\_Kestrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sudden_Kestrel)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2011, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-ear-do-you-use-for-the-phone/607488/6 "2011-12-27T04:27:51Z")
I’m right-handed but ambi-earxtrous. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2011, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-ear-do-you-use-for-the-phone/607488/7 "2011-12-27T04:29:31Z")
Right-handed and left ear. That way my right hand is free if I need to write something. ---
**Author:** ![Lucretia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/13edae/32.png) [@Lucretia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucretia)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2011, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-ear-do-you-use-for-the-phone/607488/8 "2011-12-27T04:55:59Z")
Left. Though my hearing tests normal in both ears, I simply can’t listen to a phone with my right ear. I’m left handed, as well. ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2011, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-ear-do-you-use-for-the-phone/607488/9 "2011-12-27T04:57:34Z")
I’m left-handed and almost exclusively use my right hand and ear for the phone. That way I can write if needed, and now it’s an ingrained habit. ---
**Author:** ![Jaledin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Jaledin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaledin)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2011, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-ear-do-you-use-for-the-phone/607488/10 "2011-12-27T06:07:44Z")
I guess I’m right-handed, technically, but I usually use the LH for the phone, I guess – that’s the standard, I think. Definitely for a marathon spill session, LH on the mouthpiece. I still want to hook up a thing a la “Nightfly” to the mixer, but I’d probably break my AC source somehow and it would be not good. ---
**Author:** ![Runs\_With\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/278dde/32.png) [@Runs\_With\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Runs_With_Scissors)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2011, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-ear-do-you-use-for-the-phone/607488/11 "2011-12-27T06:19:48Z")
Right handed and always use my left ear when talking on the phone, but when using a blue douche device, I use my right ear. ---
**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2011, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-ear-do-you-use-for-the-phone/607488/12 "2011-12-27T06:28:11Z")
> [@Runs\_With\_Scissors](#): > > Right handed and always use my left ear when talking on the phone, **but when using a blue douche device, I use my right ear.** Really hoping that was an auto-correct error… ---
**Author:** ![gladtobeblazed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85f322/32.png) [@gladtobeblazed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gladtobeblazed)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2011, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-ear-do-you-use-for-the-phone/607488/13 "2011-12-27T07:16:55Z")
I’m right handed and I use my left hand for talking on the phone. I’m usually sitting at my computer whenever I make or get a call and my right hand is busy working the mouse. ---
**Author:** ![Girl\_From\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3da27b/32.png) [@Girl\_From\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Girl_From_Mars)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2011, 8:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-ear-do-you-use-for-the-phone/607488/14 "2011-12-27T08:05:47Z")
I’m right handed but I use my left ear - mainly due to a right ear tragus piercing which rattles against the phone on that side, and it allows me to use my right hand for mouse driving. During a long conversation I will sometimes switch sides, but prefer the left. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2011, 8:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-ear-do-you-use-for-the-phone/607488/15 "2011-12-27T08:10:25Z")
I switch, depending on what I have in my hands and how long the call is. So far the longest call I’ve had without a headset was c. 3:30 - even switching ears, both of mine were “ironed flat” by the time the call ended. ---
**Author:** ![voguevixen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5ac83/32.png) [@voguevixen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voguevixen)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2011, 8:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-ear-do-you-use-for-the-phone/607488/16 "2011-12-27T08:19:30Z")
> [@Mach Tuck](#): > > Really hoping that was an auto-correct error… Nah, people who use those are douches. He’s just cognizant of it and owns it. Me? At work it depends on what side of our many phones I happen to be near. Whatever is closest I’ll answer it and talk on that side. For some reason on my cell I _think_ I use my left hand for some reason, though I’m right-handed. I get/make so few phone calls I’m really not sure. ---
**Author:** ![AboutAsWeirdAsYouCanGet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@AboutAsWeirdAsYouCanGet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AboutAsWeirdAsYouCanGet)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2011, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-ear-do-you-use-for-the-phone/607488/17 "2011-12-27T08:26:15Z")
Right handed and use my left ear b/c I only have a mild/moderate loss on that ear. ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2011, 8:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-ear-do-you-use-for-the-phone/607488/18 "2011-12-27T08:57:05Z")
I have no preference. I can switch arms when one falls asleep, and it’s all the same to me. I’m used to a headset at work and while gaming, though. So technically the best is no arms and both ears. My ear has never begun to hurt while talking on the phone. Maybe it depends how you hold it or what model of phone you use? But I don’t mash phones against my head. I hold it up with my arm muscles instead of pressing it against my skull. ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2011, 10:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-ear-do-you-use-for-the-phone/607488/19 "2011-12-27T10:06:22Z")
Right ear only. I’ve got a small loss in hearing in my left ear in the normal voice range. I can normally hear conversations, but have a difficult time with conversations if I can only hear with my left ear, such as on the phone or being in a noisy environment like a bar, and the person is seated to my left. I’m right handed so if I need to take notes, then I hold the phone with my left hand up to my right ear, and yes, it looks like I’m playing Twister. ---
**Author:** ![brittekland](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aeb1de/32.png) [@brittekland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brittekland)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2011, 10:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-ear-do-you-use-for-the-phone/607488/20 "2011-12-27T10:15:25Z")
> [@DiosaBellissima](#): > > Right handed and I use my right ear. I only swap sides if my ear hurts from talking too long. Same here. I switch to left ear if I have to jot something down or if my ear hurts. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-ear-do-you-use-for-the-phone/607488.md?page=2)