Gaming and breathing noise

[Snarky-Guru 7]

I always get stuffy this time of year and my wheezing comes through loud and clear while gaming. I hate being able to hear it myself, so I imagine it must annoy others as well. Is there anything I can do to limit my breathing noise? I've tried moving my mic around, but that hasn't made much of a difference. I've tried keeping it off, but someone usually asks a question or something where I need to respond and my headset doesn't make it easy to turn it off and on while playing. Any suggestions for how to fix this or any recommendations for a better headset that will sort this out?

[ShadowEdge 48]

I bet your breathing isn't as noticeable to others as you think it is. What game are you playing and which gaming platform are you using? Do you prefer to use a wireless or wired headset? Knowing the answers to those questions will make it easier to make recommendations.

[didge 11]

Well, I understand your predicament, but again, the breathing could be arising from improper placement of the mic. Just like @ShadowEdge says, the kind of headset you use and the gaming platform could be having an impact.

[Snarky-Guru 7]

I'm playing Overwatch on my computer for the most part. I have both wireless and wired gaming headphones, but only one allows me to mute the mic and it's really fussy. I'd be happy to buy any set of headphones that will work for this if you know of any.

[Zack T 171]

If you're playing on a computer, look for a push to talk feature on your games or the voice-chat program you're using and give that a shot. Then you just hold down the button of your choosing like a walkie-talkie and speak, then let go and you're muted again.

 

I dunno if that's an option for console gaming, I don't play consoles at all. If it's not, I'd suggest looking at ways to improve your condition. Especially if it's a yearly thing. Perhaps it's allergies? Mine flare up bad a couple times a year as we change seasons, and I have to take extra allergy medication for a bit to suppress it. I usually go and get a steroid injection or prescription as well, which really helps calm down allergy symptoms drastically and quickly.

[didge 11]

Good point @ZackT because this is a trick I have used when playing on my PC. On the other hand, I don't think this would be a distraction unless you often play around other gamers.

[Snarky-Guru 7]

Thanks for helping me get sorted. I bought a new headset with push to talk buttons that are easy to access. I also remapped a key on my computer that I can hit to mute the mic quickly. Now, no one will subjected to my obnoxious wheezing thanks to seasonal allergies.