Ear Plugs to reduce pain from air pressure when flying -do they work? Recommendations?

[NorbertDentressangle]

DS suffers badly from pain in his ears when flying , although only during the descent.

When we flew recently someone was telling us about special ear plugs that help prevent this.

Does anyone have experience of using them? Do they work? I've had a quick look on Amazon and found various ones but not sure what I'm looking for TBH.

[Flibbertyjibbet]

Yes they work.

I also suffered from the descending pain for years until my doc recommended them. I've tried all kinds but the yellow E.A.R. soft fit or normal ones are best. I get them from eBay or most tool shops will sell them. They come in different 'decibel' ratings as they are sold for noise protection, but all do the same job
I tuck them in my bra before or during the flight and then they are soft ready to pop in my ears when the pressure starts to change slightly for descending. On some airlines the crew will come and tell me when descent starts but not all.

[NorbertDentressangle]

Are those just normal ones to keep out noise then Flibberty? The person who told us about them described a special sort that were clear plastic (?) and had a hole in them so could be worn throughout the flight and you could still hear whilst wearing them.

[Flibbertyjibbet]

Yes just normal ones. You can still hear reasonably well - I fly alone with young children sometimes and they know to tap me and speak facing me if they want my attention after I've put them in.
You can't hear that much on a plane anyway due to the engine noise and the bliss of no pain is well worth not listening to music etc.
It's only for the descent after all, not the whole flight.

[Flibbertyjibbet]

Th I wouldn't trust them to work with a hole in.... wouldn't that defeat the whole object of the earplug taking pressure off the eardrums???
But then I am paranoid as my left eardrum has burst 3 times.

[Flibbertyjibbet]

Ok I found something on ebay called Lewis &Clarke earplugs for flying to reduce pressure and background noise but allow you to hear speech
But they are v expensive for one pair that you'd presum ably have to clean bet ween uses, compared to disposable yellow ones that work just as well. And are handy to have when travelling for light sleepers like me!

[NorbertDentressangle]

Those look quite comfortable

(unlike these ones which look like the oil dispenser nozzle in my bottle of olive oil!!)

[Flibbertyjibbet]

Eek yes they look like instruments of torture!
I prefer the squashy foam ones as they're very comfy and expand to fit my ears - which are possibly a strange shape as bud type earphones never stay in!

[CaramelAndToffee]

The ones you need are called EarPlanes and yes they do work incredibly well. You put them in an hour before landing (so before plane starts it's descent).

For those who suffer ear pain going up you put them in when plane on the runway and take them out once it's rescued cruising height.

[CaramelAndToffee]

They come in adult or child size.

[NorbertDentressangle]

Thank you Caramel, I've seen those on Amazon.

Glad to hear that they work. Is it you or your DC that suffer?

[CaramelAndToffee]

Me and one of my children. Have a good flight.

[Stretfordmum]

I used them and my 7 year old son does too. They make such a difference. I buy mine at boots (own brand) and they do kids sizes too. They are little clear plastic plugs and you twist into your ear and the value helps adjust the air pressure in your ear. I never fly without mine.