Travel Essentials - EarPlanes

Although this post doesn't quite fit the 'beauty' theme of my blog, I just had to share with you the miracle of Earplanes. A lot of bloggers talk about their 'travel essentials', however if it wasn't for these beauties, I simply wouldn't be able to step on a plane to full stop. If you've ever suffered from painful ears on a flight, then listen up!

I first discovered EarPlanes about seven years ago, after two previous holidays abroad left me facing up to the fact that my days of air travel were over. I have extremely narrow eustachian tubes, which means air pressure can't pass through my ears very easily, and I ended up with perforated eardrums, deafness which lasted for three days, and ear/head/jaw ache that was so excruciating it couldn't be put into words. I'd tried all the usual tricks of eating boiled sweets and yawning, but nothing helped. For the entire flight, and for long after the plane had landed, I was in agony.

However, after reading some travel forums, I was introduced to EarPlanes - tested by Navy Pilots, these earplugs contains a special filter that regulates air pressure in the ears, taking away the associated discomfort. At first I was sceptical, and didn't think an earplug would be enough to help with the severe problems that I had, but my dad persuaded me to give them a go.

I first tried them out on a short flight to Spain when I was 17, and I could not believe how much they helped. There was zero pain taking off, zero whilst the plane was cruising, and just a mild amount of discomfort when landing. Flying was no longer a 'no-go' for me!

They're so easy to insert - simply twist the ribbed end into your ear until they feel secure. As well as being easy to use, they're completely comfortable too. The instructions on the box suggest taking them out once the plane has reached maximum altitude, however I keep them in for the whole flight just to be safe! I've used them on many flights of varying durations and they're just as effective each time. As well as dramatically relieving pain, they also cancel out noise, so they're perfect if you want to sleep without being disturbed by other passengers.

If you suffer from discomfort and pain on flights, no matter how mild or severe, I cannot recommend EarPlanes enough. I'm so thankful that I discovered them, as without them I wouldn't be able to go on the amazing holidays and see the places that I have. They really did give me part of my life back. And trust me, if they can help me, they can help anyone. Nothing beats the feeling of getting on a plane and knowing that I can completely look forward to my holiday, without having to worry about unbearable pain and causing further damage to my ears. They're an absolute godsend, and I shall be using them in a couple of weeks when I fly to Las Vegas (I'm SO excited!).

You can buy EarPlanes for £5.15 here at Lloyds Pharmacy.  Do you suffer from painful ears when flying? Will you be giving these a go?