I've found deformable silicone earplugs avoid much of the pain. You can get a really good seal without going much info the ear canal. You do need to find a dece

I've found deformable silicone earplugs avoid much of the pain. You can get a really good seal without going much info the ear canal. You do need to find a decent brand though. Decent is subjective; most formulations don't seem to adhere sufficiently well.