I had trouble equalizing my ears for a long time. Then I took some SCUBA diving training where the hold-nose-blow-out method is the first thing they tell you. They should put that in the little packets they put in the back of the seats.
Or suck on a boiled sweet.
...or hard candy, as Americans call them. ;)
Long-haul still has me going giddy with excitement at how this massive metal construction can ever get up into the air, that makes it harder to get some sleep. :-) A neck pillow is the best investment I've ever made there though, it stops you from waking up when your head falls forward.
Also, I'm disturbed by the amount of people who simply don't know how to pop their ears and sit and try to swallow or rub their ears or whatever else crap they're doing. Just hold your nose, blow out, done.