Get Relief From Hiccups

Hiccups happen sometimes for no apparent reasons. Babies, children and adults all will get hiccups for no reasons. If you look for how hiccup happens scientifically then google the answer -“A hiccup is a sudden, involuntary contraction of the diaphragm muscle. When the muscle spasms, the vocal cords snap shuts producing the hiccup sound.”

Let us see what general reasons for hiccups are:

1) Fatty foods

2) Day to day stress

3) Smoking

4) Certain flours

5) Raw vegetables like cucumber and cauliflower, carbonated drink, bubble gum

6) Eating too fast with tension

7) Half empty stomach

8) Indigestion of milk and milk products

The most common reasons for sudden hiccup include over eating, gas in digestive system, eating too fast, hunger, certain conditions related to muscle and nerves.

For regular hiccups, try some of these home remedies:

• Meal time: Before meal time try few bending exercises. Drink a cup of warm water after meal and after meal go for a short walk
• Bite a piece of lemon
• Hold your tongue between fingers for few seconds
• Hold and leave your nose for couple of seconds – repeat few times
• Distraction – paying attention to something else helps
• Hold and release your breath few times
• Gargle with plain water and drink water by bending and holding cup down !
• Smell bath soap and bath salt
• Place one-half teaspoon of dry sugar on the back of your tongue.
• Black pepper: Smell black pepper powder. It can cause sneezing. Sneezing distracts and shakes the system and stops hiccups
• Cardamom powder: Boil water and add little cardamom powder. Strain and drink the cardamom water
• Mustard seeds: Slowly swallow few (10-12) mustard seeds with clarified butter. It stimulates the nerves in throat region and stops hiccups
• Avoid spicy food and consume moderate amount of fibers in your daily meals.
• Eat more fresh juicy fruits – oranges, mango, cherries and berries
• Little amount of clarified butter (ghee) mixed with rice and salt also helps.
• Eat a piece of jaggery and drink a cup of water!
• Chew a tender pan leaf with little sugar

As in adults, hiccups in newborns, infants, and babies are common and generally nothing to worry about. While feeding a baby if baby gets hiccups while feeding then stop feeding until the hiccups stops.  While feeding a baby if baby gets hiccups while feeding then stop feeding until the hiccups stops. Pat babies back slowly and try releasing the gas.

Remember – These remedies for sudden and general hiccups. If you feel that hiccups are not going away and due to some conditions then, don’t ignore consulting your family doctor.

Image credit: https://www.needpix.com/photo/1144796/hiccup-hiccups-sob-burp-rattle-finger-mouth-man-bart (Free for commercial use)