Hiccups can be very irritating. We don’t know when and where hiccups starts. While attending class, in a meeting or while on phone talking to someone, we can experience hiccups.  Some people will experience hiccups for longer hours and will not stop easily.

Reasons for hiccups: We all have flat plate of muscle beneath our lungs called diaphragm that helps us to breath. Hiccups occurs when brain sends signal to diaphragm to shift forcefully downward pulling more air into back of throat causing narrow are in throat. It results in hic sound, hence it is hiccup.

Factors that trigger hiccups are:

1.       Lack of water

2.       Too much eating

3.       Stress and excitement

4.       Alcohol intake

5.       Drinking soda and carbonated drinks

6.       Air swallowing while chewing some food

7.       Sudden change in temperature

8.       Cigarette smoking

9.       Chronic constipation, bloating and gas

Remedies for hiccups

1.       Swallow one teaspoon of sugar

2.       Gargle with water, sip ice water

3.       Stick your tongue out and hold for few breath. This opens the throat and reduces spasms in diaphragm.

4.       Biting on to sour lemon piece reduces hiccups.

5.       Drinking warm water is also a solution for hiccups.

6.       Interrupting swallowing and breathing is good remedy for controlling hiccups. Snack on some peanut butter when you have hiccups. Chewing and trying to take peanut butter from teeth using tongue disturbs the breathing pattern and reduces or helps to get rid of hiccups.

7.       If you have dill seeds in kitchen take a teaspoon of dill seeds and slowly chew the seeds.

8.       Try little hot sauce – the heat released from hot sauce distracts the brain and spasm stops.

9.       Cover your mouth while breathing normally. Do this for 4-5 minutes.

10.   Rub back and side of the neck – massaging carotid arteries helps to reduce hiccups

11.   Hold the breath: Take a deep breath and hold it for few seconds. Exhale gradually. Repeat this for few seconds.

12.   Using index fingers, plug your ears for 20 to 30 seconds. While doing so, press the soft areas behind your earlobe for relaxation.

13.   While plugging your ears, drink water using straw. This is one of the effective remedy for hiccups!

14.   Take a paper bag, hold edges near your nose and breathe into the bag. Inhale and exhale. Inhaling your own carbon dioxide relaxes diaphragm muscle. Do this for couple of minutes.  mouth.

15.   Pull your knees up to chest and lean forward

16.   Castor oil and honey: Mix 1 tsp of honey with 1 tsp of castor oil. Using your index finger just lick the mix at 2-3 minutes interval for half an hour or so.

17.   If you are constipated and have hiccups, then try to cleanse the system using enema.

18.   Press your palm using the thumb of other hand. Put gentle, firm pressure. You can also squeeze a ball using thumb and forefinger. The discomfort you feel while holding ball gets  rid of the hiccups.

19.   Try to get distracted from someone or something like loud sound will help to disturb system and hiccups stops.

If the hiccups not stopping with any methods and continuing for more than a day or two, contact your doctor for further health checkup.

Image credit: Image by Darko Djurin from Pixabay (CC by 0)