In this article, we will discuss the top home remedies to get rid of hiccups naturally. Diaphragm, a large, thin layer of muscle just below the lungs, when contracts erratically, it causes hiccups. It is usually caused when the vagus nerve is tickled. This vagus nerve is responsible for connecting your abdomen and many other important organs to the brain. When a hiccup stops, the glottis, which is the beginning in the upper part of the vocal cords, closes suddenly, and you make that characteristic ‘hic’ sound.
What Causes Hiccups?
The definitive answer to this question is yet to be found. However, studies show, the following circumstances, illnesses, and conditions are known to increase the possibility of getting hiccups.
- Consuming warm food very quickly
- Acidity in the stomach
- Consuming too much food
- An abrupt change in body or ambient temperature
- Consuming fizzy beverage or alcoholic drinks
- Consuming dry bread
- Swallowing too much oxygen
- Emotional stress or excitement
Some medications, such as opiates, anesthesia, barbiturates, corticosteroids, methyldopa, and benzodiazepines are also a known cause to hiccups.
- Some severe conditions that can cause hiccups. These conditions include,
- Metabolic problems, such as reduced kidney function or hyperventilation
- Mental problems
- Irritation of the chest, neck, or head nerves
- A variety of central nervous system problems, like stroke, cancer, infections, or injury
Hiccups generally last for a few minutes to a couple of hours. In case your hiccups last more than 48 hours, it might be an indication of something more serious. In such a scenario, it is better to consult with a health care professional and get you diagnosed.
Home Remedies to Get Rid of Hiccups:
There are numbers of home remedies can help you get rid of hiccups. These remedies are easy to prepare, made from easily available ingredients and does an excellent job of treating your hiccups. Following are the different ways to get rid of hiccups at home.
1.) Pickle Juice to Get Rid of Hiccups
Pickle juice is considered as the best home remedy to get rid of hiccups fast and naturally. The components present in the juice know to treat the problem effectively.
Things You Need
- A pickle or a jar of pickle
- A spoon
- A piece of cloth
Directions
- Take a pickle and extract the every drop of juice from it, until the spoon is full.
- You can consume the juice directly.
- Alternatively, you can take a jar of pickles and extract a greater amount of pickle juice. If hiccups do not stop, after consuming smaller amounts of juice, drink about one glass of pickle oil in one breath.
- Wipe off any excess using the piece of cloth.
- Do this twice a day to get rid of hiccups easily.
The sour taste of pickle juice clears out any substance from the food pipe causing hiccups while passing through it. When drinking in greater quantities, pickle juice works as a force to push any food particle stuck in the food pipe backward, thereby solving the problem of hiccups.
2.) Vinegar to Get Rid of Hiccups
Things You Need
- Vinegar- Half spoon
- A spoon
- A piece of cloth
Directions
- Consume a tablespoon of vinegar directly.
- After the hiccups stop, avoid eating or drinking for 10 to 20 minutes.
- If hiccups still continue, follow the above steps, but increase the volume to three tablespoons.
- Wipe off any excess using the piece of cloth.
- Try this thrice a day for maximum benefit.
Consuming vinegar pushes any obstacle stuck inside the mouth opening or food pipe, which is the main cause of hiccups. In addition, anti-inflammatory properties vinegar minimize the burning sensation and irritation inside of food pipe.
3.) Sugar to Get Rid of Hiccups
Things You Need
- Brown sugar- one tablespoon.
- A tablespoon
- Water- 100ml
Directions
- Take a tablespoon of brown sugar.
- Consume it in one go.
- Just swallow the sugar, instead of chewing it.
- Drink 100 ml of cold water, right after swallowing.
- Do not repeat these steps if the hiccups still continue.
Sugar serves as a dry agent to exert a fair amount of pressure on the substance stuck inside the mouth. Additional force is exerted by the water which helps to rinse out any trash left out after the action of sugar.
4.) Honey and Hot Water to Get Rid of Hiccups
Things You Need
- Honey one tablespoon.
- Hot water – 200ml
- A spoon
- A glass
Directions
- Take a tablespoon of honey and set it aside in a glass.
- Take 200 ml of lukewarm water and mix both the contents using a spoon.
- Make sure that the water shouldn’t be too hot to consume.
- Consume the mixture as it is.
- Do this once a day to get rid of hiccups.
The anti-bacterial properties of honey help relieve any irritation. Hot water serves to melt down any externalities, which may be in solid form. This can be an ideal remedy to get rid of baby hiccups easily and quickly.
5.) Peanut Butter to Get Rid of Hiccups
Things You Need
- Peanut butter – one tablespoon.
- A spoon
- Water to digest
Directions
- Place a tablespoon of nutty spread in your mouth.
- Swallow it without biting.
- The saliva will make it easier to swallow by separating the peanut butter.
- Alternatively, you can pick any thick substance like Nutella.
- Do this after every hour until hiccups stop.
The thick consistency of peanut butter will exert much larger force than any fluid, and take down the substance stuck in the mouth opening or food pipeline.
6.) Yogurt and Salt to Get Rid of Hiccups
Things You Need
- Yogurt – one cup
- Salt – one tablespoon
Directions
- Add one teaspoon of salt to the yogurt.
- Stir it thoroughly until the salt dissolves completely.
- Now consume the mixture slowly.
- This will help stop your hiccups immediately.
Antibacterial and antiseptic properties possessed by the yogurt helps to fight against the bacterial attack. Grainy nature of salt is enough to irritate the esophagus slightly and eating yogurt can force your body to concentrate on digesting the yogurt. The combination of salt with yogurt makes the remedy better to eliminate hiccups.
7.) Cardamom Powder to Get Rid of Hiccups
Things You Need
- Boiled water – one and ½ cup
- Freshly ground cardamom powder- one tsp.
Directions
- Add the freshly ground cardamom powder to the boiled water.
- Let the liquid cool down on its own.
- Now, filter the liquid and drink.
- Your hiccups will stop immediately you drink the cardamom water.
Strong taste and smell of cardamom will overwhelm your senses, leading attention away from your hiccups. Cardamom water helps the muscles of the diaphragm to relax, which results in getting rid of hiccups.
8.) Ginger to Get Rid of Hiccups
Things You need
- A small piece of ginger
- Water- one glass
Directions
- Eat a small piece of peeled ginger.
- Drink a glass of water right after eating.
- Repeat this method as per the need.
Ginger eliminates any bacteria that stuck in the food passage, due to its anti-bacterial and antacid properties. Water speed up the flow of ginger going down the food pipe, clearing any obstacle in the way.
9.) Gargling to Get Rid of Hiccups
Things You need
- Water- one glass
- A pinch of salt
- Towel
Directions
- Take one glass of water.
- Add a pinch of salt into the glass and stir it using a spoon.
- gargle your mouth using the mixture.
- Follow this until you notice an improvement.
This will be the safest method. Cooling menthol contained by the water helps in decreasing the sensations due to the hiccups and therefore help to get rid of hiccups. Any bacterial reaction or fungal infection taking place in the throat or in the nearby area can be treated with the salt. Additionally, salt helps to moisturize the area, thereby providing relief from itchiness caused due to lack of moisture in the area.
10.) Clarified Butter and Mustard Seeds to Get Rid of Hiccups
Things You need
- Clarified Butter – ½ tbsp.
- Mustard seeds- ½ tbsp.
- One bowl
Directions
- Mix together half tablespoon of mustard seeds and a half table spoon of pure clarified butter.
- Consuming this mixture slowly will help you reducing hiccups.
- Follow the method twice daily.
The pain caused by the hiccups will be reduced by the properties of clarified butter. It also possesses moisturizing properties, that helps in healing the roughness in the throat caused due to lack of moisture. Any particles stuck in the lining of food pipe or mouth may be the cause of irritation and hiccups, will be cleaned by mustard seeds. It is one of the best ways to get rid of hiccups.
