Hiccups are loud noise that you make in the throat without warning. When we talk about hiccups, the diaphragm is the culprit. Before reaching to the hiccups, let us see what the diaphragm is exactly. It is dome- shaped muscle at the bottom of your chest. In normal condition, the diaphragm works perfectly. As you inhale, it pulls down, helping your body to draw air into your lungs. When the diaphragm becomes irritated, it jerks downward, causing you to suddenly draw air into your throat. This abrupt rush of air causes your vocal cords to close, causing a hiccup sound. One can follow some measures to get rid of the hiccups.
Hiccups are caused by sudden tightening of the muscles below the chest and usually happening repeatedly. It is a spasm of the diaphragm resulting in a rapid, involuntary inhalation that is stopped by the sudden closure of the glottis and accompanied by a sharp, distinctive sound. However, one doesn’t need to panic since there are plenty of remedies to get rid of hiccups.
Causes of the Hiccups:
- Eating too fast
- Sudden strokes
- Noxious fumes
- Excitement or emotional stress
- Sudden temperature changes
- Swallowing air with chewing gum or candy
- Tumors
Symptoms of the Hiccups:
- The characteristic sound of the hiccups is the only sign.
- In some cases, the only symptom is slightly tightening sensation in your chest, abdomen that precedes the sound.
Remedies to Get Rid of the Hiccups:
Hiccups can occur anywhere and at any time. As it is caused by spasms in the diaphragm that can occur for pretty much no reason. In rare cases it can last for days or weeks. Sometimes, however, they may persist and become a nuisance, impacting on sleep. Hiccups can be uncomfortable, but is hardly ever life threatening. In very rare cases, hiccups require medical treatment and it is easy to get rid of the hiccups at home by following some remedies.
1.) Drink a Glass of Water to Prevent the Hiccups
Drinking a glass of water will cure the hiccups. You can halt your system with cold water to stop hiccups. Any distraction will help you to put your hiccups to rest. Take a glass of water and drink it without any gap. This will help you to stop your hiccups. You can also suck a small piece of ice for a few seconds. Make sure you don’t swallow that piece of ice. If hiccups don’t stop at the first time, repeat this process. This will help you to get rid of the hiccups.
2.) Sweets to Cure the Hiccups
Sweets can be a great home remedy for hiccups, especially for small children. Eating sugar stimulates the vagus nerve and makes the body forget the hiccups. You can buy sweets or prepare it at home. By eating sweets, the body will draw its attention towards the taste of it and hiccups will stop immediately. Take some sweets and swallow it slowly by enjoying its taste. This method is enjoyable as you can eat sweets and on the other hand, it helps to stop hiccups.
3.) Salt to Get Rid of the Hiccups
Salt can also prove a good method to stop hiccups. To stop the hiccups with salt, eat one teaspoon followed by a sip of water. After having it, take a slow, deep breath. If your hiccups doesn’t stop for the first time, repeat this process. After having a sip, your hiccups will halt. So this method proves good to get rid of the hiccups. If this method doesn’t work for the first time, you can repeat it.
4.) Lemon Wedge to Cure Hiccups
Lemon is sour in taste. It can be helpful to get rid of the hiccups. For this, simply cut a lemon in quarters and start sucking. You can also squeeze out some juice of lemon and have it. Due to the shocking treatment of lemon the mind will divert and your hiccups will stop.. Wait for some time or so after you’ve drained the first quarter to see if it worked . No need to punish your mouth. If your hiccups don’t stop for the first time, try it again.
5.) Spoonful of Peanut Butter
Peanut butter is a classic hiccup remedy. It’s sticky and gooey consistency will halt your hiccups. Eating a spoon of peanut butter and chewing it will interrupt your breathing patterns which will make the hiccups will be a history. Take a teaspoon of peanut butter in your mouth. Hold it for some seconds. Swallow or chew it. If required you can drink a glass of water. If in case peanut butter is not available, you can use almond butter. These both will affect equally.
6.) Induce a Cough or Sneeze to Prevent the Hiccups
Sneezing or coughing can be one of the reactions that can help to get rid of the hiccups. By doing any of these reactions you can get rid of the hiccups. The thinking is that coughing, sneezing causes the diaphragm to constrict and breaks the pattern of the hiccups. When the diaphragm is irritated by a sudden jerk, which is induced by coughing, it gives halt to hiccups. So, whenever you have hiccups, just try to sneeze or cough intentionally and you will find better results.
7.) Honey to Remove the Hiccups
Honey can be used to cure the hiccups. As we all known honey has a sweet taste and because of its sweet taste it helps to stop hiccups. It is very easy to use and is easily available at home and in the market. You can put a teaspoon of honey and stir in warm water and drink it in a single stroke. Alternatively, you can also swallow a teaspoon of honey. Honey could potentially tickle the vagus nerve to make the hiccups stop. It also fights the infection and makes the cough soother. Whenever you have hiccups, you can try the honey method to get rid of it.
8.) Gargle water to Cure the Hiccups
Gargling with an entire glass of water will help you out to get rid of the hiccups. When we hiccup, the vagus or phrenic nerves are either damaged or irritated and therefore require stimulation to function normally again. By garling with water, your breathing process also stops for some time. It helps in distracting you and put your attention away. Whenever you hiccup, you can try gargling with water. It will give you fruitful results.
9.) Vinegar to Get Rid of the Hiccups
Taking a teaspoon of vinegar has been found to cure some hiccup attacks. You can also combine the sugar and vinegar to make it taste better. Vinegar proves as a benefit for the hiccups. It triggers a set of nerves in the throat and mouth that are responsible for the hiccup arc reflex. Also, its sour taste helps to draw away your attention from hiccup and you get rid of it.
10.) Hold Your Breath to Cure the Hiccups
Just holding your breath for few second can help you out to get rid of the hiccups. You have to follow some simple steps. Fill up your lungs with air by inhaling the air. Close your mouth and keep the air inside your lungs. Make sure you don’t breathe out of your nose. Your stomach should feel like a bag when you touch it. Count the number of seconds that you hold your breath for. You can hold your breath for 10 seconds or as long as you can. Now breathe out and exhale out the air from your lungs. Resume normal breathing. Make sure you retain your normal breathing before repeating this process.
11.) Get Scared to Stop the Hiccups
If sudden excitement caused you to get the hiccups at first, it may require getting excited or scared again to get rid of the hiccups. If you are around your friends and you get the hiccups, scarring is not hard to arrange. But if you are alone, try to scare yourself by watching something scary. It is believed that getting scared constricts your diaphragm and throws off the hiccup pattern. This is a type of sudden shock which withdraws your attention, thereafter your brain distracts from the breathing pattern and helps you to resolve hiccups.
12.) Breathe Into a Paper Bag to Get Rid of the Hiccups
Breathing into a paper bag will resolve your problem of hiccups. This is an old trick that many hiccup sufferers swear by. Take a paper bag and, while holding the opening around your mouth and sealing it tightly. Start blowing air into it. Take a deep breath. Repeat the process around 10 times. If your hiccups doesn’t stop, do this process fast or really hard to get optimal results. Keep in mind that it’s important to do it at your own comfort level.
Things to Remember to Get Rid of the Hiccups
- Eat Slowly
- Avoid alcohol
- Avoid carbonated drinks
- Don’t panic
- Have proper sleep
- To avoid depression
