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Home Remedies For Hiccups


Hiccups occur when a spasm contracts the diaphragm, a large sheet of muscle that separates the chest cavity from the abdominal cavity. This spasm causes an intake of breath that is suddenly stopped by the closure of the vocal cords (glottis). This closure causes the characteristic "hiccup" sound.

Causes
A very full stomach can cause bouts of hiccups that go away on their own. A full stomach can be caused by:
  • Eating too much food too quickly.
  • Drinking too much alcohol.
  • Swallowing too much air.
  • Smoking.
  • A sudden change in stomach temperature, such as drinking a hot beverage and then a cold beverage.
  • Emotional stress or excitement.
Remedies for Hiccups
1. Cold Water
You can shock your system with cold water to stop hiccups. Any kind of shock will cause distraction and will help put your hiccups to rest.
  • Quickly drink a glass of cold water with honey in it and your hiccups will go away immediately.
  • You can also gargle with cold water for 1 minute to keep hiccups at bay.
  • Another option is to suck on a small piece of ice for a few seconds.
2. Drink Upside Down
Drinking a glass of cold water can shock your body and stop hiccups. But this remedy can be made more effective by drinking the water upside down.
  1. Fill a glass with cold water.
  2. Bend down at the waist and put your head down.
  3. Drink the water from the opposite side of the glass than you would normally.
  4. If required, repeat again.
3. Hold Your Breath
Holding your breath is an age-old cure for hiccups. It increases the amount of carbon dioxide in the bloodstream, which distracts the mind and stops the cycle of hiccups.
  1. Take a deep breath and hold it for as long as you can without letting any air out.
  2. Exhale gently in a controlled manner.
  3. Inhale and hold your breath again.
  4. Do this for several cycles until the hiccups stop.
4. Sugar
Sugar is a great home remedy for hiccups, especially for small children who cannot effectively complete the two remedies described above. Swallowing sugar stimulates the vagus nerve and makes the body forget all about the hiccups.
  1. Fill 1 teaspoon with white or brown sugar.
  2. Hold the spoon in your mouth for 5 seconds.
  3. Allow the sugar to dissolve slowly without chewing it.
  4. Take a sip of water and the hiccups will stop.
This remedy can be used by adults too, but people who have diabetes must avoid it.

 5. Vinegar
Vinegar is another effective remedy to stop hiccups. Its sour taste helps distract the mind, which helps stop the hiccups. White vinegar, malt vinegar or apple cider vinegar will do the trick.
  • Swallow 1/2 teaspoon of vinegar, followed by a glass of water.
  • Another option is to mix 1 teaspoon of vinegar with a little water. Swallow it slowly and the hiccups will stop.
6. Peanut Butter
Another age-old remedy to keep hiccups at bay is peanut butter. The sticky, gooey consistency of peanut butter interrupts the breathing pattern when you try to swallow it and this helps stop continuous hiccups.
  1. Put 1 teaspoon of peanut butter in your mouth.
  2. Hold it for a few seconds, then swallow it without chewing.
  3. If required, drink a glass of water.
If peanut butter is not available, you can use almond butter.

 7. Breathe into a Paper Bag
Another time-tested trick that may help hiccup sufferers is breathing into a paper bag. This increases the amount of carbon dioxide in the body, making the diaphragm contract more deeply to bring in more oxygen. This helps stop the hiccups.
  1. Tightly press a small paper bag around your mouth.
  2. Breathe slowly and deeply into it.
  3. Repeat this several times, while keeping the brown paper bag in place.
Note: This remedy is not recommended for heart and stroke patients. Plus, it is important to follow this method at one’s own comfort level.

 8. Lemon
Lemon is a sure way to stop hiccups mid-stream. The sour taste of lemon overwhelms the irritated nerves, thus making the hiccups disappear.
  • Put 1/2 teaspoon of undiluted lemon juice in your mouth. The overpowering taste will compel you to swallow it hard and the hiccups will stop immediately.
  • Another option is mix the juice of one lemon in half a glass of water. Drink it quickly to stop hiccups.
  • You can also put a little salt on a small piece of lemon and then suck the juice out of the lemon slowly.
REMEMBER
Hiccups usually stop within a few minutes to a few hours.
Hiccups that last longer than 48 hours are called persistent hiccups. Hiccups that last longer than a month are called intractable hiccups. While very rare, intractable hiccups can cause exhaustion, lack of sleep, and weight loss. Both persistent and intractable hiccups may be a sign of a more serious health problem and must be checked by a doctor.
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