The hiccups … what could be more annoying, right?
There is nothing more annoying than being interrupted in your conversation every 10 seconds by yourself!
And then, it’s not easy to hide it when he doesn’t want to leave anymore.
Are there any valid tips to get rid of it quickly?
Let’s see how you can get over the hiccups.
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What are hiccups?
But what triggers the goddamn hiccup?
In fact, it starts from the diaphragm, more precisely from that group of muscles located between the lungs and the abdomen that are responsible for breathing movements.
If the diaphragm is irritated, it spasms and makes you swallow air.
This inspired air hits the vocal cords, creating the distinctive sound of hiccups.
What is the main cause of hiccups?
The most common causes of hiccups are:
- eat too fast
- drink a soda
- feeling nervous
- stress
Apart from these trivial reasons, hiccups can also be related to some underlying dysfunction or disease like:
- irritation of the esophagus (gastric reflux)
- gastritis
- peptic ulcer
- neurological syndrome
- a condition of the larynx
- a condition of the pharynx
- infection
- cancer
- certain drugs (anti-inflammatory drugs, antibiotics, opioid analgesics, dopamine agonists, anticancer drugs, benzodiazepines).
How to stop hiccups naturally?
There are a few natural remedies that can help you with recalcitrant hiccups.
Remember that stopping hiccups is first and foremost distracting the brain to stop diaphragm spasms.
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Ice water
Drink a glass of ice water as quickly as possible.
The cold will shock the digestive system and distract the brain.
You can also suck on an ice cube, it will have the same effect.
A quick tip: if you add a teaspoon of honey to your glass of ice water, the hiccups will stop instantly.
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Hold your breath
Inhale deeply, and hold your breath as long as possible before exhaling quietly.
Repeat until the hiccups are gone.
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Sugar
Take a teaspoon of sugar and keep it in your mouth for 5 seconds.
Let the sugar melt without chewing it, then rinse with clean water.
Handy tip for a child who is not old enough to learn to hold his breath.
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Vinegar
Swallow half a teaspoonful of vinegar, either white or cider, then follow up with a glass of water.
You can also directly dilute a teaspoon of vinegar in a glass of water.
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Lemon
Cut a lemon in half and pour a few drops (about half a teaspoon) directly into your mouth.
The acidity will cause you to swallow right away, which is why the hiccups will be stopped immediately.
You can also squeeze a whole lemon and pour it into half a glass of water and then swallow it very quickly.
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Chamomile
Chamomile has relaxing properties that will relax muscles too.
It will therefore also untie the diaphragm and stop the spasms that trigger the hiccups.
Prepare yourself some chamomile tea, let the sachet steep for 5 minutes in a hot cup of water, then drink it slowly.
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Cough or burp
Try to assess the spacing between two hiccups.
Until next time, try a cough or burp.
This will change how the diaphragm and surrounding muscles work and the hiccups will go away.
Repeat several times if necessary.
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A scare to cure the hiccups
Does this old trick still work?
In theory, it can be effective, but the fear must not be feigned.
When frightened, the release of adrenaline and tension in the body affects the diaphragm, disrupting the normal rhythm of breathing.
Likewise, a deep breath also interrupts the breathing cycle and makes the hiccups go away.
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Swallow three times
Evaluate the interval between two hiccups and try to swallow three times in a row in between.
This method activates many muscles in the throat and abdomen that will allow you to control the diaphragm.
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Breathe essential oil
Choose a eucalyptus, bergamot, or lavender essential oil, add a few drops in your diffuser or inhale directly from the bottle.
These scents have a calming effect that will help relax the diaphragm to restore normal breathing.
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Stick your tongue
If you are home alone and struggling with nasty hiccups, you can practice this method. However, avoid it in public!
Pull your tongue out as far as possible, forcing.
This trick is no joke, you will stimulate a nerve connected to the diaphragm by doing so.
And this stimulation will help control the spasms and stop the hiccups.
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The distraction
The more you listen to your hiccups, the more intense it gets.
The more you want to get rid of it, the longer it lasts.
So have fun!
Read a book, watch TV, play a video game … but ignore it!
This method assumes that if you do an activity that you enjoy, you instantly relax and your diaphragm follows suit.
Persistent hiccups
If most of the time the hiccups are only a transient, brief and harmless annoyance, it sometimes become persistent, sometimes even permanent.
In this case, it often correlates with dysfunction or disease.
The lack of treatment recommendations for recalcitrant hiccups has led researchers to search the scientific literature to determine which substances are likely to relieve this symptom.
They thus defined three drugs:
- baclofen
- gabapentin
- certain neuroleptics
If you experience hiccups that persist for more than 48 hours, it is best to see a physician to try to determine the underlying cause.
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