Hiccups are short contractions of the diaphragm or large muscle dividing the chest from the absomen, resulting in crowing or gasping sounds. The cause is not known, but certain nerve pathways seem to be irritated. This may occur due to swallowing of hot foods or some disorder of the stomach, esophagus or pancreas. In some cases peritonitis may be responsible.
Hiccups are sometimes seen in typhoid and also in amoebic infections. Liver diseases may also cause hiccups, and attacks may even occur during pregnancy, , probably due to bladder irritation. Hiccups are associated with pleurisy, pneumonia, uraemia and drunkenness. Hiccups may also occur due to fast eating with the chance of swallowing air, or eating too much foods causing irritation of the diaphragm.
Most hiccups disappear after some time on their own, but a few people have had cases that lasted for years.
- Chewing and swallowing the dry bread can help to get rid of hiccups.
- Gurgle with water is also an effective remedy.
- Hold your breath .
- Drink pineapple juice or just about anything else.
- Touch the back of your throat with your finger, a cotton swab or anything else; it stimulates the nerve to stop the diaphragm from hiccupping. One of the useful home remedies for hiccups.
- Eat some sugar or swallow it. This is the oldest remedy to get relieve of hiccups.
- Block both ears and drink 6 ounces water without stopping to breathe. It works as a very good remedy.
- Prepare a mixture by adding 2 tsp common salt in a cup of plain yogurt (curd, yoghurt) and eat. In most cases, it is a good remedy. This is one of the useful home remedies for hiccups.
- For recurring hiccups, suck small pieces of fresh ginger.
- Eating a spoonful of peanut butter stops hiccups immediately. It can work for children also.
- Sing or laugh as loud as you can.
- Lying on back can also stop hiccups.
- Put a paper bag over your mouth and nose and breathe in and out about ten times.
- Take a deep breath, as deep as you can, then holding the breath stretch your arms up over your head (which stretches out the diaphragm). Hold this as long as you can. Then, slowly release the breath.
- Mix 1/2 tsp mustard seeds with 1/2 tsp pure ghee and swallow. This is also very useful home remedy for hiccups.
- Close your eyes and push lightly and gently on your eyeballs
- Blowing up a balloon also stop the hiccups.
- Put a teaspoon of sugar under your tongue and then very, very slowly drink a cup of water. This usually gives immediate relief.
- Inhale ground black pepper until you sneeze. Sneezing also stops the hiccups.
- Soak a lemon wedge in angostura bitters and then suck on the wedge. This is very effective in some patients.
- Breathing into a paper bag, is believed to work breath-holding method. This increase the amount of carbon dioxide in the bloodstream, and the body becomes preoccupied with getting rid of it and forgets about the hiccups.
- Some spices can irritate the lining of the esophagus and stomach. The extra acid can bring on hiccups.
- Boil 1/2 tsp of cardamom fresh powder in 2 cup water till it decreases to half, Sieve it and drink a glassful of this warm water. This is one of the best home remedies for hiccups.
- Alcoholic beverages can cause a simultaneous irritation of the esophagus and the stomach. The alcohol not only irritates the digestive system, but big gulps of it cause the esophagus to expand rapidly, resulting in hiccups.
- Distraction from one’s hiccup is also an easy method to get rid of this problem.
- Eating a teaspoon of lingonberry jam also gives relief to the hiccups. This is one of the important home remedies for hiccups.
- Tilting one's head back, extending one's right arm out, and flexing it at the elbow repeatedly is a good exercise to relieve the hiccups.
- Urinating while drinking a glass of water is also an old folk remedy for hiccups.
- Lift the uvula forcefully with a spoon.
- Tickle the roof of your mouth with a cotton swab at the point where the hard and soft palate meets.
- Place an ice bag on the diaphragm just below the rib cage.
- Drinking vinegar also helps to stop the hiccups.
References:
Johns Hopkins family health book. Michael J. Klag, editor. Johns Hopkins University. HarperResource, 1999.
Johns Hopkins symptoms and remedies. Simeon Margolis, editor. Medletter Associates, 2005.
Mayo Clinic family health book. 3rd ed. Scott C. Litin, ed. HarperResource, 2003.
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