5 Tricks To Get Rid Of Your Hiccups
Even if the hiccups usually go away on their own, we can speed up this process with simple means. If it continues for several days, a doctor should be consulted.
Hiccups can be very annoying. You can’t produce a complete sentence without being interrupted by the weird “hicks” that can escape uncontrollably at any point in time.
But there are a few tricks that work to get rid of hiccups. In this article we will introduce you to different methods.
What are hiccups and how do they occur?
Hiccups occur when the diaphragm (the flat muscle that separates the chest and abdominal cavity) involuntarily contracts. Suddenly air is expelled, which bounces against the closed vocal cords and produces the typical “hiccup” sound.
There doesn’t always have to be an obvious reason, but hiccups can occur when:
- Mineral water or carbonated drinks
- Ate too much
- Swallowed too quickly
- Laughing fit or crying fit
- Eaten too spicy
- Unexpected change in temperature
Most of the time, the hiccups go away on their own after a few minutes without you having to do anything special. But if you want to get rid of it faster, or if it persists, then you can use one of the following methods.
Breathe in a paper bag
Take a paper bag and breathe deeply into it several times. By doing this, you will increase the level of carbon dioxide in your blood until the hiccups stop. Other possibilities that have a similar effect can be the following:
– Drink a large glass of cold water, swallow without breathing.
– Hold your breath while you can.
Eat a lemon wedge
Take a lemon wedge and, if possible, add a few drops of angostura bitters. You can also add some sugar to improve the taste. While you are eating the lemon wedge, the citric acid in the taste buds “distracts” the organism and this relieves the hiccups.
Relax the diaphragm
To do this, you have to breathe in as deeply and slowly as you can. Hold your breath for 30 seconds. Then exhale slowly until the lungs empty completely. It may be necessary to repeat this exercise four or five times for the hiccups to go away for good.
Eat a spoonful of almond butter
Instead of almond butter, you can also use sugar, honey, cocoa butter, peanut butter, or Nutella. Take a spoonful, put it in your mouth, and leave it there for a few seconds. Then swallow the bite without chewing it. The saliva has already softened it so you can swallow it easily.
Close eyes, nose and ears
Press with your thumb on the cartilage at the entrance of the ear canal to those to be closed. Then close your eyes and suck in as much air as you can. Use your little finger to seal both nostrils. Hold your breath for a few seconds, the longer the better. Let go of everything and breathe normally again. The body begins to breathe deeply or to gasp and forgets about the hiccups.
If the hiccups persist for several hours or even days, consult a doctor. While it’s not common, it can sometimes be triggered by a gas stomach, harmful discharge, and other causes. In newborns and babies, however, recurring hiccups are completely normal.
