How do I cure the hiccups?

Question

I have no idea how to cure hiccups, yet they won't stop no matter what i try!!!!!!

Answer 1

Here are some tried-and-true remedies for hiccups from both "camps."

1. Sweeten the hiccups. Overloading the nerve endings in the mouth with a sweet sensation may do the trick. Have a teaspoonful of sugar, and if you can, place the sugar on the back of the tongue, where "sour" is tasted. This way, the sugar overload will pack the most punch.

2. Play "hear no evil." Some doctors recommend that you put your fingers in your ears to stop hiccups. The branches of the vagus nerve also reach into the auditory system, and by stimulating the nerve endings there, the vagus nerve goes into action. But be gentle, and don't stick your fingers too far into your ears.

3. Get scared silly. Having someone surprise you can overwhelm the vagus nerve and put an end to hiccups.

4. Drink water. Swallowing water interrupts the hiccupping cycle, which can quiet the nerves. Gargling with water may also have the same effect.

5. Pull on your tongue. Sticking out your tongue and yanking on it may stop hiccups.

6. Tickle it away. Tickling the soft palate of the roof of your mouth with a cotton swab may do the trick. Or, if you're the type who enjoys getting tickled, have someone find your ticklish spots.

7. Hold your breath. Hold your nose and close your mouth--the way you would when you're ready to jump into a pool--for as long as you can or until you sense that the hiccups are gone.

8. Bag those hiccups. The old standby, breathing into a paper bag, is believed to work on the same principle as the breath-holding method. Both increase the amount of carbon dioxide in the bloodstream, and the body becomes preoccupied with getting rid of it and forgets about the hiccups.

9. Take an antacid. This method may be more effective if you choose one that contains magnesium, since the mineral tends to decrease irritation and quiet the nerves. One or two tablets should take care of hiccups.

10. Eat slower. If you eat fast, you are probably not chewing food thoroughly, which seems to cause hiccups. And rapid-fire feeding causes air to get trapped between pieces of food, which may set off the vagus nerve. Chew deliberately and take smaller sips of drinks to keep your air intake to a minimum.

11. Don't pig out. Overloading the stomach with food is another cause of hiccups. Some experts theorize that hiccups are your body's way of telling you to quit eating so your digestive system has time to process all the food you've forced down your gullet.

12. Avoid spicy foods. Some spices can irritate the lining of the esophagus and stomach. At the same time, they can also cause acid from the stomach to leak into the esophagus. The extra acid can bring on hiccups.

13. Drink only in moderation. Like spices, alcoholic beverages can cause a simultaneous irritation of the esophagus and the stomach. And over time, excessive drinking can damage the lining of the food pipe. Parties, like the kind some college students attend, where people are sometimes dared to consume a lot of alcohol as quickly as possible, can lead to acute ingestion. The digestive system not only becomes irritated by the alcohol, but big gulps of it cause the esophagus to expand rapidly, resulting in hiccups.

When You Can't Stop the Hiccups
In rare cases, chronic hiccupping may be a symptom of a more serious health problem. Possibilities include infection; renal (kidney) failure; liver disease; cancer, including lung cancer; nervous system or abdominal problems, such as ulcers; and even heart attacks. Virtually anything that affects the head, chest, or abdomen can be implicated.

A common bout of hiccups usually lasts no more than an hour, and the hiccups occur at a rhythmic interval of about every 30 seconds. It's time to see a doctor if the hiccups continue with frequency for more than an hour or as many as twelve hours plus, keep you awake at night, or don't respond to home remedies.

In some cases, a physician will prescribe antacids or a sedative to help calm the digestive system. And in instances of severe, nonstop hiccuping, surgery may be performed to cut the phrenic nerve's link to the diaphragm in order to stop the spasms.

Answer 2

A wierd but fun way I figured out stops the hiccups is hanging upside down, if I am at home and get the hiccups, I know there's a few bars around the house that I can flip over on and hang upside down. At school, I hold my breath as long as I can, not as fun, but it works...

Answer 3

"Hughes/Green Hiccups Cure"© 1997
(1) Pour a TALL glass of water.

(2) Hold your breath... ***

(3) IMPORTANT...PINCH YOUR NOSE CLOSED.

(4) Slowly, take 15 - 20 swallows of the water...while holding your breath with your nose pinched closed.

(5) When you can't stand it any more....you'll know by that overwhelming drowning sensation -- after you gasp, take a deep breath and relax.

This cures the hiccups 99 percent of the time - guaranteed! It's a proven medical remedy. (A second treatment could be necessary for stubborn cases.)

*** For stubborn cases, try EXHALING COMPLETELY and then taking 15-20 swallows.

NOW: HERE'S WHY IT WORKS: Hiccups are caused by an uncontrollable spasm in the diaphragm, (the "breathing" muscle). Often, this spasm is triggered by irritable conditions in the smooth muscle of the stomach or the esophagus. The "Hughes/Green Hiccups Cure" increases carbon dioxide levels in the diaphragm itself, as well as in the stomach and esophagus. By swallowing, you are making the muscles work -- so they using up their available oxygen and replacing it with carbon dioxide. By temporarily discontinuing to breath, you prohibit new oxygen from entering your body and thus create an anaerobic condition in the spasming muscles. When the spasming diaphragm and stomach are deprived temporarily of oxygen, they encounter higher levels of carbon dioxide ... and you feel that scary drowning sensation! BUT this causes the spasming muscles to relax! The hiccups go away! Essentially, you are "tricking" your body into thinking that it's drowning ... and it decides to use it's resources for something other than hiccuping. The rather "scary" drowning sensation caused by this method is NECESSARY for the method to work. If it's not just a little bit difficult ... it doesn't work.
NOTE: This hiccups cure WORKS for virtually all cases. The method works especially well on

Answer 4

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
How do I cure the hiccups?
I have no idea how to cure hiccups, yet they won't stop no matter what i try!!!!!!

Answer 5

I know this is gonna sound silly, but heck, try it anyway.... okay? *giggles*

Get a glass of water and put a spoon in it. Drink the water while allowing the handle of the spoon, (or a butter knife) to rest against your cheek while in the glass of water. Yeah, I know....sounds crazy as all git out, but just try it. You'll see that even though I'm kuntry as fried chicken, I'm smart as a whip too!

Also, if you find yourself in a bind with a friend that has hic-ups and you don't have water and spoons or knives, tell that friend to turn around and "not look at you". Of course you'll be doing nothing, but they will THINK you are doing some kind of mumbo-jumbo and trust me.... they will not hic-up again! Why? I dunno. I reckon their minds click wondering what in tha heck you are doing behind their back.

You try this and let us know how it turns out. You jest might be surprised! Merry Christmas to ye!

Answer 6

i particularly enjoy hiccups. this always works tho for me to get rid of them, unfortunately lol. i just super look forward to the next hiccup and it doesnt come. almost everyone i told and they tried it, it worked on them. good luck

Answer 7

Drink some water. Then hold your brath as long as you can. Repeat it 3 or 4 times

Answer 8

Believe it or not, eating a few dill pickles will stop them. I've also heard that sucking on a lemon with some bitters on it works as well.

Answer 9

If mine get really bad, I just take a deep breath, hold it, and then drink a bunch of water. Basically, you have to put pressure on your diaphragm to "reset" it.

Answer 10

Hold your breath for 10 seconds...it works. Or you can take a big big gulp of water without breathing & it'll work, too.