How To Get Rid Of Hiccups: Tips and Tricks
Hiccups can be super annoying! No matter where you are, what time you get them, it’s never fun. Even though it’s a normal reflex, the faster they pass, the better. We’ve all experienced it, the persistent squeaks escaping one by one for what seems like an eternity. In the best cases, it’s just a couple of hiccups and that’s that. Other times it seems as if they will never go away. If you’ve experienced persistent hiccups, understanding how to prevent them and get rid of them is key. However, it turns out hiccups are quite a mystery. Of course, one of the easiest ways to get rid of hiccups is to let them pass naturally. However, there are many things you can try out to help them go by quicker. Here is everything you need to know on about and how to get rid of hiccups!
Even though hiccups are a normal reflex, however the faster they pass the better
Why Do We Get Hiccups?
Everybody gets hiccups. They can happen to anyone at any age. However, before we learn how to get rid of hiccups, we first need to know what they are. The easiest way to explain hiccups is that they are repeated spasms of the diaphragm paired with a type of squeak or “hic” sound coming from the vocal cords closing.
This is what happens in detail. The diaphragm is a muscle located under the rib cage. It separates the chest and stomach area. This muscle is a very important part of our breathing process. When we breathe, it moves downward when we breathe in and upward when we breathe out. So, this is what happens to it when we get the hiccups. The diaphragm pulls down between breaths, making you suck in air. The glottis which is the space between the vocal cords closes to stop more air from coming in. These action make the “hic” sound. This process happens very quickly, and it usually passes by itself.
We also have two main nerves at fault here. The first is the pheric nerve which is the motor and soensory nerve of the diaphragm. The second is the vagus, which is responible to help calm the body down.
Hiccups can happen to anyone at any age and at any time
What Causes Hiccups?
It’s not really clear why people get hiccups. However, there are several reasons, that we know, of which they can occur. Here are just some reasons for mild hiccups, that typically go away in a short time period. The more you can limit your exposure to these activities, the more it will help you prevent hiccup fits from occurring.
- Eating and drinking too quickly
- Drinking all types of carbonated beverages or alcohol
- Eating too much
- All types of stress – including fear and excitement
- Over stretching your neck
- Taking drugs, especially anxiety medication
- Drinking beverages that are too hot or too cold
- Going through chemotherapy
- Inhaling toxic fumes
- Being anesthetized for a procedure
- Acid reflux medication
- Abdominal surgery
- Sudden temperature changes
- Smoking
- Swallowing air while chewing gum
Overating or eating too fast can cause hiccups
How Long Do Hiccups Last?
In most cases hiccups typically last only a few minutes. They can also persist for hours as well. Very rarely they can persist for months. This often a result of weight loss and exhaustion. However, keep in mind it’s not normal for hiccups to continue too regularly or for them to last more than two days.
Hiccups can last from minutes up to hours
Are Hiccups Dangerous?
While hiccups themselves are not dangerous, they may be a sign of some more serious underlying health conditions. Make sure to contact your doctor if you’ve had the hiccups for more than two days, especially if they are disrupting your sleep and every day life. Some hiccups themselves can be more stubborn than others but still harmless. If that is the case, then your doctor might prescribe some medication to help them stop. Keep in mind that if lasting hiccups go untreated they can cause long-term damage or irritation to the vagus or phrenic nerves, which serve the diaphragm muscle.
However, more important than the duration of the hiccup attack, is the onset of any additional symptoms that may be accompanying them. If alongside the hiccups you have symptoms such as sudden numbness or coordination issues, this may indicate a stroke. This is very serious and needs immediate treatments. Some other symptoms that may indicate a stroke are a sudden difficulty to speak or swallow, facial drooping, speech change, vision changes and weakness on one side of your body. If you are not experiencing any of these and only the hiccups, you can wait up to a day or two before seeing a specialist. Transient hiccups are usually a part of the normal spectrum of life. However, if there are any other symptoms you may deem concerning, it’s best to go to a doctor.
Make sure to contact your doctor if you’ve had the hiccups for more than two days
Home Remedies For Hiccups
Let’s see what are some easy at-home remedies to try out for the hiccup attack that seems to never go away! Here are some safe and easy ideas you can try out. Sometime even the smallest of things can help when you are wondering on how to get rid of hiccups.
How to get rid of hiccups
Breathing
More often than not, even the simplest of changes in your posture can help the diaphragm relax. This will in it’s own turn rid you of the hiccups.
Measured breathing. Most simply said if you mess up your breathing a bit it may help. Try slowing it down, and keep it measured. Breathe in. Then count to five. Breathe out. And again, count to five. Make sure to make it controlled and slow.
Hold in your breathe. A real classic. Take a huge gulp of air. Hold it in for around ten to twenty seconds. After that just breathe out slowly. Do this process as many times as needed.
Valsalba. This technique is super easy. Just pinch your nose while your mouth is closed. Try to exhale while doing this.
Hug it out. This technique will help relax your muscles. Sit down somewhere comfortable. Pull your knees up to your chest. Make sure to hold them down for at least two minutes.
Chest compression. Lean forward, or bend yourself in a way you can compress your chest. Putting pressure on the diaphragm is a great way to relieve yourself from hiccups.
Paper bag. Cover your mouth with a paper bag, that includes the nose. Breathe into it slow and out slow again. However, keep in mind this will only work with a paper, and not a plastic bag.
The simplest of changes in your posture can help the diaphragm relax
Pressure Points
Okay so what are pressure points? These points are parts of the body that are really sensitive to any kinds of pressure. Even with just the slight pressure of your hand, you can achieve your diaphragm to relax. Or stimulate the phrenic or vagus nerves. These are the places you should try out.
- Tongue. This may sound weird, but pull on your tongue. This action will get your nerves stimulated and the muscles as well. Just grab the tip and pull it forward gently, at least once or twice.
- Swallow. Squeeze your nose while swallowing some water.
- Pressure on the palm. Using your thumb, apply some pressure to your palm. Give your other hand a gentle squeeze.
- Rub the neck. Try to rub the the back of your neck. This stimulates the phrenic nerve.
- Carotid artery massage. Massages can help with many things. This artery is found on both sides of the neck. This is also the artery you touch when checking out your pulse. Just lie down and turn your head to the left side. Gently massage for five to ten seconds in a slow circular motion.
- Diaphragm pressure. With your hands apply some pressure just below the sternum.
Rubbing the skin at the back of your neck may stimulate the phrenic nerve
Eat or Drink
While it may seem counterproductive, since most often hiccups are caused exactly by eating or drinking, it does work! You just need to know the right things and ways to consume them in order to help battle the hiccups. Here are some things you can try out.
- Drink some really cold water. It’s gonna be best if it’s with ice. Sip it slow. Drinking water is stimulating to the vagus nerve.
- Warm water. If it’s hard for you to drink cold water, you can try it with warm water. Drink it without stopping to breathe.
- Ice cube. Sucking on an ice cube for some minutes. Just swallow it when its small enough.
- Straws. Drinking from a straw can help do the trick. If you have one laying around, grab it.
- Eat. One of the nicest remedies. Having a spoon of peanut butter or honey. However, don’t swallow. Let it dissolve a bit before that.
- Sugar.Put some granulated sugar on the tongue. Let it sit for around five or ten seconds.
- Gargle. Try gargling on some cold water.
- Easy-peasy, lemon squeezy. While you can try with some lemon water, sucking on a lemon with some salt can help. Make sure to rinse the mouth out after that to protect your teeth.
- Vinegar. Dab a drop of vinegar on the tongue.
Suck on a lemon slice
Others
We know it can get annoying if nothing works, but don’t threat, here are some other methods you can try.
- Scare the hiccups away. Getting startled may overwhelm your vagus nerves and stop the hiccups.
- Backwards counting. Start counting from a hundred backwards. Since your brain needs to be concentrate, it will forget to hiccup. Sounds silly, but it works.
- Balloons. Blow up some balloons.
- Cotton swab. This one isn’t really pleasant. Swab the back of your throat or at least poke it.
- Distractions. Try reading a book, playing a game, or cooking. Distracting yourself may help you to stop focusing on the hiccups.
Blow up some balloons
Babies
It is normal for babies to get hiccups. Its a normal part of their development. While babies don’t usually care about hiccups, but they can be disruptive to their sleep and feeding. If the baby has them at one of these times, here are some easy and safe methods to try.
- Position. Sometimes just changing the baby’s position may help.
- Burp the baby.
- Suckling. Let them suckle on a pacifier for a bit.
Hiccups are a normal part of a baby’s development
Medicine For Hiccups
Okay, so you’ve tried all the possible home remedies and nothing seems to work. What now? Generally, doctors will reserve medication as a final resort. If you have severe, persistent, long-term hiccups, your doctor will most likely prescribe some medication to help handle them. This will most often happen if the hiccups are keeping you from eating properly, sleeping properly, or you are displaying signs of clinical depression. Here are some of the types of medication you can expect your doctor to prescribe.
- Baclofen. This type of medication is a muscle relaxant. It will help calm the diaphragm.
- Chlorpromazine. This is an antipsychotic medication.
- Gabapentin. While it’s initially used for treating epilepsy, it is now prescribed for neuropathic pain, as well as hiccups.
- Haloperidol. This is another type of antipsychotic medication.
- Metoclopramide or Reglan is a form of medication used in the treatment of nausea.
Your doctor will most likely prescribe some medication to help handle persistent hiccups
These were all the tips and tricks we have for you on how to get rid of hiccups. Now you know what to do when this annoying, uncomfortable issue occurs without having to wait too long for it to pass.
Get rid of hiccups fast and carry on as normal
