Hiccups 101

Hiccups can make others laugh but for the person experiencing them – it is a huge bother! Especially if they just won’t go away. Hiccups are also spelt as hiccoughs as the sound is derived from act of hiccups. It is caused by the sudden contraction of the diaphragm, the muscle used for breathing.

Getting hiccups is one of the common things which we go through in our life and is treated as a very normal thing. But if this anguish keeps bothering you, then it has to be shown to your local doctor to be treated as soon as possible. Most of the hiccups which we happen to come across last for some few minutes.

Even though hiccups are a very common thing the causes for such kind of thing is still unknown but some of the known reasons by which we get affected are:

Eating too fast
Swallowing air
Drinking too fast
Nervousness or anxiety
Neurological problems
Consumption of alcohol
Changes in temperature
Interference in the sleeping pattern

Some of the remedies which will help cure your hiccups are:

While pinching your nose start swallowing at least 10-20 sips of water while holding your breathe all the time. This would help you cure your hiccup problems
By swallowing 1 or 2 tsp sugar at least three times may prove to be effective
Munching a dry piece of bread very slowly
Sucking on to a lemon slice
Having peanut butter also helps as it is sticky and helps in your breathing pattern
Holding your breathe and counting till 10 may also help
Breathing into a paper bag
Drinking pineapple juice also helps
A short exercise to get the hiccup out of your system by bending forward and applying pressure on your chest
Gulping stuff down your system also helps be it water, juice, vinegar as it helps in clearing the airways
There are products in the market which help in getting rid of the hiccups
By getting a cough or a sneeze
Taking a hot shower
Chewing a gum
Having ice bags on both sides of your throat