Everyone gets hiccups now and again. And many people have developed their own methods for getting rid of them.
Hiccups are a spasm of the diaphragm. When it spasms, you inhale suddenly and involuntarily, causing a high pitched sound.
Some people can find it really difficult to get rid of hiccups, and can be stuck waiting for them to go away. Here's some of the best solutions to hiccups that have been proven to work.
Read more: Why am I so bloated? The seven main causes and what to do.
What causes hiccups?
Hiccups happen when your diaphragm begins to spasm involuntarily. Your diaphragm is a large muscle that helps you breathe in and out. When it spasms, you inhale suddenly and your vocal cords snap shut, which causes a distinctive sound.
There's often no obvious reason why you get hiccups, but some people find certain things trigger hiccups, such as:
- stress
- strong emotions, like excitement
- eating and drinking
In some very rare cases, hiccups can last longer than 48 hours. This can be due to a medical condition or a medicine you're taking.
Solutions that might work
There are loads of methods you can try to get rid of your hiccups. Some recommended by the NHS are:
breathe into a paper bag
pull your knees up to your chest and lean forward
sip ice-cold water
swallow some granulated sugar
bite on a lemon or taste vinegar
hold your breath for a short time
Some other techniques are:
- Squeeze your nose and swallow water
- Drink from the other side of the glass
- Suck an ice cube
- Tap or rub the back of your neck
- Distract yourself with something engaging
Things to avoid
Some things can make your hiccups worse. Make sure you:
do not drink alcoholic, fizzy or hot drinks
do not chew gum or smoke – these can cause you to swallow air
do not eat spicy food
do not eat food very quickly
do not eat or drink something very cold immediately after something hot
