My daughter doesn’t often get the hiccups, so when she got them the other day she immediately asked, “How do I get rid of hiccups?”. There are so many theories and home remedies on how to get rid of hiccups, and below we will share them with you. Including my grandmother’s “no-fail” hiccup cure!
How to Get Rid of Hiccups
Scare Away the Hiccups
This is an old wives tale, and while it hasn’t been scientifically proven to stop them there is some evidence of why this works. When we are startled, our breathing reflex is disturbed. This reflex uses the musculature of the midriff, and so this might indeed help stop a case of hiccups.
Hold Your Breath
An easy remedy you can do anywhere to help get rid of hiccups is to hold your breath. It is said that by holding your breath you increase the carbon dioxide levels in your lungs. This may help relax your diaphragm and stop the hiccups.
Sip Cold Water
Another easy remedy is to drink cold water. Cold water stops the irritation produced in the diaphragm and it resumes its normal movement.
Suck on a Lemon Wedge
Suck on a lemon, and double the effect by sipping cold water. The reason lemon tends to help is that it has a high acidity which disrupts the esophagus and distracts the vagus nerve, resetting the contractions.
Grandma’s No-Fail Remedy – A Spoon Full of Sugar
This is probably the most delightful way to get rid of hiccups. As a child, my grandmother would give me a spoonful of sugar, and every time my hiccups would go away. When I tell people this today they look at me like I’m crazy, however, there is some science as to why this works. Similar to holding your breath, the granules of sugar in your throat can irritate the back of your throat and stimulate the vagus nerve, which controls your diaphragm movements.
Why These Home Remedies Work
One thing all of these have in common is relaxing your diaphragm. The reason this works is because a hiccup is repeated spasms of the diaphragm. The key is to relax it, this is why there are so many different remedies to get rid of hiccups and why each one doesn’t work for everyone. The key is finding the remedy that works for you. For me and my family, it is a spoonful of sugar!
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