Everyone has had them at one time or another. They seem to happen without warning or apparent cause to the young, as well as to the old. Hiccups are actually spasms of the diaphragm muscle. Every time we take a breath, the curved diaphragm contracts and pulls down. This action helps to draw oxygen into our lungs. Then, when we exhale, the diaphragm muscle pushes upwards. This helps expel the air from our lungs. The diaphragm moves up and down and does its job well most of the time. However, sometimes, instead of moving smoothing, this muscle jerks down. When this happens, we suddenly take in a lot of air into our throats. When this air reaches the larynx, then hiccups occur. Although hiccups themselves aren’t dangerous, they are annoying and bothersome. If you have these spasms from time to time, then try some homemade remedies to stop those annoying hiccups
The most effective remedy to stop hiccups is to fill your lungs full of air, then hold your breath for several seconds. While holding your breath, quickly drink a glass of tap water, then exhale. This should stop the spasms of your diaphragm immediately.
A variation of this remedy that some people swear by, is to simply inhale as deeply as you can. Then, hold your breath as long as you can. Finally, exhale! By expanding your lungs, the diaphragm moves down. This movement usually stops a case of hiccups pretty quick.
Another homemade remedy to get rid of hiccups is to take a big drink of tap water. Hold the water in your mouth while you use your forefingers to plug your ears. Then, slowly swallow the water. Take your fingers out of your ears, and you should find that your hiccups are gone. It sounds strange, but try it!
If you have a case of the hiccups and you’re alone at the time, you can always cure them by releasing the excess air from your lungs. How? By simply burping several times. Not a very mannerly, or attractive, homemade remedy to stop those annoying hiccups, but an effective cure just the same.
A variation of “burping your hiccups away” is to fill an eight-ounce glass full of tap water. Pour a half teaspoon of baking soda into the water and stir it well. Drink this mixture slowly until it’s gone. After a few minutes, your annoying hiccups should vanish.
My paternal grandmother also told people who suffer from the hiccups to use sugar as a homemade remedy. The instructions were to hold your head back, then slowly pour a teaspoon of sugar in the back of your mouth. I’m not sure how the sugar worked exactly, but my grandmother swore by it.
And, of course, there’s always the age-old homemade remedy to cure hiccups by breathing quickly into a brown paper bag.
If you suffer from hiccups, or spasms of the diaphragm muscles, on a regular basis, you might want to change your eating habits a little. For example, you should cut down, or cut out, drinking carbonated drinks. You should also cut back on hot, spicy foods, and allow food and drinks to cool down a bit before you eat or drink them.
Reference:
- Read more about hiccups at: www.webmd.com/hw/health_guide_atoz/ut1404.asp
