How To Get Rid of Hiccups
How to get rid of hiccups is the usual question when individuals experience the discomfort caused by hiccups. Hiccups are one of the most uncomfortable yet amusing things the body inflicts on itself.
The sound is funny, the jerk movement while releasing the sound and the sheer persistence of such are quite comical. However, the discomfort cause by this troubling condition us no laughing matter.
Knowing how to get rid of hiccups can change discomfort into relief.
What Happens When a Person Hiccups?
Hiccups resulted from spasms of the diaphragm. The diaphragm is the muscles that is located below the lungs, across the rib cage, which is essential for breathing.
When spasms on the diaphragm occur, it pulls on the stomach, causing to draw in a rush of air. Since air is not supposed to enter the stomach, the body responds by shutting off the vocal cords.
This reaction produces the “hic” sound. When diaphragmatic spams occur over and over again, chains of hiccups are experienced. Worse, these chains of hiccups can last for a year.
What Causes Hiccups?
Hiccups are caused by a lot of factors and are associated with certain medical conditions. Generally, hiccups are brought about by affectations of the phrenic nerve.
The phrenic nerve runs from the neck to the chest and controls the functioning and movement of the diaphragm. Hiccups are also commonly thought to be the result of ingesting too much air, or eating and drinking too much and too fast, or because of rapid breathing brought by excitation.
How to Get Rid of Hiccups
How to get rid of hiccups may be done in numerous self and home remedies. The main purpose is to disrupt the cycle of diaphragmatic spasms by calming the body and increasing the level of carbon dioxide in the bloodstream for a short period, which is thought to help relieve hiccups.
Here are ways on how to get rid of hiccups:
- Hold your breath: Try holding your breath for 10 seconds. Repeat such step while catching breath in between until hiccups are gone.
- Drink water from opposite side of the cup: Fill a cup halfway with water and hold the cup right side up. Try to stand and bend over and your moth is on the opposite side of the cup. The opening of the cups around your chin. Drink as much water as you can.
- Breathe into a paper bag: This method works best for most people who tried it when hiccups are experienced. Have a brown paper bag. Hold the opening around your mouth. Make sure to seal it lightly with your hands. Blow in and out for 10 times. Repeat the process until hiccups disappear. Make sure to breathe in air in between procedures.
- Swallow a teaspoon of sugar: Tilt your head back and have a teaspoon of sugar. Hold the sugar on your tongue to moisten or wash it down with a glass of water. There’s really not much to it but swallowing a teaspoon of sugar is way easier.
- Gargle with ice water: This could sometimes do the trick. Have a glass of ice water and gargle for around 8 to 10 seconds. Be careful not to swallow any ice cubes.
- Massage the roof of your mouth: Massage the back of the rood of your mouth with a cotton swab. This will help stimulate the vagus nerve so as to ease the spasms of the diaphragm. Make sure not to gag and avoid any dreadful gag reflexes.
- Cough, sneeze or burp: Any of these reactions may help get rid hiccups. These three reactions causes the diaphragm to constrict, thus breaking the pattern of hiccups.
How to get rid of hiccups may be a question to a lot of people who have been frequently suffering this condition. There are a lot of various ways on how to get rid of hiccups. The best treatment depends on how suitable the person is to the chosen method.
