10 Safe and Efficient Ways to Stop a Bout of Hiccups

Hiccups are a rather curious phenomenon: they almost always start out of nowhere and, likewise, pass without the need for any treatment. But, as we’ll show later, sometimes the hiccups turn into something serious and require a doctor’s consultation.

From a physiological point of view, it is a sudden and involuntary contraction of the diaphragm that causes the air to rise quickly and abruptly. When this occurs, the larynx contracts and the vocal cords reverberate, producing the famous hic!

According to the Guinness Book of Records, the holder of the coveted world record for hiccups is the American Charles Osborne (1892-1991) who spent no less than 68 years old sobbing — yes: 68 years! You didn’t read it wrong.

We, from awesome.club, we obviously don’t want any of our readers to achieve that record. So we decided to bring some tips to end the hic-hics.

Place your fingers in your ears for 20 to 30 seconds, gently pressing on the back of your earlobes, below the base of your skull. Experts say this type of movement sends a relaxation signal to the vagus nerve, which in turn is connected to the diaphragm.

Drinking water through a straw helps to relax the nerves. Gargling with water can have the same effect. This method doesn’t always work the first time, so it’s worth insisting on a few sips.

Oh, and instead of throwing the straw in the trash, wash it for more uses. They are a huge problem for marine life in the oceans.

If none of the previous tricks work, put the two together! Block your ears while drinking water through a straw. When you put your fingers in your ears to block them, you are, as we said, putting pressure on the vagus nerve while also getting the benefits of steady, even swallowing.

This method increases the pressure of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the blood, making the diaphragm contact deeper in order to obtain more oxygen. But if you experience any dizziness, stop immediately.

Chewing lemon or drinking honey with warm water stimulates the vagus nerve and provides a kind of ‘rest’ for hiccups. The vagus nerve runs from the brain to the stomach and other organs in the so-called parasympathetic innervation. Researchers believe that irritation to this nerve can cause hiccups. Therefore, a solution like the one described above can “relieve” this nerve, allowing you to stop hiccups.

Acupuncture may be a treatment option for those who tend to experience frequent bouts of hiccups. This alternative can be adopted to irritate or relax the nerves that cause the contractions. Some patients report good results with the adoption of the method.

Some people will love the method: a spoonful of sugar or peanut butter can stop the hiccups. But beware: the issue here has more to do with the movement than with sugar itself. The act of biting and the movement of the tongue when helping the candy to go down will change the type of movement of the entire abdomen, making this region more relaxed and the hiccups stop.

It may even seem like a joke or child’s play, but this grimace can put an end to the bout of hiccups. Sticking out the tongue activates the glottis—the opening between the vocal cords—which relaxes and, in turn, cuts the spasms that cause the hic-hic.

Another technique beyond strange, but which, say some experts, can work. Place a pencil horizontally in your mouth and try to take a few sips of water from a glass. Don’t let the pencil fall out of your mouth.

One of the best techniques. To put it into practice, just inhale all the air you can and as quickly as possible. Then exhale beeeem slowly for 30 seconds. Repeat this process until the hiccups stop.

As we said at the beginning of this text, hiccups are a somewhat mysterious problem that everyone has experienced at some point. The tips we passed can help in occasional situations.

Now, if the hiccups persist for a long time, see a doctor.

Do you have your own hiccup hacks?

If so, share it with us in the comments.