Hiccup occurs to everyone at some point in our lives, and we always drink plenty of water to stop it. Besides water, there are other easy ways that you can stop yourself from hiccuping as well. Hiccups are sudden and involuntary contractions of the diaphragm muscle. As the muscle contracts repeatedly, the opening between the vocal cords snaps shut to check air’s inflow. That is when it makes the hiccup sound. Irritation of the nerves that extend from the neck to the chest can also cause hiccups. These are the useful tips that help you to cure hiccups, let’s see if you have ever used any of them.
1Eat Sour Food
Sour food plays a great part when it comes to curing the hiccups. You can bite something that is very sour like a lemon wedge, the more sour the better. You can sprinkle some sugar or salt on the lemon if you cannot stand the sour taste. In case you don’t like lemon, a teaspoon of vinegar will also do.
2Eat Sweet Food
Eating something very sweet can also get rid of hiccups, and it actually works with many people. For example, you can swallow a teaspoon of sugar because it will irritate the esophagus of your throat. When your esophagus is irritated, the phrenic area nerve will reset and the hiccups will stop.
3Dry Cocoa Powder
Swallowing a spoonful of cocoa powder also helps you to eliminate your hiccups. Any chocolate powder will do, so there is a variety of choices that you can choose from.
4Gargling With Ice Water
There are many doctors that recommend gargling with ice water to stop the hiccups. You can either use cold water or normal water with ice cubes but make sure you won’t swallow them. That will be a bigger thing to care about rather than hiccuping.
5Hold Your Breath
You must inhale and exhale the air out once, forcing out as much air as possible when exhaling the air. Do so until you feel like you need to breathe in some air again, then hold your breath. At the same time, use your fingers to block your ears and stick your tongue out as you breathe. It sounds weird, yes, but it is one of the best ways to cure hiccups.
6Honey
All you need is a teaspoon of honey in a glass of water to stop unstoppable hiccups. Stir it thoroughly before you drink so that it will be more effective. Honey has the ability to tickle the vagus nerve and put an end to your hiccups.
7Paper Bag
Breathing in and out of a paper bag can also stop you from hiccuping, and it actually works fast. You have to put the paper bag close to your mouth and seal it tightly. Then, deep breathe in and out as fast as you can and wait to see the magic.
8Pinch Your Nose & Drink Water
It is a very effective method to cure hiccups when normally drinking water does not help. You can pinch your nose and hold your breath while gulping down a glass of water. It also works if you swallow a large amount of food like rice as you hold your breath. The hiccup will disappear after the first or second attempt at most when you do any of the methods.
9Small Sips of Water
For light hiccups when you are eating, you can take small sips of water to clear your throat. You can also try to breathe in between each small sip of water as well to make it more effective.
10Spicy Sauce
If hiccups are difficult to stop, you can sip a teaspoon of spicy sauce like chili sauce. The sauce will be so hot that it will distract you away to focus on the burning effect on your tongue. You can drink a glass of water right after to cool yourself down from the spice.
11Stick Your Tongue Out Hard
When you stick your tongue out hard, it will stimulate the vagus nerve while easing the spasm and diaphragm. Doing so can also help you to get rid of any reflex problems in the mouth as well.
12Two Straws
Fill a glass with water and put two straws in it with one straw pressing against the side of the glass. Then drink that water with the two straws. When drinking water, make sure to gulp down as much water as possible to stop yourself from hiccuping.
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