How to Get Rid/prevent of Hiccups? (painful, rib cage, cold)

[GNCamry99]

How to Get Rid/prevent of Hiccups?
===========================

Thanks for weighing in.

I am getting Hiccups , that stays for awhile.

I tried drinking water, holding breath and release etc. It is not helping.

It goes away after some time.

What is causing these Hiccups?

Is it a sign of some other major brewing condition?


Thanks for sharing.

[irootoo]

I get hiccups probably three times a week. It usually happens after I've eaten something too quickly. I can generally stop them by taking my pulse at the wrist. If that doesn't work, I swallow a small amount of water while gently holding both ears closed.

[Navyshow]

Hiccups are a spasm of the diaphragm. I can get it under control by stopping whatever I am doing and focusing on stabilizing the diaphragm area which is located under the lungs (picture a sheet below your rib cage and concentrate on making it perfectly still). Focus on this being a muscle and mentally and physically stop it in its tracks and visualize making it stand still (relax, relax....totally relax, slightly slump over and relax the inner area) - like relaxing a leg muscle. You can still breathe, but just let that whole area fade into jelly. The hiccups will stop. It works for me every time.

[NightBazaar]

I remember an old woman told me her home remedy was to take ten sips of cool to cold water from a glass. Not mouthfuls, just small sips. Doing so also means holding your breath for a few seconds as you take the ten sips. I'm not exactly sure why that technique would help, but perhaps it's because of the combination of holding your breath and having the muscles of your diaphragm repeatedly moving from swallowing and distraction by mentally counting the sips. I've tried doing it. Sometimes it seems to help but sometimes it doesn't. If you still have the hiccups, her recommendation was to try it again.

[brava4]

This is so funny. Growing up, whenever we got the hiccups my father would have us bend over the bathtub and drink water, essentially upside down. I have 5 siblings and all of us would crowd around the one with the hiccups and watch, laughing.

It always worked but I really think it worked because it got the person distracted and laughing.

My father was a silly guy. Always made us laugh.

[Jude24]

I always use this cure, and taught it to my grandchildren when they were small. They still laugh about it but also swear that it works. Take a regular glass of water and place a butter knife in it. Hold it with the handle of the knife touching your temple, and drink the water. Voila...it really does work. Like many other "cures" that seem to work, it is likely just something that focuses your attention on something else, but it is easy to do. Try it next time.

[KaraG]

Two more that have worked many times:

Eat a spoonful of sugar

Pull your tongue 13 times

[jtab4994]

Originally Posted by GNCamry99

How to Get Rid/prevent of Hiccups?
===========================

Thanks for weighing in.

Concentrate on that blue dot over there. Concentrate real hard. If you don't see a blue dot, make one with your pen and concentrate on it. But you have to focus 100% on it for as long as you can.

All the remedies, drinking a glass of water, getting startled, etc, have one thing in common: they get your mind focused on something besides the hiccups. So concentrate on that blue dot.

[Transmition]

There is probably a time component too. By the time you've got yourself a glass of water or done some repetitive action, enough time has passed for the diaphragm to sort itself out.

[VTsnowbird]

I also get them easily, walking and talking, eating too fast, walking and breathing, you name it. And quite often they are not dainty hiccups but loud, prolonged, painful spasms. Good thing I live alone. I second the "relax your diaphragm" - I do this if I feel them coming on during a walk. Stop, breathe out, relax. My other solution is take a big breath, close mouth and hold nose, pretend you are trying to blow up your lungs like they are a balloon. (valsalva maneuver.)