{"id":563,"date":"2017-06-06T07:37:12","date_gmt":"2017-06-06T07:37:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/?p=563"},"modified":"2021-03-18T14:01:36","modified_gmt":"2021-03-18T14:01:36","slug":"16-natural-remedies-hiccups","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/16-natural-remedies-hiccups\/","title":{"rendered":"16 Natural Remedies for the Hiccups"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Hiccups might be perfectly harmless, but as anyone who has suffered from them will know, they\u2019re also among the most frustrating things that we have to deal with on a regular basis.<\/p>\n

This might explain why there are so many different tricks, remedies and old wive\u2019s tales that claim they can help us to overcome the frustrating sensation. But do any of them work? And which are the most helpful. Moreover\u2026 how can they possibly work?<\/p>\n

One thing that can help, is to understand precisely what causes the hiccups in the first place. These are involuntary contractions of the diaphragm muscle. This is the muscle that is responsible for pushing air out of the lungs and it is found just above the abdominal cavity. Many things can trigger this irritation which include smoking, drinking too much alcohol, dehydration and even chewing gum.<\/p>\n

Often though, the spasms appear to come out of nowhere in just the same way that your eye might start twitching or you might suddenly find yourself with an acute bout of cramp. Whatever the cause, we\u2019re going to examine some natural remedies in this comprehensive guide. 16 of them to be precise!<\/p>\n

1. \u00a0Drink Backwards<\/h3>\n

One popular trick which my Mum always used to encourage, is to try drinking out of a glass backwards. In other words, you are aiming to drink out of the glass \u2018from the wrong side\u2019. Take your glass of water, then lean over it as far as you can and wrap your lips around the far side of the rim. You should have your upper lip on the outside of the glass and your lower lip on the inside. Now bend right over and drink. You\u2019ll feel the water running out of your nose as it passes through your nasal cavity<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Often, when you right yourself again, you\u2019ll find that the hiccups are gone!<\/p>\n

\"\"2. \u00a0Swallow Three Times<\/h3>\n

This is the most effective trick I know and the one that I always recommend to friends these days. Simply try and swallow three times as quickly as you can.<\/p>\n

This is actually harder than it sounds as the reflexes will try and fight you to prevent you from swallowing immediately after you just have when there is no saliva<\/a>.<\/p>\n

This is the whole point though, the concentration is taking back control over your gut and helping you to prevent the spasms as a result.<\/p>\n

\"\"3. \u00a0Get Frightened<\/h3>\n

This is another one of the most common and popular recommendations: get someone to scare you! That is more easily said than done though, seeing as it\u2019s much harder to be startled when you know it\u2019s coming\u2026 so you\u2019ll need someone who has the knack for this for it to work!<\/p>\n

Either way, the aim is to get you to suddenly tense your muscles<\/a>, to produce more adrenaline (which will put you in a sympathetic state) and to inhale air in a short way. You can try doing all these things on your own, but the method that is most effective is simply to get someone to scare you!<\/p>\n

Of course the downside of this method is that you can feel rather foolish if it doesn\u2019t work \u2013 as can the person whose job it was to scare you in the first place\u2026<\/p>\n

\"\"4. \u00a0Distract Yourself<\/h3>\n

Hiccups have a strong psychosomatic<\/a> aspect and the problem is that the more you focus on them, the more likely they are to persist. And you know what they say: a watched pot never boils! So the answer is simply to find a way to distract yourself so that you forget about them.<\/p>\n

And the best way to do that is to use something that fully engages your attention as this will also help to alter your breathing. Watch a good film, play a game or otherwise do something you enjoy and your hiccups will likely be gone as soon as you come back to the real world.<\/p>\n

The other great thing about this method is that while you\u2019re distracted, you\u2019ll be less concerned about the hiccups.<\/p>\n

\"\"5. \u00a0Take a Warm Bath<\/h3>\n

Having a warm bath is actually a great remedy for all kinds of different issues. That\u2019s because it helps to relax the muscles and especially if you take the bath along with a few drops of an essential oil! Do this and you can feel your gut and your abs ease up and the hiccups will hopefully subside.<\/p>\n

Again, relaxing can also generally help you to bear the sensation of hiccups<\/a> a little easier as well!<\/p>\n

\"\"6. \u00a0Use Correct Breathing<\/h3>\n

One of the very best ways to address hiccups is also one of the very most simple: just practice correct breathing! Correct breathing actually uses the diaphragm<\/a> in a very controlled manner and this can help you to regain that control. Not only that, but correct breathing also stimulates the vagus nerve by putting you into a parasympathetic state (the opposite of being startled).<\/p>\n

To breath correctly, the aim is to relax the abdominal wall and thereby to allow the abdominal cavity to expand. What this will do is to create an empty space that the diaphragm can drop into and this means you\u2019ll fill the lungs starting at the bottom and then moving up to the top.<\/p>\n

This is a much fuller breath and it\u2019s something you should aim to do even when you don\u2019t have the hiccups!<\/p>\n

\"\"7. \u00a0Hold Your Breath<\/h3>\n

An even simpler way to take control of your breath and therefore your diaphragm is simply to try holding your breath. Just shut your mouth and count slowly to an arbitrary<\/a> high number. If you can do this correctly, you\u2019ll find the hiccups don\u2019t come back once you start breathing again.<\/p>\n

Of course the only issue here is that you can often find yourself hiccupping mid breath-hold and this in turn will ruin your progress (and is generally highly annoying!).<\/p>\n

\"\"8. \u00a0Eat a Teaspoon of Honey<\/h3>\n

Honey is another cure-all that can be used in all kinds of different situations.It is particularly effective when it comes to treating hiccups because it is said to tickle the vagus nerve<\/a>, thereby helping to reset it and put an end to those frustrating hiccups.<\/p>\n

At the very least, honey is a nice shot of sugar which is soothing and the texture is similarly comforting.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"\"9. \u00a0Eat a Little Spicy Sauce<\/h3>\n

Spicy sauce can trigger all kinds of changes in the body and in short, it wreaks havoc with us! In this case, that\u2019s a good thing.<\/p>\n

Just take a little chilli sauce<\/a> or similar, add some to a spoon and then put it in your mouth. If nothing else, this shock to the system will once again serve as a distraction and take your mind off those hiccups!<\/p>\n

\"\"10. \u00a0Stick Your Tongue Out Hard<\/h3>\n

A surprisingly effective method is also to try pushing your tongue<\/a> out hard. Doing this once more stimulates the vagus nerve and another way to get the same result is to try grabbing the end of your tongue with your fingers and pulling.<\/p>\n

Be careful of course, this can be painful if you are too rough!<\/p>\n

\"\"11. \u00a0Eat Sour Food<\/h3>\n

Eating sour food has a similar effect to eating spicy food. This will distract you from the hiccups and also shock the body into change.<\/p>\n

A common option is to try biting a lemon<\/a> wedge. Likewise, the citrusy smell can cause you to wince, which again simply alters the signals that are going through your body.<\/p>\n

This is a literally \u2018shock to the system\u2019.<\/p>\n

\"\"12. \u00a0Plunge Pool<\/h3>\n

Not everyone is fortunate enough to have one, but if you have a plunge pool in your garden then you have the ideal hiccup remedy right there ready and waiting.<\/p>\n

Just jump straight into the freezing water and you\u2019ll take a large breath as you do, simultaneously feeling the effects of a sudden rush of adrenaline<\/a>. From there your breathing will increase and generally, your body will have much more important things to do than to worry about spasming the diaphragm!<\/p>\n

If you don\u2019t have a plunge pool, then other good options include splashing cold water onto your face (the colder the better!) or taking an icy cold shower. If you\u2019re shivering and breathing rapidly, then you\u2019re on the right track!<\/p>\n

\"\"13. \u00a0Breathe Into a Paper Bag<\/h3>\n

This is a remedy that is often recommended for those with anxiety issues. This works for those things because it changes the way you breathe and that\u2019s also what makes it useful for hiccups. Breathing into a brown bag essentially means that you are recycling your used air, which will be mainly carbon dioxide<\/a>.<\/p>\n

This can fight the effects of rapid breathing and help the body to calm down after becoming too highly oxygenated.<\/p>\n

\"\"14. \u00a0Take Small Sips of Water<\/h3>\n

Taking very small sips of water has also been shown to be a fairly effective method for combating hiccups. This helps to hydrate<\/a> you and simultaneously requires control and relaxation.<\/p>\n

Ironically though, it can also be just as effective to try drinking quickly and with very large gulps which will require the use of the diaphragm and controlled breathing around the gulps.<\/p>\n

In general, drinking water is good for you and doing it in a deliberate manner will help to put you back in control of your faculties!<\/p>\n

\"\"15. \u00a0See a Doctor<\/h3>\n

It\u2019s all too easy to write hiccups off as nothing. Actually though, hiccups can be the result of various other conditions.<\/p>\n

The nerves are controlled by signals that start off in the brain for instance and this explains why in very rare cases, a bout of hiccups can actually be triggered by a stroke or even a brain tumor<\/a>. Of course the likelihood of this is miniscule and it\u2019s far more probably that you just have the hiccups.<\/p>\n

However, if your hiccups show no sign of abating after days, then you should consider seeing your doctor. At the very least, they might be able to help you to overcome the problem or just to ease the symptoms a little.<\/p>\n

\"\"16. \u00a0Wait it Out<\/h3>\n

Finally, the one method for treating hiccups that has been 100% proven to work in 99.999% of cases\u2026 is just to wait it out. Hiccups are self-limiting and usually, they will subside of their own accord after a while. Just be patient, distract yourself with other things and try not to become too frustrated.<\/p>\n

Eventually, you should find that you begin to overcome the hiccups and feel better and more relaxed as a result. The best part is that you usually won\u2019t feel this happen \u2013 you\u2019ll just suddenly remember that you used to have the hiccups and realize that they\u2019re now gone. That\u2019s a great feeling\u2026 but probably not worth the frustration<\/a> that led you there.<\/p>\n\r\n

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