Hiccups are funny but annoying spasms of our diaphragm muscle. They are not harmful, but they can drive us nuts unless we find a way to stop them. If you are going through a hiccup session, you might want to try these extremely efficient hiccup stopping tips and tricks.
1. Eat something sweet – One of the most popular hiccup remedies is eating something sweet. A spoonful of sugar can be efficient as its texture might irritate the lining of your esophagus slightly, but enough to stimulate the nerve that is responsible for the hiccups. 19 out of 20 people have confirmed that they were able to stop hiccupping by eating a spoonful of sugar. Eating one or two teaspoons of honey is just as effective, as honey has a calming effect on your respiratory and digestive tract.
2. Eat or drink something sour – According to a recent study, there are certain compounds that can be found in sour foods and beverages that might help relieve hiccups. Try drinking a teaspoon of vinegar or lemon juice in order to stop hiccupping instantly. Here are eight amazing uses for vinegar.
3. Eat a spoon of peanut butter – Eating a spoon of peanut butter is among the classic hiccup remedies. While you’re busy chewing the peanut butter and getting it off your teeth and tongue, your breathing and swallowing pattern will change and the hiccups might stop. Experts believe that peanut butter also helps relieve the annoying spasms by coating the inner lining of the esophagus.
4. Breathe into a paper bag – According to Mayo Clinic, breathing into a paper bag is an unproven remedy that might provide some relief. We all know that breathing into a bag is calming for people who are having a panic attack or who are hyperventilating. By breathing deeply and slowly into a small paper bag, the carbon dioxide levels in our blood will increase. As a result, the diaphragm will instinctively contract more in order for the body to get more oxygen. Changing the activity of your diaphragm might help you get rid of the hiccups.
5. Chew some dill seeds – This might be one of the most interesting and weird ways to stop the hiccups. The process of chewing and swallowing the dill seeds will stimulate the nerve that is responsible for the hiccups, the vagus nerve.
6. Drink water through a paper towel – Cover a glass with a paper towel and try to drink water through the paper. As unpleasant as it may sound, drinking through the paper towel might be extremely effective. You will be forced to ‘pull’ harder with your diaphragm in order to be able to drink the water. As a result, the spasmodic muscles that are giving you the hiccups will be interrupted by the gulping, thus changing their pattern.
7. Drink ice water – If you are out of paper towels, you can still get rid of hiccups by drinking plain ice water. The secret is to take really small sips. The repeated diaphragm contractions that happen naturally when you swallow the water will help stop the muscular spasms causing the hiccups.
