Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsMethods to TryHow Long They LastPreventing RecurrenceWhen to Seek Medical Care
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Methods to Try
How Long They Last
Preventing Recurrence
When to Seek Medical Care
Common ways to stop hiccups fast are to try deep breathing or to hold your breath.If these tactics don’t work, there are even more ways to stop hiccups.
This article explains methods to make hiccups disappear, how long they could last, how to keep them from recurring, and when to see a healthcare provider.
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What Causes Hiccups?
Why We Get Occasional or Constant Hiccups
1:45How to Treat and Get Rid of Hiccups
1:45
How to Treat and Get Rid of Hiccups
Stop Hiccups: 8 Ways to Get Rid of Continuous Hiccups
While hiccups are commonly laughed off, they can be distressing when experiencing them for any length of time or in an inconvenient location. Fortunately, there are quite a few cures to draw on. And the good news is, you don’t have to rely on water to cure hiccups. Instead, most tried and true techniques involve stimulating the vagus nerve.
Does Scaring Someone Cure Hiccups?
Gently Press on Your Eyeballs
Gently pressing on your eyeballs can stimulate the vagus nerve and potentially stop your hiccups. Scientists discovered this technique a little over 100 years ago and prescribed its use for treating hiccups.
They even invented a tool to use for applying pressure to the eyeballs. But you don’t need a tool to try this technique out at home. Simply close your eyes and use your fingers to put gentle pressure on your eyeballs.
Use the Valsalva Maneuver
TheValsalva maneuverinvolves breathing out forcefully while holding your mouth and nose closed. This, too, stimulates the vagus nerve, and researchers have found that it can sometimes stop hiccups.
In addition to stopping hiccups, the Valsalva maneuver is also used to control certain kinds of heart arrhythmia.
Plug Your Ears
Swallow Ice
Increase Blood Carbon Dioxide
Suck on a Lemon Wedge
Pull on Your Tongue
Pulling on yourtonguestimulates the vagus nerve. This simple technique could be just the trick to stop hiccups. Grab the end of your tongue and gently tug downward with a clean hand.
Curl up in a Ball
Finally, pulling your knees to your chest puts pressure on thediaphragm, which may cause it to stop contracting.To use this technique to stop hiccups, lie on your back with your knees bent. Next, lace your fingers under your knees and pull your knees toward your chest. Hold for up to a minute.
A Powerful Straw-Like Device Could Cure Your Hiccups
How Long Could Hiccups Last?
Hiccups are typically short-lived. They tend to come on suddenly and leave as abruptly as they came. Hiccups usually last for just a few minutes.However, hiccups can sometimes last longer and be recurrent or chronic.
Most cases of hiccups are acute and last less than 48 hours. Hiccups that last more than 48 hours are considered persistent and those lasting more than a month are intractable.
How to Keep Hiccups From Returning
To prevent hiccups from recurring, consider doing the following:
Hiccups may be more likely to recur within a short period, perhaps a day or so.
Can’t Stop Hiccups: When to See a Healthcare Provider
Although hiccups can be frustrating,you can’t die from hiccups. Chronic hiccups can sometimes be a symptom of another health condition, indicating problems with your diaphragm, bowel diseases, esophagus or stomach disorders, some cancers, andhepatitis.If your hiccups last longer than a few days, make an appointment with a healthcare provider.
Summary
Hiccups are common and usually short-lived. However, most people want them to stop immediately when they occur. The quickest way to stop hiccups is to stimulate the vagus nerve. Most hiccup cures, like pressing your eyeballs, pulling on your tongue, sucking on a lemon, plugging your ears, the Valsalva maneuver, and swallowing ice, rely on vagus nerve stimulation.
10 Sources
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Harvard Health Publishing. Harvard Medical School.Stopping hiccups.
Steger M, Schneemann M, Fox M.Systemic review: The pathogenesis and pharmacological treatment of hiccups.Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2015;42(9):1037-1050. doi:10.1111/apt.13374
Appelboam A, Reuben A, Mann C, et al.Postural modification to the standard Valsalva manoeuvre for emergency treatment of supraventricular tachycardias (Revert): a randomised controlled trial.The Lancet. 2015;386(10005):1747-1753. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(15)61485-4
Quiroga JB, García JU, Guedes JB.Hiccups: A common problem with some unusual causes and cures.Br J Gen Pract. 2016;66(652):584-586. doi:10.3399/bjgp16X687913
Accorsi TAD, Moreira FT, Amicis K, Köhler KF, Cordioli E, Pedrotti CHS.Tips and tricks for the persistent hiccup management in a Telemedicine encounter.Einstein (Sao Paulo). 2022;20:eCE0155. doi:10.31744/einstein_journal/2022CE0155
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