Home Remedies for Hiccups

Hiccups are not really much of a problem, but in most cases can be more of an annoyance. All of us have experienced hiccups at some point of time or the other and most would agree that it is a trivial condition that doesn’t really require any treatment, except for in situations where it does cause some discomfort or embarrassment. Hiccups are basically sudden and involuntary contractions of the muscles in the diaphragm. As these sudden and spasm like contractions in the muscle occur repeatedly, the opening between the vocal cords closes to impeded the inflow of air, giving rise to the hiccup sound. Hiccups can be caused when there is irritation to the nerves extending from the neck down to the chest. Hiccups are almost always a minor annoyance rather than indicative of any ailment, but in some cases may be indicative of, or may be triggered by some more serious conditions such as pneumonia or from the rise of toxicity in levels as would be the case from kidney failure. Under normal circumstances however hiccups are not at all serious and have no clear cause.

Although the cause of hiccups is not clearly understood or agreed upon there is a lot of speculation and there are many possible triggers for the peculiar condition. It is widely believed that the occurrence of hiccups is governed by some specific nerves in the spinal cord towards the back of the neck. These nerves may be triggered by certain activities such as eating to quickly causing an impulse or signal to be transmitted to the phrenic nerve, which maintains control over the diaphragm. The hiccups are then actually produced when the glottis shuts off the windpipe. The exact causes of hiccups are however not understood clearly and the condition does seem rather mysterious with no clear cause and no known purpose. Hiccups almost always have a limited duration, passing without intervention in a matter of minutes. In some rare cases however, hiccups may last for a few days or even longer. Hiccups can be set off by seemingly any circumstance, with different people experiencing hiccups triggered by different conditions. For some people eating extremely spicy food can trigger hiccups, while swallowing ear when consuming food, such as from eating too fast is the most common cause. Drinking carbonated beverages and consuming alcoholic products are also among the most common triggers for hiccups. Stress and excitement are also possible triggers for a bout of hiccups. Under almost all of these circumstances hiccups are simply an annoying but benign phenomenon.

Hiccups start from the diaphragm, a dome shaped muscle in the chest. Diaphragm’s function is to pull and push air in and out of the lungs while inhaling and exhaling respectively. Hiccups are caused when the diaphragm is irritated. Generally hiccups last for a few minutes but sometimes they may last for days or weeks. This may be a sign of some other medical problems in the body.

Hiccups treatments to get rid of hiccups quickly may or may not help, with the phenomenon because of the absence of any certainty. Hiccup remedies that work usually involve drinking water and breath control and there aren’t really any medicated treatments for newborns or adults alike. Home remedies for hiccups may vary greatly in their effectiveness, with some showing results in some cases for some individuals, while being completely ineffective for others. The only effective way to find out how to stop hiccups is by experimenting with different techniques. Some of these methods can help to relieve the symptoms of constant hiccups after eating or while eating, which can be quite bothersome. Hiccups in newborns and hiccups in babies after feeding are also very common and usually pass in a matter of minutes without any intervention. Although at most times treatment may be unnecessary in certain situations it may help to understand how to stop hiccups, such as after surgery or in the case of hiccups during pregnancy.

Prolonged episodes of hiccups may be an altogether different story, but are thankfully quite rare. Prolonged episodes can be serious and may be completely perplexing, making diagnosis near impossible. In some cases attacks of this nature have even been associated with fatalities. The normal hiccup incidents that last for barely a few minutes are simply described as hiccup bouts, but hiccups lasting for 2 days or more are considered protracted or persistent, while hiccups that last for as long as a month or longer are described as intractable. As disturbing and unbelievable as the prospect of unending hiccups may sound the longest case of hiccups lasted for six whole decades.

Hiccups are not considered to be a threat to an individual’s health but they certainly can be troublesome. In most cases, hiccups stop after a short period of time and so it is only a temporary problem. In some cases, hiccups can last for hours and even days and it is in such cases, that treatment for hiccups is necessary. Suffering from hiccups for hours on end can interfere with one’s daily chores and activities and can also leave an individual feeling tired and frustrated. Furthermore, consuming food or fluids can cause choking if you have hiccups. It is best to avoid meals completely and if you must eat make sure that you have small morsels in between hiccups so as to minimize the chances of choking. Minor cases are often resolved with a short nap or 20 minutes of relaxation.

Hiccups can affect absolutely anyone, with both males and females experiencing hiccups alike. Protracted and intractable hiccups are however a lot more prevalent in men as compared to women. Hiccups can also affect you irrespective of age, but reduce in frequency as you age, although the risks of intractable hiccups are higher in adult life. Hiccups can even affect preterm infants, with them spending as much as 2.5% of the time hiccupping.

Hiccups Symptoms

Some of the symptoms of hiccups are as follows Contraction of diaphragm, Continuous “hic “sound from the throat.

Hiccups Causes

Some of the causes of hiccups are as follows. Overstretching the neck, Laryngitis, Heartburn, Irritation of the eardrum, General anesthesia, Surgery, Bloating, Tumor, Infection, Diabetes, Drinking excessive alcohol, Hot and spicy food, Smoking, Eating fast.

Short term hiccups typically are triggered by overeating, eating too quickly, consuming carbonated or alcoholic drinks, and sudden changes in temperature or stress. Hiccups lasting for more than two days could have a variety of causes. Nerve damage or irritation to the vagus or phrenic nerves of this nature may be caused by a sore throat or laryngitis, or something as mundane as a hair in your ear touching the eardrum, or by a tumor or goiter in the neck. Central nervous system disorders as from a stroke, multiples sclerosis or tumors and a traumatic brain injury could also trigger such episodes. Certain metabolic disorders and the use of certain drugs may also cause hiccups of this nature.

Home Remedies for Hiccups

Some of the home remedies for hiccups are as follows Hold your breath, Gargle with water, Place an ice bag on the diaphragm for sometime, Sip ice water quickly, Close your eyes and gently press your eye balls, Drink a glass of soda water quickly, Eat some sugar, Eat one tbsp peanut butter,

Avoid hot and spicy food

There is no special diet recommended for hiccups. However, it is advisable to avoid hot and spicy food because they can irritate the lining of the esophagus.

Visit Doctor

Do not overload your digestive system by over eating. Although hiccups are not a serious medical problem, it is advisable to see a doctor if they last for more than 24 hours.