5 Home Remedies For Hiccups

Hiccups are irritable spasms of the diaphragm. When the diaphragm contracts continuously, the opening between the vocal cords shuts suddenly to break the inflow of the air. The snapping sound causes the hiccup sound.

If the nerves that extend from the neck to the chest get irritated, they too can cause hiccups. Hiccups can last from a few seconds to a few minutes and sometimes they can last for even longer periods.Though a number of conditions are associated with hiccups, none has been found to be their exact cause. Hiccups are not at all serious and have no threat to health.

The diaphragm can get irritated due to a number of reasons such as eating too fast or gobbling too much food and too much drinking of alcohol and carbonated drinks which cause the stomach which is situated just underneath the diaphragm to get stretched abnormally. Sometimes undue anxiety and stress can also trigger hiccups.

Easy Ways To Get Rid Of Hiccups

Chew Well And Eat Slowly

Eat your meals slowly, chew each morsel well before swallowing it. Take small sips of milk or buttermilk in between to help the food go down easily. Take your time at each meal and chew deliberately. Rapid eating causes the air to get trapped between the pieces of the food. This irritates the vagus nerve and sets off hiccups. Well chewed food is also easily digested and does not cause the stomach too much stress.

Tickle Your Palate

When you are in the throes of hiccups, take a soft cotton swab and tickle the roof of your mouth with it. The tickling will effectively stop the hiccups quickly. You can even have someone tickle you aggressively on the soles of your feet or the nape of your neck. Tickling is one great way of stopping the hiccups quickly.

Lozenge

When you are having the hiccups pop a candy or lozenge in your mouth and suck on it slowly. As the sugar syrup runs down your throat it will soothe the irritated nerve and stop the hiccups. You can also take small sips of any sweet fruit juice continuously till the hiccups stop altogether. The juice will energize your body and soothe the irritated nerve and the diaphragm.

Mustard Seeds

Mix half a teaspoon of mustard seeds with half a teaspoon of ghee and swallow the mixture as soon as your hiccups start. Ghee will soothe the irritated nerve and provide vital strength to it. The anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of mustard seeds will calm the spasms and stop the hiccups.

Hold Your Breath

Squeeze your nostrils between your thumb and index finger and shut your mouth tightly. Hold your breath for as long as possible. Start counting to make it easier for you to hold your breath and to hold it for a longer period. This increases the level of carbon dioxide in the blood stream and the body becomes busy with getting rid of it. If you do not want to hold your breath you can breathe into a paper bag for as long as you can.