How to Stop Hiccups
Additionally, you can take certain steps to prevent hiccups. See below for details.
Treat Temporary Hiccups
Avoid factors that may cause hiccups. Prevention is the best treatment. Currently, doctors have identified several factors that can cause hiccups. Please refer to the following suggestions to prevent hiccups.
- Eating too fast or overeating can cause hiccups (which is why many drunk people develop hiccups). So when eating, you should chew slowly instead of wolfing it down.
- Eating food that is hot or cold can cause hiccups. It is not advisable to eat cold foods (such as cold drinks) right after drinking hot drinks (such as hot chocolate), because sudden temperature changes can also cause hiccups.
Breathe into the paper bag. If you hiccup, immediately find a paper bag, cover your mouth and nose, and breathe into the bag for a while. This will soothe irritated nerves and muscles and stop hiccups.
- Do not breathe into plastic bags as there is a risk of suffocation.
Gargle your throat with ice water. Although the water for gargling your throat needs to be colder to be effective, do not use water with ice cubes in it, otherwise you will easily choke on the ice cubes. Gargle your throat with ice water until the hiccups stop.
Hold your breath. This method is the same as breathing into a paper bag. It can also soothe the stimulated nerves and muscles that cause hiccups.
Drink some cold water. Every time you feel you are about to hiccup, drink some cold water until the hiccups stop.
Eat a spoonful of sugar or honey. As soon as the hiccups start, take a spoonful of sugar or honey to see if it helps. There are no strict regulations on the types of sugar and honey.
If someone else is hiccupping, try distracting them by saying something stressful. This may have a magical therapeutic effect on hiccups. For example, “Why are your eyes so red?”
Treating Prolonged Hiccups
Seek help from your doctor. If the hiccups do not stop for more than 48 hours, there may be something wrong with your body, and you should go to the hospital for examination immediately.
- Prolonged hiccups refer to hiccups that last for more than 48 hours and have affected normal sleep, eating, and breathing.
- Prolonged hiccups may be a sign of problems with the central nervous system, such as cancer, stroke, and infection.
- Some mental illnesses can also cause prolonged hiccups.
Seek appropriate treatment. The doctor will prescribe you some medicine to treat hiccups but do not buy it yourself or obtain it through other channels. If your doctor says you don’t need to take medicine, don’t take it. But if the hiccups persist, you should ask your doctor if medication is necessary.
- You can try taking Chlorpromazine, an antipsychotic drug.
- You can also try Metoclopramide, an antiemetic.
- You can also try Baclofen, a muscle relaxant.
Try hypnosis. The effectiveness of hypnosis in treating prolonged hiccups is obvious to all, especially those caused by mental illness. Always ask a licensed professional to perform hypnosis on you. Your parents, neighbors, and friends are not qualified.
Try acupuncture. The effect of acupuncture in treating hiccups is also very obvious for some people, but it cannot be said to be a one-size-fits-all approach. Similarly, acupuncture should also be done by professionals.
Tips
- Hiccups can be treated by sitting up straight and taking deep breaths.
- If you keep thinking about hiccups, it won’t be easy. Try to divert your attention so that the hiccups may go away without you noticing.