One of the most frustrating things that can happen at any moment is a case of the hiccups. Although they are usually not indicative of any serious health issues and don’t pose any significant threat, hiccups are annoying and sometimes painful. Plus, the worst part is that hiccups can’t really be explained or reliably treated. Hiccups happen when your diaphragm involuntarily contracts. The organ is essential in breathing processes and is located in between your chest and abdomen. The diaphragm contracts intensely and suddenly and then the vocal cords follow, creating the classic tremor and sound that characterizes the hiccups
.At the least, hiccups are a small annoyance that causes a disturbance in your day to day life. They can make it difficult to speak or eat for a few minutes until they go away. At most, they can be serious symptoms of an underlying condition or persistent to the point of pain. That’s why it’s essential to know some of the easy ways to stop them.
Many of the treatments for getting rid of hiccups are common knowledge. However, there are many peculiar and interesting techniques to stop them, as well. Often, families and even regions share the same kinds of hiccup remedies. The peculiar remedies vary and usually come with a claim that they will work every time. However, most people still have some difficulty getting rid of hiccups. Check out the following 10 ways to stop hiccups, and give them a try the next time you’re stuck.
10 Scare Them Away
9Drink Water Quickly
8Drink Water Abnormally
Drinking water speedily is not the only way to interfere with the hiccups. There are many water-related strategies that help to combat the hiccups, as well. Basically, any way of drinking water differently than normal has the chance to stop them. Drinking ice water or sucking on an ice cube can help to quickly and effectively stimulate the nerves.
You can also try to control the amount of air getting through by drinking through a cloth or drinking from the far side of the glass. By taking control of your breath, you can try to override the involuntary spasms of your diaphragm. Another aspect of these unusual hiccup remedies is that it puts your mind on something else.
Many people develop their own strange ways to drink water in an attempt to stop the hiccups. By focusing on controlling your breath, stimulating the nerves, and taking your mind off the hiccups- these water-related strategies use every possible weapon to combat against the hiccups effectively. Drinking water upside down or in a strange position can also have one other effect- forcing you to burp. By making yourself burp or even inciting a hiccup to happen, you can “get it out of your system” and actually make them stop in the end! As your friends, family, and coworkers about the ways that they drink water when they have the hiccup. Almost everyone is sure to have a unique strategy for you to try out. Try as many different positions as you need to until the hiccups finally give up.
7Hold Your Breath
6Use a Sitting Position
5Use a Pressure Point
By pressing on certain parts of your body, you can activate the nerves and muscles responsible for the hiccups. This can be as simple as using your hands to push directly on the diaphragm. It’s found right in the middle of your chest, in the space between your ribs.
Other pressure points directly relate to the vagus and phrenic nerves. First, you can pull on your tongue or open your mouth as wide as possible to try and move your throat muscles. There are also pressure points in the middle of your palms that may get rid of the hiccups if you push on them. Next, moving your head around and applying pressure to the carotid arteries in your neck has proven to be effective as well. Pressure points are beneficial for a wide array of different health issues. They were widely used in ancient medicine and still used in practices like reflexology and acupuncture nowadays. Although there isn’t a ton of scientific literature on pressure points, the general principle is that points in your hands and feet correlate to major organs and parts of the body. There is, however, a lot of research to support the idea that human touch and movement of tissues and muscles is beneficial for general health.
The idea is that pushing on these points with enough pressure can help to relieve health problems throughout the body. Whether or not the pressure points themselves can directly stop your hiccups, the practice is certainly useful to get your mind and brain distracted.
4Eat Something Cold or Sour
3Stop Thinking About Them
2Use Smelling Salts
1Eat Some Peanut Butter
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