Hic! Hic! Hic! Hic! Hiccup!

Hiccups. We’ve all had them. It’s highly possible that you had them recently with all of the festive sipping in the last few weeks. 

eMedicineHealth describes hiccups as “involuntary contractions of the diaphragm muscle.” For most people, the main cause is eating or drinking too fast, which causes you to swallow a lot of air along with your food. Other causes include things like smoking, chewing gum and drinking too much alcohol. Hiccups can also be caused by more extreme health issues such as brain tumours, strokes or liver disease. 

Regardless of what’s causing you to hiccup, the main goal is to get ride of them. See some of the most popular remedies to get you through. ( Below)

*Drinking water

Simple, yes. This technique involves taking three small sips of water. If that doesn’t work, try sipping from the opposite side of the glass – ideally over a sink to avoid making a huge mess. (doesn't work)

*The 30 second hiccup cure, involves taking a deep breath through your mouth, swallowing and then taking another deep breath and swallowing without letting out any of the original air. Keep repeating for 30 seconds

*Take a shot of apple cider vinegar. While it’s not totally clear why this works – some have suggested it has something to do with the sour taste – it’s at least worth a try.

*Peanut butter

Sticky and difficult to swallow, peanut butter disrupts your breathing patterns giving your body something else to focus on until hiccups are history

*Hot sauce

Another good distractor is hot sauce. (Tried it and just got heartburn with my hiccups)

*Honey

Let a glass of honey mixed with warm water slowly trickle down the back of your throat to calm the nerves that are stimulating your diaphragm and settle your stomach. 

*Spoon of sugar

It not only helps the medicine go down, but many argue that it also puts and end to hiccups. This is because the grainy texture irritates the esophagus causing your system to restart itself like a computer.

*Paper bag

Another breathing technique, this method uses a paper bag to increase the level of carbon dioxide in the blood, which makes the diaphragm contract deeper to bring in more oxygen. Just make sure to not over do it to the point where you feel faint.

*Paper towel

Here’s another drinking option. Place a paper towel over your glass of water so that you need to use more effort to suck the water through. This will activate your diaphragm, hopefully ridding you of the spasms. 

*Kissing

Yep, a long passionate kiss may be just the thing to will your body out of hiccup spasms. And if it doesn't, do you really care??? I just have to try this one.
Maybe I won't even wait for hiccups.

*Relax

Let your body relax completely one muscle at a time and think happy thoughts.

( who has time to do this over a lousy case of hiccups?) In fact, I don't have time for this on my day off. But if you are able to fake hiccups so you can take a nap, then you have earned it, my friends.