Table of Contents
Hiccup Remedies
"A hiccup or hiccough... is a spasmodic contraction of the diaphragm that typically repeats several times per minute. In humans, the abrupt rush of air into the lungs causes the epiglottis to close, creating the hic noise. In medicine, it is known as synchronous diaphramatic flutter (SDF), or singultus. The term hiccup is also used to describe a small and unrepeated aberration in an otherwise consistent pattern.
A bout of hiccups generally resolves itself without intervention, although many home remedies claim to shorten the duration, and medication is occasionally necessary." (Wikipedia)
DISCLAIMER
Our readers offer information and opinions on Earth Clinic, not as a substitute for professional medical prevention, diagnosis, or treatment. Please consult with your physician, pharmacist, or health care provider before taking any home remedies or supplements or following any treatment suggested by anyone on this site. Only your health care provider, personal physician, or pharmacist can provide you with advice on what is safe and effective for your unique needs or diagnose your particular medical history.
POPULAR REMEDIES:
| DRINK UPSIDE DOWN | 13 YEAS |
| HOLDING THE BREATH TECHNIQUE | 10 YEAS |
| VINEGAR | 7 YEAS |
| SUGAR | 7 YEAS |
| PEANUT BUTTER | 6 YEAS |
APPLE CIDER VINEGAR
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[YEA] 06/19/2011: Patricia from Miami, Fl: "Yes! 1 tbsp ACV straight just got rid of my hiccups. Thank you!"
Replies08/13/2011: Oak_84 from Chicago, Illinois replies: "Bitters on a lime!!!!A very old "Bar" trick that works wonders every time!!! I've been plagued with hiccups for decades and it seems that this old fashioned remedy is just about the only thing that works for me!! Give it a try sometime... You will not be dissappointed!!"
05/13/2012: Esmith from Washington, Dc replies: "To stop my hiccups, I took Baclofen 10mg and they stopped immediately. Last Tuesday, after lunch, I started hiccuping about every 5 seconds. It stopped for about an hour, then got going again. This lasted until Thursday around 6pm when my doctor prescribed Baclofen 10mg and, after taking only one pill, the hiccups immediately stopped. I realize this might not work for everyone, but I am very grateful it stopped mine. Hope this helps someone else."
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[YEA] 03/28/2011: Melinda from Perth, Australia: "An instant cure for hiccups - 1 tbsp of apple cider vinegar :)"
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APPLE CIDER VINEGAR AND SUGAR
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[YEA] 05/06/2011: Frances from Gcs, Fl : "1 Tbsp ACV saturated with sugar stopped the hiccups. Tried other remedies and nothing worked but this."
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BURP
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[YEA] 10/18/2006: Chris from St. Louis, MO: "Just force a burp or two. This worked every time for me."
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DRINK UPSIDE DOWN
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[YEA] 12/20/2007: Penny from Columbus, Ohio, USA: "I am 56 years old and my grandmother taught me to drink water upside down. It works 100% of the time. As previous posts mentioned you must drink with your upper lip on the rim and drink while bending over and sucking air at the same time. It's weird sounding until you finally figure out that it works every time."
Replies[YEA] 05/08/2010: Bryan from Port Vue, Pa replies: "it doesnt matter how you get the liquid in your mouth.
just get a mouthfull of any drink. look down almost like your trying to turn your head upside down.
it will feel like the liquid is gooing to flow into the nasal pasage.
then.....swallow!!!
hiccups are gone!!! everytime!!!"
[YEA] 07/13/2010: Louise from Kansas City, Missouri Usa replies: "I learned this trick when I was 14. I suffer from very frequent and VERY painful hiccups. I just fill my mouth with as much water as it will hold, bend completely over at the waist, and then swallow. Usually I have to do this 3 or 4 times right in a row but it always works! ! !"
[YEA] 07/14/2010: Isabelle from Garden Grove, Ca Usa replies: "Yea! Hello everybody from our wonderful earth clinic community! It seem to be that the action of swallowing while the diaphragm is compressed and not moving with our breathing stop hiccup after 2 to 5 swallows. Even when I don't have water handy , I just take a deep breath block it , bend and swallow a bit of saliva a few time without breathing and the diaphragm go back to behave normally: no more hiccup! Peace! "
[YEA] 07/14/2010: Aria from Port Huron, Mi, Us replies: "I too have been drinking water upside down for hiccups since I was 14. It works every time. . . Just remember not to breathe through your nose while bent over with water in your mouth! I have learned that from experience :)."
[YEA] 02/16/2012: Joanvirginia from South Riding, Va replies: "Wow, that was soooo easy! I had just a tiny sip of water in my mouth (I actually had a large sip before I swallowed half of it), I leaned over, while sitting, with my head between my knees and swallowed. Gone. So cool!"
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[YEA] 10/17/2007: Anna from Waxahachie, USA: "whenever i have hiccups, i just bend over and drink water, it works every time"
Replies[YEA] 06/07/2009: Theo from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada replies: "This simple remedy really worked: I put some water in my mouth, bent over forward with my head pointed to my toes, and then swallowed. After that, my hiccups were instantly gone!"
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[YEA] 07/11/2007: Smiles from Fruitland, U.S: "re: Drinking up-side-down- hiccups -- My brother taught it to me a few years ago. It has never failed me yet. Just get as much water in your mouth as you can, put your head between your knees, and swallow. Every once in a while you'll have to do it two or three times, but it usually works on your first try."
Replies[YEA] 01/20/2012: Ajeeth from Toronto, Canada replies: "This was a great help from earthlink comunity. Swallowing mouthfull of water by bending down immediately stopped my hiccups. Worked like a charm!"
[YEA] 05/18/2012: Zuely from Batavia, Ny replies: "I can't believe this actually just worked for me!"
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[YEA] 12/02/2006: Luisa from Boca Raton, FL: "Drinking water upside down is the only thing that works for me. It NEVER fails. Just make sure that you bend down at the waist and put your head down, and then drink with the rim of the glass on your upper lip instead of the lower lip, just like the person before me said. I have done this for years and it is the only thing that works. When I tell people to do it they think I am crazy, but when it works they are amazed. :D"
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[YEA] Christina from Silverdale, WA: "I always try holding my breath first, as that is the easiest, but if that doesn't work, I drink upside down. Bend over at the waist and take a drink of water, putting the rim of the cup on your top lip instead of the bottom one. It is important to swallow while still upside down. This has had and almost 100% success rate for me, although it gets me some strange looks :P"
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DRINKING WATER WITH SPOON IN IT
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[YEA] 10/23/2008: Jerry from Albany, New York: "Hi, Jerry from Albany Ny again..I just wrote to you about my hemorrhoids problem and hopefully you'll email me back with your suggestions. However, I just remembered a cure for Hiccups that an old time waitress gave my friend and I after we were out drinking and stopped for breakfast.
She told my friend (who was hicupping for about half-hr. that she would be right back..She came back with a "Glass" not plastic of water with a spoon in it..She told him to drink the water but you must let the spoon constantly touch your cheek..
Believe it or not, when he finished drinking the glass of water his hiccups stopped and never came back..
I thoght it was just luck, but several wks later at my sister's house she got the hiccups and I told her to do the same and she did and yep, they went away again...Fate, luck or whatever...
I would pass it on...
thanks...
Jerry.."
[YEA] 11/22/2009: Rachel from Baytown, Tx replies: "Worked like a charm! My 6yr old had hiccups so we first tried holding his breath, nothing, then tried rubbing his right ear lobe, nope, next we tried the glass with spoon and hiccups stopped immediately!! We were both pretty amazed!"
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DRINKING WATER WITHOUT BREATHING
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[YEA] 02/11/2007: C from PDL: "The remedy I have used for 20 years: Drink 10 swallows of water straight without breathing. Works every time."
Replies05/08/2010: Javagenie from Central, Vermont replies: "This is by far the most affective way to get rid of hiccups. I tell my friends to do this all the time. It has never failed. They are always amazed at how well it works. However, I tell them to take individual sips for as long as they can hold their breath... but at least a minimum of 10 sips of water. Swallow each time.... don't guzzle it. I've been able to stop my own hiccups without water by just holding my breath and swallowing.
Another good thing to add into the remedy is staring. I tell them to concentrate on a single spot in front of them and don't take their eyes off of it. You have to try it... all of the other remedies work sometimes. This one works everytime!"
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GRAPES
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[YEA] 11/01/2007: Peggy from Maple-Ridge, BC , Canada: "Hiccups, Whenever I get a case of the hiccups I usually eat grapes! Red, green, black. It works! Just eat three or four grapes, its gotta be something in the skins!"
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HOLD BREATH AND DRINK
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[YEA] 10/18/2011: Dion246 from Central, Sc: "While holding your breath, take a drink of any beverage. Soda or sweet tea works great, but I don't think it matters about the beverage. Usually one sip is all it takes."
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HOLDING THE BREATH TECHNIQUE
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[YEA] 12/27/2009: Nina from Sofia, Bulgaria: "hiccups
holding breath, pinching the nose and swallowing and breathing in more and swallowing again a few times.
Worked 1st time."
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[YEA] 05/08/2008: Chelsie from Nashville, TN: "I hate the hiccups and upon getting them this afternoon, I quickly looked up this technique on EC.com --I am quite relieved to say, yes, it worked!!"
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[YEA] 11/07/2006: Jess from PA: "Take three deep breaths, and then on the third breath, hold it as long as you can. I was told this by my anatomy teacher who says hiccups are nothing but your diaphragm having a spasm. So taking three deep breaths and holding the last one stretches your diaphragm, and therefore stops the hiccups. I have tried this many times, and it does work instantly."
Replies[YEA] 06/21/2008: Rachel from Bronx, NY replies: "Hello, I wanted to add that the 2+1 BREATH method for hiccups which requires you to take three deep breaths, and then on the third breath, hold it as long as you can, as described by Jess works. I had the hiccups and the above method cured them immediately. Thanks again earth clinic (and Jess)!"
[YEA] 10/19/2009: Nicole from New York, Ny replies: "Wow this really does work I just tried this and my hiccups were gone instantly. Just make sure you're not sucking in your stomach otherwise you won't be breathing through with your diaphragm."
[YEA] 01/14/2010: Jopa from Paradise, California replies: "My girlfriends son has had chronic hiccups since before birth. He gets them at least once a week. Often a bout of laughter triggering an episode. This helped immediately."
[YEA] 06/14/2010: Kj from Virginia, USA replies: "I had to respond and agree with this post! I tried this, and after having the hiccups 5 times today, they were gone instantly - if only I knew this trick earlier haha! Thanks so much!! "
[YEA] 08/14/2010: Sandy from Eastern Shore, Virginia replies: "Right before my very eyes this stopped my husband's torturous hiccups instantly! (2+1 breathe and hold) This is his second round of cisplatin. First time he had a few hiccups everyday and they went away. Last night he had them for well over an hour to no avail. Thank you so very much."
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[YEA] 05/25/2006: Nestor from Sydney, Australia: "i don't usually have hiccups but when it does it really bothers me because it last for so many hours and even days. i tried so many remedies like holding my breath for as long as i can, but it didn't work, so i searched the net and this is what i found that cured my hiccups....take a deep breath using your mouth until your lung is full.. DO NOT BREATH (PINCH YOUR NOSE SO THAT NO AIR CAN ESCAPE) swallow, or pretend that you are swallowing something, inhale more air through your mouth while holding your breath, swallow, inhale then swallow..by this time you might be turning pale...release your breath through your nose.....it worked for me and i hope it will for you...if it does please let me know."
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[YEA] 04/25/2006: Vinny from Atlanta, GA: "Hi, Ever since when I was a little kid, I had heard many things but only one worked for me. I hold my breath for about 6 secs (if you hiccup while holding your breath start over) and continue doing this for about 4-5 times and it should be gone. Good Luck."
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HONEY
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[YEA] 12/15/2007: David from Hastings, New Zealand: "after one week of hiccups the cure has been a level teaspoon of honey which stops the undesirable effect after two to three minutes, overall condition improving. Tried most of the above cures but to no good effect."
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ICE CREAM, COLD- PRESSED BARLEY PILLS
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[YEA] 12/21/2011: Raberdash from Ely, Nevada, Usa: "When my husband gets the hiccups, he first tries a few bites of good quality ice cream. If this is unsuccessful, he takes four to six organic, cold-pressed barley pills. He has had 100% success in ridding himself from the hiccups."
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INHALE WHILE ARCHING YOUR BACK
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[YEA] 05/07/2011: Wei from Spring Hill, Fl, Usa: "Inhale Then Exhale: Inhale at a moderate and comfortable speed while arching your back and puffing out your chest until you cannot breathe in any more air, and then exhale also at a moderate and comfortable speed. Repeat if hiccupping continues."
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LEMON
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[YEA] 12/19/2007: Tara from Atlanta, Georgia: "I was a bartender too. You're right about the lemons. I would take just one lemon wedge, give it a quick suck, and hiccups....GONE! It took some talking to get my customers to try it, but once they did....they were amazed!"
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[YEA] 06/30/2007: Koren from Radcliff, KY: "I was a bartender and there is a cure for hiccups I did not see. A shot of lemon juice and the hiccups are gone."
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LEMON ESSENTIAL OIL
05/19/2011: Francisca from Michelbach-le-bas, Alsace, France: "Someone was suggesting a way to stop hiccups here a while ago. Here is another remedy, not that I have tried it yet as I seldom get hiccups but maybe somone can try it and tell me whether it works (I will do the same if in the meanwhile I do get hiccups): Put 1 drop of lemon essential oil on the tongue, it even works for babies although they might not like the taste, my book says....."
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MALT VINEGAR
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[YEA] 03/21/2006: Graham from Toronto, Ontario: "My mother always gave me malt vinegar for hiccups, when I was a child, and it worked immediately every single time. Assuming it's available, these other weird and wonderful remedies (which don't always work anyway)can't touch vinegar for effect. I believe it works on the vagus nerve, and affects the diaphragm in some way."
Replies[YEA] 02/25/2009: Amber from Portland, Oregon replies: "Wow, this really worked for me! I had hiccups this past weekend. Whenever I come down with them I tend to get them multiple times (4-5) for the rest of that day. After reading this post and getting them twice later in the night, I took a quick capful of Apple Cider Vinegar, and instantly my hiccups ceased! I got them again about an hour later and again took them down with the vinegar cure!"
08/27/2009: Dawna from Trevor, Wi replies: "A small spoonful of ACV cures hiccups instantly every time!"
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