Things That Will Actually Get Rid Of Your Hiccups

Hic-hic-hiccup. As explained by the Mayo Clinic, hiccups are "involuntary contractions of your diaphragm" that force "your vocal cords to close very briefly" creating that "characteristic 'hic' sound" you probably know all too well.

It can be infuriating when you have a disruptive case of these spasms. They can be loud, high pitched, and even embarrassing. Of course, in most instances, hiccuping is more of an inconvenience than an actual medical concern. But when they are persistent and percussive, you may be looking for any and all options to stop it from happening. 

While there are plenty of old wives' tales promising to cure your hiccups, there are lots of remedies that do not deserve your time (or breath). Want to weed out the sillier techniques from the more effective ones? Not sure whether you should try a spoonful of sugar, a dollop of peanut butter, or some other tasty concoction? We are here to help put an end to those oh-so annoying hiccups by sharing a few tactics that have been mostly proven to work.

If you cannot wait another minute until those frustrating involuntary convulsions come to an end, grab a glass of super cold water and try gargling — or just down the whole thing. This thirst-quenching activity stimulates the vagus nerve, and a 2020 study published in StatPearls found that your body's reaction to the chilly temperature of your beverage can, alone, act as a cure. It is worth a shot — even if it doesn't work. It will, at the very least, leave you feeling refreshed and hydrated, right?

Of course, if your teeth or mouth are sensitive to the cold, you can also just try sipping on room temperature or lukewarm H20. "My go-to home remedy is taking 20 tiny sips of water in a row, as quickly as possible," emergency room physician Dr. Celine Thum revealed in an interview with Self. She elaborated, "By swallowing water repeatedly, you can't breathe in so quickly, forcing your body to calm down. [This] slows down its nerve impulses to the diaphragm." 

Some DIY methods for getting rid of the hiccups call for increasing the amount of carbon dioxide, or CO2, in your bloodstream to stop the involuntary diaphragm movements, according to BBC Future.

In this vein, some proposed methods — holding your breath, drinking a glass of water without gulping for air, or huffing into a brown lunch bag — may work for you, as Dr. Andrea Paul, an internist, told Women's Health. Additionally, she said that if you "jog in place or do jumping jacks for 30 seconds," it might just "do the trick." 

The site explained that a short spurt of cardio can be effective as it enables you to get additional oxygen, while mixing with different, necessary nutrients to create energy, which, in turn, helps you make more CO2. Additionally, it is worth noting that some in the medical field believe that hiccups are a result of low C02 levels. Thus, driving it up would be a commonsense approach (via BBC Future).

You know when your ears suddenly feel funny while quickly ascending in an airplane? In response, you desperately try to resolve the pressure and restore your hearing by "popping" them? In this instance, you may find yourself performing the Valsalva maneuver, which, as explained by Vice, is the action of breathing out while simultaneously clasping your nose and shutting your mouth — making it so that, essentially, there is no place for the exhaled air to escape. This little trick is a common method to get rid of a nagging case of hiccups, as a 2016 study in the British Journal of General Practice found.

Dr. Brett Comer, ear, nose, and throat specialist, told Vice that the Valsalva maneuver is perfectly fine to try, as long as you are not blowing out too aggressively through your closed nose. Go easy, and do not continue trying if you do not have initial success.

Sometimes you have to fight fire with fire — or, you know, battle hiccups with a different action of the esophagus: burping. According to Medical News Today, many hiccup sufferers have found that sipping a bubbly soda and then forcing themselves to belch helped them to get rid of their hiccups. Of course, on the flip side, some fizz-filled drinks can actually incite hiccups, as noted by the site. So take this tip with a grain of salt.

As any parent will tell you, newborns who are frequently stricken with a case of hiccups can often be helped with a light burping session — so maybe there is some solid truth to the above suggestion. Medical News Today explained that this may do the trick for an infant since patting Baby's back can help to release the trapped gas, a potential cause for that adorable tiny hiccuping. 

Fixating on your hiccups and how to get rid of them may not be doing your any favors. In fact, your fervent efforts may be counterproductive. Simply distracting yourself with other matters may help — if you are able to muster up the motivation to think of anything else.

As suggested by Healthline, just giving yourself the time and grace and space to "play a video game, fill out a crossword puzzle, or do some calculations in your head," could do the trick. Basically, try anything that makes you use your brain and remain engaged.

Of course, you could also ask someone to scare you. While there is no concrete scientific data to back up this technique, anecdotal evidence points to its potential efficacy. "The mechanism isn't well understood, but [techniques like being scared are] all probably an attempt to reset the hiccup reflex arc or alter our breathing pattern," Dr. Michael Richardson, a primary care provider, told HuffPost. Ironically, "being suddenly excited or scared" can also "cause that repetitive involuntary contraction of the diaphragm" known as hiccups, according to the Mayo Clinic. 

Most of the time, hiccups are fairly harmless. Sure, they can be an inconvenience, but they will come, they will go, and, aside from being a little annoyed, you will be no worse for the wear. In some circumstances, however, recurring or nonstop hiccups could be a symptom of an underlying medical issue (via Mayo Clinic).

If you are concerned about incessant hiccups (or just can't stand it anymore), do not hesitate to talk to your doctor. An internist may want to evaluate the situation, and may even perform some blood work, imaging tests, or procedures (like an endoscopy).

If no other condition is noted, your internist may prescribe a medication such as Baclofen, Chlorpromazine, or Metoclopramide, as explained by the Mayo Clinic. If medication doesn't help, your physician may choose to use "an anesthetic to block your phrenic nerve to stop hiccups" or "surgically implant a battery-operated device to deliver mild electrical stimulation to your vagus nerve," according to the site.