How to Stop Hiccups: 5 Sure Shot Home Remedies that Work

Hiccups come and go at their own free will. They're unexpected, happen often and can be extremely uncomfortable while they last. In medical terms, a hiccup is when there is a sudden contraction of the diaphragm and the intercostal muscles which are located between the ribs. This spasm collides with the closed larynx and causes the hiccup sound and slight jerk. People have many remedies they believe work but they may have little or no basis in science. To name a few - get a sudden scare, hold your breath, drink water, stand upside down, suck on lemons or eat a spoon of sugar and what not. Sometimes they work and sometimes not, but there's no way to be sure. If you're plagued by hiccups after a night of drinking or early in the morning, may we suggest a few remedies that in our opinion have turned out to be very useful?Science hasn't attributed any one reason for why hiccups happen but here are a few that have been identified:

1. You drank something carbonated

2. You had too much alcohol

3. Smoking

4. Taking in too much air - When you exhale more than you inhale, it causes carbon dioxide levels to drop which upsets your breathing pattern and this could cause hiccups.

5. Eating too much, too quickly

6. Eating or drinking something hot or cold, basically a change in body temperature

7. Extreme emotions - fear, stress, anxiety or excitement

For people with chronic or frequent hiccups, there could be many underlying causes: respiratory conditions like asthma or pneumonia, a gastrointestinal condition like IBS (Inflammatory Bowel Disease) or certain kind of medicines you could be on.
 

Here are a few home remedies that you could try at home to stop hiccups. 

1. Inhale, Inhale & Exhale - This remedy, recommended by a Dr. Luc G. Morris suggests that in order to stop hiccups you need to 'increase carbon dioxide levels, relax the diaphragm and create a positive airway'. Here's what you need to do - Take a long deep breath and hold on to it for 10 seconds. Then take another small breath and hold for another 5 seconds. Repeat this once more and then exhale slowly.

2. Bend Down and Drink - Another great way to get rid of hiccups is by bending down from your waist and drinking water from a cup on kept on the floor through a straw. It's known to help ease the diaphragm and help stop hiccups. Make sure you do it carefully. This is said to be one of the best ways to stop hiccups and ensure they do not start again. These stubborn hiccups do not stop easily, but this home remedy comes handy to you. 

3. Honey & Castor Oil - This remedy finds its roots in Ayurveda. If your hiccups don't stop after a certain period of time, take one teaspoon of honey and 1 teaspoon castor oil, dip your finger in the mix and lick your finger. Repeat this 2-3 times. This solution is known as the anti-hiccup militant that help you regain the normal composure. 

4. Green Like an Olive - This one's sounds odd, but works like a charm every time. Every time you have hiccups, eat a green olive. Some foods are actually helpful in making your hiccups stop. Green olives are pungent and pungent, bitter and sour foods are said to stop hiccups in a good way. 

5. Knees to Your Chest - When you have hiccups, it helps to calm your diaphragm and one of the easiest ways to do that is by holding your knees against your chest till the hiccups stop. Bring your knees towards your chest and keep them for a while till your hiccups don't stop. 

If you have any smart remedies up your sleeve to relieve hiccups, do leave them in our comments and we'll be sure to include them in our article.