Hiccups : Causes, How To and Home Remedies

A hiccup or hiccough,as in Wikipedia is a contraction of the diaphragm that repeats several times per minute. In humans, the abrupt rush of air into the lungs causes the vocal cords to close, creating a "hic" sound.

The exact cause of hiccups is not known but some believed causes are:

.Eating too much and too fast
.Sudden excitement
.Hot and spicy foods
.Stomach disorders
.Kidney problems
.Infection in lungs

A bout of hiccups, in general, resolves itself without intervention, although many home remedies claim to shorten the duration. Medical treatment is occasionally necessary in cases of chronic hiccups.Home remedies are generally sufficient to resolve hiccups.

. Place a teaspoon of dry granulated sugar on the back of the tongue and then swallowing it.

. Fill a glass with ice cubes and water, and then drinking it slowly (the rapid change of temperature in the esophagus may shut down the hiccup response).

. Pull the tongue with your fingers.

. Holding the breath will stop the hiccups.

. Eating a spoonful of peanut butter stops hiccups quickly and is one of the effective home remedies for hiccups.

. Gargling with water is also considered effective.

. Make a mixture by adding 2 tsp of common salt in a cup of plain yogurt and eat it slowly. This is very effective home remedy for hiccups.

. Eating a bowl full of yogurt with a pinch of salt is also a good hiccups remedy.

. Boil 1/2 tsp of cardamom fresh powder in 2 cup water, sieve it and drink a glassful of this warm water to stop hiccups.

. Sucking crushed ice provides immediate relief from irritating hiccups.

. Eating a teaspoon of peanut butter will immediately stop the hiccups. It is good diet for hiccups.

. Tickling the throat with a cotton swab is also effective.

. Sucking small piece of ginger will also cure recurring hiccups.

Most cases of hiccups resolve themselves in a short period of time and are rarely a medical emergency. See your doctor if hiccups last more than three hours, or if they disturb your eating or sleeping habits.


~sources:healthscout.com,medicinenet.com~