Hiccups trouble? Here's how you can treat them naturally at home

When it comes to hiccups, most usually think that we get hiccups because someone is thinking about us. As surreal as it sounds, that's not the reason why we get hiccups. Hiccups can happen due to multiple reasons. Physical, emotional stress and involuntary spasm of the diaphragm can cause hiccups. Apart from this, several other factors contribute to hiccups. Eating too fast, drinking soda, eating spicy food, anxiety, chewing gum, drinking an excess of alcohol can also cause hiccups. People usually say that drinking water or holding your breath can stop hiccups, but that's not the case always. 

Hiccups are short-lived but if they are persistent then can be an indication of some serious underlying illness like asthma, pneumonia, kidney disease, diabetes, traumatic brain injury, gallbladder issues, shock and hysterical behaviour to name a few. Hiccups may also indicate excessive use of steroids, tranquilisers and anaesthesia. Read below to find out how you can treat hiccups naturally. There's no one sure shot solution to stop hiccups, but there are some few tips and home remedies that can help you in dealing with rounds of hiccups. 

Coldwater:

If you are getting hiccups, then it's good to consume a few sips of cold water. The contractions that happen in your oesophagus while drinking water will override the spasms of the diaphragm and serve as a hiccup cure.

Peanut butter:

Eating a spoonful of peanut butter can help you stop hiccups. It happens because when you try to get the butter off your tongue and teeth, your breathing patterns are disrupted, thus stopping the hiccups.

Honey:

In a glass of warm water, mix one teaspoon of honey and drink it. Honey will relax the nerves and stop hiccups.

Lemon:

Another remedy to get rid of hiccups is biting a wedge of lemon. Research suggests that doing so will help you get rid of hiccups in less than a minute. 

Distract yourself:

When you don't pay heed to the hiccups, they tend to go away on their own when you are not focussing on them.

Breath into a paper bag:

Hold a bag over your mouth and nose. Inhale and exhale slowly every time inflating and deflating the bag. Try to cover your mouth and nose while breathing, since the carbon dioxide that you inhale help you get rid of the hiccups.

Plug your ears:

Stick your fingers in your ears for 20-30 seconds. Doing this relaxes the nerves that connect to the diaphragm. However, be careful to not apply too much pressure. And don't continue doing it, if it's not working for you.