How to Get Rid of Hiccups
Article Sources
- 1. 'Hiccups: Causes & Treatment.' Cleveland Clinic, 6 Jan. 2021, my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/17672-hiccups
- 2. UCLA Center for East-West Medicine. 'Acupressure for Beginners.' Explore Integrative Medicine, exploreim.ucla.edu/self-care/acupressure-and-common-acupressure-points/
- 3. Peleg, R., and A. Peleg. 'Case Report: Sexual Intercourse As Potential Treatment for Intractable Hiccups.' PubMed Central (PMC), Aug. 2000, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2144777/
- 4. Odeh, M., et al. 'Termination of Intractable Hiccups with Digital Rectal Massage.' PubMed, Feb. 1990, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2299306/
- 5. Woelk, Cornelius J. 'Managing Hiccups.' PubMed Central (PMC), June 2011, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3114667/
- 6. 'Hiccups, Chronic.' NORD (National Organization for Rare Disorders), 11 Feb. 2015, rarediseases.org/rare-diseases/hiccups-chronic/
Physical Manipulation
Applying gentle pressure to the diaphragm may be enough to stop the hiccup-causing spasms. A good way to do this is by sitting in a comfortable spot and pulling the knees up to the chest. Hold that position for at least two minutes. Bending all the way over can also apply appropriate pressure.
Stimulating the gag reflex to trigger the vagus nerve sometimes works as well. Very gently stick a finger down the throat for this method to encourage coughing or gagging.
Advertisement
