How to Cure Long Time Hiccups

Chances are you have experienced the hiccups, known medically as singultus. Singultus is derived from the Latin word "singult," which translates as the process of catching your breath while crying. The annoying sound of hiccups occurs when your diaphragm involuntarily contracts, resulting in a quick breath. During this process your vocal cords close up, creating the hiccup sound. In most cases, hiccups go away on their own. However, it is possible for you to suffer from a chronic case of the hiccups.

Instructions

Treatment

• 1

  You can try to cure hiccups on your own. A variety of methods exist to curb this condition, including the following: Drink water. Fill a glass to the brim with lukewarm water. Put a clean cloth over the glass. Swallow the water through the cloth.

  Take a spoonful of sugar. Place the granulated sugar on your tongue and let it sit there until it melts in your mouth.

  Use citrus foods. Consume a lemon or an orange or suck on a lemon soaked in bitters.

  Inhale and exhale in a paper bag. Place the bag over your nose and mouth. Gradually breathe in and out through your mouth five times.

  Sit in a chair with a straight back. Press yourself against the back of the chair. Cross your arms over your chest and bend forward as far as you can. Let your body relax. Gradually squeeze your arms as if you were trying to push the air out of your body. After exhaling, hold your breath for up to 10 seconds and then let go. Remain bent over and repeat five times, then gradually sit up.

• 2

  See your doctor if your hiccups last more than two days. Also see a doctor if the hiccups obstruct your breathing or interfere with your eating.

• 3

  Your doctor may recommend medication for persistent hiccups. Some medications that have been proven to treat hiccups include baclofen, chlorpromazine, haloperidol, and anticonvulsants.

• 4

  Get a specialized massage. If your carotid sinus, found in your neck right beneath your jaw, is massaged, it can help relieve your hiccup problem. Do not try this method on your own. Have your doctor perform a carotid sinus massage.

• 5

  You can have a thin, bendable tube called a nasogastric tube inserted into your nose and into your stomach. The tube helps to relieve pressure in the stomach. If your hiccups stop, the tube is taken out immediately and no other action is required.