We all know what hiccups sound like, but many people probably don’t know what is really happening in their bodies when they hiccup. Perhaps even more puzzling – how do you get rid of them? Americans are apparently interested in solving that question. In 2019, two of the top ten health questions searched on Google involved hiccups. We asked Dr. Diana Flint, a family medicine physician with SSM Health Dean Medical Group in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, to help clear up any confusion.
What are hiccups?
Hiccups involve your diaphragm -- the muscle at the base of your lungs that is used for breathing. When it becomes irritated, the diaphragm can function abnormally. The irritation can cause involuntary movement or contraction and your vocal cords quickly close. This is what causes the common “hic” sound we’ve all come to recognize.
What causes hiccups?
Hiccups can start and stop for no apparent reason. But there are certain things that can irritate your diaphragm and give you hiccups:
- Excessive laughter or tickling
- Aerophagia, which is a repetitive pattern of swallowing or ingesting air
- Tobacco abuse
- Overindulgence in food or alcohol
- Gastroesophageal reflux
- A sudden change in gastric temperature – from moving into a hot or cold environment, or ingesting hot or cold foods
How do you get rid of hiccups?
Hiccups usually go away on their own, but there are numerous ways to stop them. Dr. Flint says some of the more popular folk remedies she’s heard are:
- Holding your breath
- Breathing into a paper bag
- Trying to have someone suddenly “frighten” you
- Gargling ice water
- Drinking water from the wrong side of a glass
- Swallowing a teaspoon of vinegar, pickle juice or dry granulated sugar
- Stimulating gag reflex with tongue depressor (make sure to avoid if you recently ate food)
Are hiccups ever a serious health concern?
Some people have chronic hiccups, meaning they last for several days or keep coming back. Dr. Flint recommends talking to your primary care provider if they occur for more than 48 hours. You may have a condition that is causing the hiccups and treating that condition can help. Otherwise, there are treatment options like medicines that can help chronic hiccups.