Hiccups are a disturbing and embarrassing condition, often appearing for a short period of time, but sometimes they can last for long hours or even days.
Hiccups occur when the diaphragm begins to contract and your chest and abdominal muscles begin to vibrate. The noise of the hiccups is just the air being expelled from your lungs.
Suffering from persistent hiccups may be a warning sign of a risk to heart health and sometimes there is no obvious cause of hiccups. According to 'The Mayo Clinic' the common causes of hiccups that last less than 48 hours include:
- Overeating
- Excitement or emotional tension
- Sudden changes in temperature
- Drinking soft drinks
- Drink a lot of alcohol
- Swallow the air by chewing gum or sucking candy
The hiccups should last only a few minutes and stop normally. However, you may have to move to home remedies if it lasts longer.
Sometimes hiccups can last for more than 48 hours, the natural reason for this is a specific medical condition or medication.
See your doctor if the hiccups last for more than two days or are repeated frequently in a way that affects your life.
Hiccups can be long-lasting due to nerve damage, irritation of opaque nerves or diaphragm nerves.
These nerves are controlled by the diaphragm and can be damaged when something touches the eardrum, a tumor in the neck, an esophageal reflux, a sore throat or laryngitis.
Central nervous system disorders such as meningitis, multiple sclerosis, strokes and traumatic brain injuries can also stimulate hiccups.
Metabolic disorders such as diabetes, drugs or alcoholism can also cause long-term hiccups.
The clearest thing to do to get rid of hiccups is to avoid any of these stimuli. This means getting rid of soft, hot or alcoholic beverages.
You should also get rid of the gum and turn off your cigarette, if these two factors are stimulating the condition, because both can cause ingestion of air and increase hiccups.
The same goes for eating too fast, eating hot food, eating or drinking something very cold after eating something hot.
The BRITISH National Health Service suggests some remedies that:
- Breathing in a paper bag
- Pull your knees to your chest and lean forward
- Take a sip of iced water
- Swallow some granulated sugar
- Nibbling lemon or tasting vinegar
- Hold your breath for a short time
It seems that sucking a small ice cube may help you get rid of hiccups as well. You may also have heard that a sense of terror can cure hiccups, where interactive moments are supposed to stop hiccups.
Another possible treatment is to put your fingers in your ears and request someone else to close your nose. Now you need to drink a sip or two of water, or your friend can use his other hand to pour water into your mouth.
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