You come home hungry and attack the food or gulp down water to quench your thirst, but the body rebels back with a hic.. hic.. hiccup! One can also get hiccups after a good bout of laughter. Sometimes you get immediate relief, but at times, it goes on for a long time causing great distress. What is the cure for a hiccup? Medical experts say that when a diaphragm is irritated, it makes the body pull air in a jerky way, through the throat. There are many methods to relax a diaphragm. Most of them are natural remedies that are being used for generations.

  • Gulping sugar or sucking on a sugar candy is known to relieve hiccups.
  • Hold a paper bag and breathe in and out into the bag for few minutes to get relief.
  • Have someone to apply slight pressure on the ears while you drink a glass of water.
  • Hold breath for about thirty seconds and exhale slowly. Repeat this technique three to five times.
  • Drinking a spoon of vinegar is also known to cure hiccups.

If the hiccups prolong for a longer period, do see your doctor. Certain medical conditions can also cause prolonged hiccups. Insomnia, fatigue, depression, anxiety, stress, acid reflux, brain tumors, or strokes are some condition that could lead to hiccups.

Since hiccups can be troublesome, there are ways to prevent hiccups

  • Never eat or drink fast that can irritate the diaphragm
  • Avoid abrupt change in temperature.
  • Avoid spicy or carbonated drinks to prevent hiccups.
  • Keep stress and anxiety away, especially when you are eating or drinking.
  • When you feel a hiccup coming on, hold your breath and swallow to avoid hiccups.