Ridding Yourself of Hiccups by Being Startled: Fact or Myth?

Hiccups, a common condition that can occur in anyone at any age, are involuntary spasms in the diaphragm. While hiccups aren't usually associated with any serious illnesses, they can be quite annoying, especially if they last for extended periods of time. The cause of hiccuping is usually related to eating a too-large meal, over indulging in alcohol, swallowing too much air or even becoming suddenly excited. Since hiccups usually don't require medical treatment, many people have created their own home remedies, many that have been proven to be quite effective. Some of the more popular home remedies are as follows: eating a teaspoon of sugar, swallowing or gargling with water, being tickled , in addition to others. Eating the sugar is said to work by overloading the nerve endings, stopping the spasms. Drinking water works to help end hiccups by interrupting the hiccuping cycle, which is the same way that gargling with the liquid works as well. Yet another home remedy is having someone startle you, which will cause the hiccups to cease, yet many people aren't sure that this technique works. However, research has shown that being startled overwhelms the vagus nerve, which is involved in hiccups. The vagus nerve is located in the throat and is responsible for sending messages to the brain regarding anything to do with the tongue, ear and throat. Due to this fact, being startled has actually helped many individuals to rid themselves of hiccups.

Surprisingly, having someone literally scare the hiccups out of you is a fact, yet in some people this technique may not be effective. It doesn't even have to be anything extremely scary, but anything that will cause you to jump suddenly should do the trick. If it doesn't, simply try something else. When it comes to hiccups, it's been discovered that what works to rid one person of hiccups may not work for another person. One man actually cured himself of hiccups by having sexual intercourse, but scientists are in the process of researching his claim in order to corroborate his story. So the next time you get hiccups, why not try having someone startle you and hopefully this will do the trick for getting rid of this annoying occurrence.

References

Discovery Health, Hiccups - http://health.howstuffworks.com/diseases-conditions/respiratory/13-techniques-to-cure-the-hiccups3.htm

Mayo Clinic, Hiccups - http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hiccups/DS00975