Understand Why We Get Hiccups and How to Stop Them

Mave
Hiccups or hiccoughs, as some people call them is a mystery and has no purpose. A common hiccup bout just last for a few minutes. Hiccups can be annoying for those who get it and jokeful for an observer.

How do we get Hiccups?
A hiccups occurs when a stimulus triggers the nerves in the spinal cord, which in turn contracts the diaphragm causing the person to take in a quick breath of air into the lungs. The air then causes the sudden closure of epiglottis. The closure produces the characteristic "hic"sound after which is named hiccups.

Why do we get Hiccups?
This stimulus can be brought by

  1. Eating or drinking too quickly
  2. Too much eating
  3. Drinking too much alcohol
  4. An irritation in the stomach or throat
  5. Feeling nervous or excited
How to stop Hiccups?
Home remedies to stop hiccups involves methods to alter the flow of air through epiglottis. Some of them are listed below:
  1. Place a teaspoon of dry granulated sugar at the back of tongue and swallow it
  2. Drinking a glass of cool water
  3. Frightening / Distracting (Of course, exercise caution while frightening someone)
  4. Breathing repeatedly in a paper bag
  5. Holding your breath and count slowly to ten

Published by Mave

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