How to get rid of Hiccups | Causes and Treatment

1.  Cover your mouth

Cup your hands over your nose and mouth, but continue breathing normally. The extra dose of carbon dioxide should help you get rid of hiccups.

2. Use your hands to get rid of hiccups

Press the palm of your hand with the thumb of your other hand—the harder, the better. Alternatively, you can squeeze the ball of your left thumb between the thumb and forefinger of the right. The discomfort is a distraction that affects your nervous system and may get rid of hiccups. (And you can do it under the table without anyone staring at you.)

3. Hold your breath

The next time you’ve got hiccups, take a deep breath and hold it. When there’s a build-up of carbon dioxide in your lungs, your diaphragm relaxes, which should help get rid of hiccups.

4. Get rid of hiccups by sticking out your tongue

When no one’s watching, stick out your tongue. This exercise is done by singers and actors because it stimulates the opening between the vocal cords (the glottis). You breathe more smoothly, quelling the spasms that cause hiccups.

5. Plug your ears

Excuse yourself for a few minutes, then stick your fingers in your ears for 20 to 30 seconds. Alternatively, you can press the soft areas behind your earlobes, just below the base of the skull. This sends a “relax” signal through the vagus nerve, which connects to the diaphragm.

Causes

Hiccups

The National Organization for Rare Diseases (NORD) describes hiccups as "an involuntary spasmodic contraction of the muscle at the base of the lungs (diaphragm) followed by the rapid closure of the vocal cords."

A wide range of underlying conditions can trigger chronic or persistent hiccups.

Exactly how or why short bouts of hiccups happen remains unclear, but some factors have been associated with a higher risk of having them.

Lifestyle factors

The following may trigger hiccups:

• hot or spicy food that irritates the phrenic nerve, which is near the esophagus
• gas in the stomach that presses against the diaphragm
• eating too much or Causing stomach distension
• drinking sodas, hot liquids, or alcoholic drinks, especially carbonated drinks
• experiencing stress or strong emotions

Medical conditions

• gastrointestinal conditions, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), a small bowel obstruction, or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
• respiratory conditions, such as pleurisy of the diaphragm, pneumonia, or asthma
• excessive and habitual consumption of alcohol
• conditions that affect the central nervous system (CNS), including a traumatic brain injury (TNI), encephalitis, a brain tumor, or stroke
• conditions that irritate the vagus nerve, such as meningitis, pharyngitis, or goitre
• psychological reactions, including grief, excitement, anxiety, stress, hysterical behavior, or shock

Some more Tips to get rid of Hiccups

• Sip ice-cold water slowly or gargle with very cold water.
• Hold your breath for a short time, breath out, then do it again three or four times, and do this every 20 minutes.
• While you swallow, place gentle pressure on your nose.
• Place gentle pressure on your diaphragm.
• Bite on a lemon.
• Swallow some granulated sugar.
• Take a tiny amount of vinegar, just enough to taste.
• Breathe in and out of a paper bag, but never a plastic bag and never covering your head with the bag.
• Sit down and hug your knees as close to your chest as possible for a short time.
• Lean forward so that you gently compress your chest.
• Alternative therapies may include acupuncture and hypnosis.
• Gently pull on the tongue.
• Rub the eyeballs.
• Put your finger in your throat to trigger a gag reflex.

A hiccup (also spelled hiccough) is an involuntary 

contraction (myoclonic jerk) of the diaphragm that may 

repeat several times per minute. The hiccup is an involuntary 

action involving a reflex arc. Once triggered, the reflex causes

a strong contraction of the diaphragm followed about 0.25 

second later by closure of the vocal cords, which results in the classic "hic" sound.

Hiccups may occur individually, or they may occur in bouts.

The rhythm of the hiccup, or the time between hiccups, tends

to be relatively constant.

A bout of hiccups, in general, resolves itself without

intervention, although many home remedies are often used to

attempt to shorten the duration.Medical treatment is

occasionally necessary in cases of chronic hiccups.