It never fails, just when you are about to meet a new business colleague, make an important presentation, or engage in a serious conversation, you start hiccuping. It is distracting and embarrassing. And you have got to get rid of them pronto. So, what do you do?
Try massaging your earlobes. Yes, your earlobes. Sounds crazy, but many people claim that it works. No know connection, but the hiccup control center is close by in the upper part of the spinal column in the back of your neck.
If an ear massage doesn't do the trick and you happen to be close to the coffee machine, try swallowing a spoonful of granulated sugar.
The sugar seems to trigger some kind of nerve impulse in your mouth that somehow helps to calm down your spastic diaphragm. Other people report relief just from holding the sugar in their mouths until it dissolves.
If that doesn't work, here are some age-old tricks that many people will swear by:
- Hold your breath for as long as you can and swallow each time you feel the urge to hiccup. Try this a few times, and the hiccups should go away
- Try the old paper bag remedy. Breathe for about a minute into a paper bag gathered tightly to your lips. The buildup of carbon dioxide might shut down the hiccups. Don't try this for more than a minute at the most
- Get a small cup of water, bend over, hold your breath and drink the water upside down. The hiccups should be gone by the time you swallow the last gulp, stand up and let out your breath
- Chug-a-lug a glass of water quickly
- Eat some dry bread
- Swallow some crushed ice
- Sit on the floor and pull your knees up to your chest. Wrap your arms around your knees and squeeze. This compresses your chest and forces all the air out of your lungs. Hold it for a moment, then relax. It should clear up those pesky hiccups
- Yank on your tongue. Others recommend a gentle pulling
- Tickly the top of your mouth with a cotton swab
- Gently massage your eyes through closed eyelids. Another source suggest simply putting mild pressure on your closed eyes
- Put your thumb inside your mouth between your teeth and upper lip. Pinch inward with your index finger, pressing just below the right nostril
- Gargle with some mouthwash. It helps clear up the hiccups and leaves you with fresher breath
