How to Get Rid of Hiccups

Hold your breath for ten seconds while reclining or lying down. This is the preferred method to get rid of hiccups, and it is certainly one of the most popular. It works so well that I’m not above slinking down in my seat at a crowded restaurant to use it. I generally hold my breath for a bit more than ten seconds… I’m not above killing a few brain cells to get the job done.

Massage the upper, back part of the roof of your mouth. It may sound strange, but I got this one from my doctor. It stimulates the vagus nerve, which will subdue diaphragm spasms and get rid of hiccups for most people. He advised using a cotton-tipped applicator (he actually said Q-tip, but I’m no corporate stooge). Sensitive gag reflex? Try pulling on your tongue, as this also stimulates the vagus nerve.

Drink a large glass of cold water quickly. This method will get rid of hiccups in a few ways. It gets your mind off your hiccups, it increases the carbon dioxide level in your blood, and the act of swallowing water lightly stimulates the vagus nerve. If this fails, try gargling ice water. At the very least, you’ll get hydrated.

Breathe into a paper bag for a minute or two. This method helps to get rid of hiccups by calming you down and disrupting your breathing pattern. It also alters the oxygen to carbon dioxide ratio in your blood stream, which can calm diaphragm spasms. I wouldn’t pull this trick in public or at work though; people will think you’ve got mental health problems.

Eat a spoonful of sugar. A 1971 study in the New England Journal of Medicine found that eating a spoonful of sugar can help people in getting rid of hiccups. Simply place one teaspoon of sugar on the back of your tongue and enjoy. Sticky foods like peanut butter or honey are said to work in a similar fashion. Looks like Mary Poppins was on to something.