Hiccups, also known as singultus, can be annoying for any person experiencing them. Although hiccups usually go away on their own, there are certain home remedies to stop hiccups that you can try.

Hiccups, an involuntary action of muscles in the throat canal, can be caused by any of the following:

Excessive alcohol or food intake
Gastric insufflation
Moving from a cold to a hot area or vice versa
Tobacco use
Alcohol intoxication
Stroke
Head trauma
Head and neck tumours
Lung masses

Home Remedies for Hiccups

Most home remedies to stop hiccups are based on anecdotal evidence and are generally shared with people verbally. Listed below are the top 15 home remedies for hiccups:(1)

Breathe into a paper bag
Hold breath
Swallow sugar
Sip on ice-cold water
Gaspe suddenly or being frightened
Drink water while holding the breath
Drink a glass of water through a paper towel
Hold your breath and swallow three times
Quickly drink a glass of water
Gargle with water
Pat on the back of the person having hiccups along the spine starting from the neck
Bite into a slice of lemon
Apply pressure with one hand to the palm of your other hand
Hug your knees
Pull on your tongue

Other common hiccups treatments at home include practising measured breathing with slow and steady breaths by inhaling and exhaling, with a count of five. Another way to try to stop hiccups is to pinch your nose and breath out while keeping your mouth closed (similar to how you equalise pressure in your ears during flights, swimming, or diving).

Preventing hiccups

Hiccups that are triggered by certain lifestyle factors can be prevented in most cases by altering your habits. Following are some ways that may help in preventing hiccups:

Eating less quantity in one meal/serving and increasing the frequency if you don’t feel satiated
Chewing properly and eating slowly
Not eating excessively spicy foods
Avoiding carbonated beverages
Avoiding cold foods (e.g., ice cream) immediately after eating something warm (e.g., tea)

Some common triggers that cause hiccups are presented here:

Drinking carbonated beverages
Eating a lot of food very quickly
Extreme emotions, such as stress, anxiety, or fear.

The bottom line

Many of the home remedies mentioned here are based on the idea of interrupting the normal respiration or stimulating the nasopharynx (the upper part of the throat situated behind the nose). There isn’t enough scientific research to back these hiccup treatments performed at home, and they may or may not work.

One is encouraged to try different methods to stop hiccups. However, if nothing seems to work for stopping these hiccups, it is best to consult a doctor. Home remedies for continuous hiccups may not work in some cases. Additionally, if a person experiences chronic hiccups that keep reoccurring time and again, they must get it checked with their doctor to find the underlying cause, such as gastroesophageal reflux (GERD), multiple sclerosis, or stroke.