So, I know you’ve heard them. There are a ton of ‘remedies’ out there. Here is one site that boasts quite a list.
I personally have tried a number of them. Not only as the victim but as the healer. Everything from the ‘hold your breath’ intervention, to the ‘hold your breath – and scare you’ remedy. I think some of these remedies are simply created for the entertainment. Like the ‘take a drink of water from the opposite side of the glass’ suggestion. (Yep, tried it and witnessed others getting a shower they didn’t expect) I could make an entire blog post on just the endless list of remedy ‘scams’ out there.
Even the ‘bitters’ and sours’ method’ is not the most accurate method of hiccup relief. (From my years working at the bar in college)
A couple of years ago I stumbled upon a method that has been 100% successful for me and anyone else that has tried it. (Yep, I think I was at a bar at the time of this discovery)
For those of you who want to stop wasting your time and extinguish that repetitive ‘shock and awe’ of your diaphragm, here is my ‘secret’ method:
You need a full glass of water. I think you need at least an 8 oz glass (not that I’ve tried it any other way). It can be warm or cold. I don’t think water temperature is a gauging factor. Get a paper towel or a napkin and cover the top of the glass. Now drink the ENTIRE glass of water through the paper towel (napkin). (No. Not from the opposite side of the glass) Drink it like a normal human being.
A couple key points here:
- The paper towel or napkin has to be ‘somewhat’ porous, but thick. A piece of chancy material will make the effort null and void (I’ve learned this the hard way after drinking multiple glasses of water)
- You HAVE to drink the entire glass of water. No cheating or else it doesn’t work
- You will have to literally ‘suck’ the water through the material for it to work ( I firmly believe this is the key to the entire operation)
- Yes, you will be out of breath and almost choking to get that last gulp or two down.
- It will feel like you are going to hiccup again. (I think it’s purely a mental mind trick) But you won’t hiccup.
I wish I had a good scientific rationale that explained why this method works. My guess is it has something to do with the negative pressure you have to create when ‘sucking’ down the glass of water. Like I said, I’m guessing.
All I know, is that THIS WORKS. If done correctly, IT WORKS.
This post was inspired by Epijunky.
Image Source: Flickr
Carpe Diem
It sounds very close to what I did, only I didn’t use the paper towel. I gulped down 16 ounces of water without taking a breath. I literally felt like I was drowning by the time I was done.
It worked.
I’ll have to try it your way next time
@ Epijunky Glad you got rid of them!
Sounds intriguing! When I get the hiccups, it is absolutely horrible. People around me think that I’m purposefully making the excessively loud noise and body-wracking spasm that comes when I hiccup, but I have absolutely zero control over it! I completely canNOT breathe. When I have gotten the hiccups at work, no matter what I am doing I literally have to leave the unit for a little bit until they subside. And on days when I get them, I tend to get them repeatedly….sometimes 4 and 5 times that day. Fortunately this doesn’t happen very often! My uncle actually once had to be taken to the emergency room when he was young for severe hiccups where he could not breathe!
I’m sure you’ve heard of the use of thorazine for hiccups. Personally, never tried it, nor actually ever seen it tried, so I don’t know if it truly works or not, but since it is an approved indication, I’m guessing it must have a pretty good success rate!
What works for me WITHOUT FAIL (And if it doesn’t work the 1st time I try, which it does about 98% of the time, it always works on the 2nd try) is to take 6 swallows of water (or anything really, but water seems to work best) without taking a breath. Sometimes I run out of air before I can get through all 6 swallows, but as long as I do it until I can’t breathe or get to 6, it seems to cure them!
I have no idea why my hiccups are so violent when I get them, but as I said, fortunately it is not that often! My whole body literally shakes with each one when I have them! It’s funny and people usually laugh at first, but then get annoyed after I do it for a minute or two! haha
Take care!
Carrie
@ Carrie Thanks for sharing your tip. I think my method might share some points with yours.
[...] this Twitter talk almost gave me the hiccups! Good thing I have a cure for them, and didn’t reach for any peanut [...]
A study showed that digital rectal stimulation is the way forward, due to it’s stimulation of the vagus nerve.
Orgasm also stimulates the vagus nerve.
I guess it’s down to personal preference!
http://www.newscientist.com/ar.....ssage.html
@ Chris Rigby Why yes it is!
PS, do you reckon the “coregasm” works too?
@ Chris Rigby If we only knew.
Drinking water through a napkin actually works. It’s amazing. I have no idea why but I’m working on figuring that out. We went out the other night and I got the hiccups while sitting at the bar. My friends thought it was funny at first, but after a few minutes of entertainment they told me about this little trick. I admit. I was extremely skeptical and figured it was just all a joke and they were trying to make me look like an idiot…but i figured i already looked pretty dumb hiccuping and making the hiccup noises, so what did i really have to lose? One plastic cup of water and a cocktail napkin later and all was cured! I didn’t drink the entire cup of water, and it wasn’t warm water, but the general theory of this method does actually work. I don’t get hiccups that often, but when i have before i’ve never been able to get rid of them with these little tips and tricks. UNTIL NOW!
@ starlit857 Strong Work!
Sounds intriguing! When I get the hiccups, it is absolutely horrible. People around me think that I'm purposefully making the excessively loud noise and body-wracking spasm that comes when I hiccup, but I have absolutely zero control over it! I completely canNOT breathe. When I have gotten the hiccups at work, no matter what I am doing I literally have to leave the unit for a little bit until they subside. And on days when I get them, I tend to get them repeatedly….sometimes 4 and 5 times that day. Fortunately this doesn't happen very often! My uncle actually once had to be taken to the emergency room when he was young for severe hiccups where he could not breathe!
I'm sure you've heard of the use of thorazine for hiccups. Personally, never tried it, nor actually ever seen it tried, so I don't know if it truly works or not, but since it is an approved indication, I'm guessing it must have a pretty good success rate!
What works for me WITHOUT FAIL (And if it doesn't work the 1st time I try, which it does about 98% of the time, it always works on the 2nd try) is to take 6 swallows of water (or anything really, but water seems to work best) without taking a breath. Sometimes I run out of air before I can get through all 6 swallows, but as long as I do it until I can't breathe or get to 6, it seems to cure them!
I have no idea why my hiccups are so violent when I get them, but as I said, fortunately it is not that often! My whole body literally shakes with each one when I have them! It's funny and people usually laugh at first, but then get annoyed after I do it for a minute or two! haha
Take care!
Carrie