Hiccups are involuntary contractions (quick tightening and loosening you can't control) of your diaphragm. Your diaphragm is a thin muscle below your lungs. It helps you breathe in and out. It lowers and rises with each breath.
When you hiccup, your diaphragm suddenly moves downward, forcing you to breathe in. In response, your glottis (the space between your vocal cords) quickly closes to stop more air from coming in. This causes the sound "hic" — which is how hiccups get their name.
Hiccups usually go away on their own after a few minutes. But there are some things you can do to get rid of them sooner.
Sometimes, hiccups are caused by an underlying health condition and can last longer than normal. In that case, your doctor can find out the cause and suggest treatment.
What Causes Hiccups?
Hiccups happen when something irritates the nerves that control the movement of your diaphragm. Transient (or temporary) hiccups can be caused by several things, such as:
- Eating too much or too quickly
- Drinking a lot of alcohol
- Carbonated (bubbly) drinks
- Swallowing too much air
- Getting excited, anxious, or stressed
- Sudden changes in temperature
- Spicy foods
Other types of hiccups that can last longer — days, weeks, or even months — are usually a symptom of a health condition, such as:
- Acid reflux
- Some infections, such as flu or shingles
- Brain damage
- Inflammation of the brain or surrounding tissues
- Stroke
- Parkinson’s disease
- Multiple sclerosis
- Diabetes
- Electrolyte imbalances
- Kidney problems
- Uremia
- Hypocalcemia
- Abdominal (stomach) or chest surgery
- Pneumonia and pleurisy (lung inflammation)
- Overactive thyroid
- Certain tumors, such as pancreatic and esophageal cancer
- Something touching your eardrum (including hair)
Some medications can also cause hiccups, including:
- Nicotine gum used to quit smoking
- Epilepsy medications
- Dopamine agonists
- Benzodiazepines
- Some chemotherapy drugs
- Steroids, especially dexamethasone
- Azithromycin
- Anesthesia and other sedatives
Hiccups after surgery
Sometimes, people get hiccups after abdominal surgery. This could be because this kind of surgery can affect your stomach muscles, slowing down your ability to digest food. As a result, food stays in your stomach longer. It also might be because anesthesia can lead to hiccups.
How to Get Rid of Hiccups
Most of the time, hiccups are more of a nuisance than a serious medical issue. They usually go away on their own pretty quickly. However, they can become so annoying that you want to try anything to stop them.
There are a lot of folk remedies for hiccups. Unfortunately, there isn’t proof that many actually work. This might be because hiccups can go away on their own during the time it takes to prepare or use the remedy. But some might be worth a try even if they only take your mind off your hiccups.
Swallow sugar
Some people suggest letting a spoonful of sugar dissolve on your tongue, others recommend swallowing it whole.
This remedy works by irritating your pharynx (throat) and your uvula (the punching bag-like flesh that hangs down in the back of your throat). Doing so helps your vocal cords relax and also causes a brief distraction for your body to focus on. The feeling of the sugar granules in your throat also might stimulate your vagus nerve, which controls your diaphragm movements (including hiccups). However, this remedy might only work for a short while and not get rid of hiccups entirely.
Gargle with water
This remedy works in the same way as swallowing sugar -- by stimulating the back of your throat.
Ice-cold water may work better than room-temperature water. You can also try sipping the water or sucking on ice chips.
Breathe into a paper bag
Raising the amount of carbon dioxide in your lungs is proven to reduce the frequency of hiccups. Scientists think it might relax your diaphragm, calming down the spasms that cause hiccups. This might explain why some breathing techniques work. This can be as simple as holding your breath for some time. Breathing techniques could be especially helpful if your hiccups are caused by stress.
However, if you have a paper (not plastic) bag handy, you might want to try breathing into it. Allowing the bag to inflate and deflate with each breath.
In rare cases, these techniques may cause you to hyperventilate -- fast breathing that decreases carbon dioxide. This could actually make your hiccups worse.
Suck on a lemon
Some people think sour tastes, such as those of vinegar or lemon, can help with hiccups. There’s little-to-no scientific proof for this. But it might work similarly to swallowing sugar or gargling. Sour tastes might make the pharynx tingle.
Take slow breaths
Simply breathing in a controlled way might help relax your diaphragm. Inhale slowly to a count of four, then exhale slowly to a count of four. Do this several times or until your hiccups go away.
Hold your breath
This increases carbon dioxide in your lungs and relaxes your diaphragm.
Medication for hiccups
If you experience long-term, or chronic, hiccups, your doctor might prescribe you a medicine called baclofen. Baclofen is an effective treatment for hiccups because it relaxes your muscles. Keeping your muscles relaxed helps calm your body and settle your diaphragm. This medicine might cause you to feel drowsy or sleepy.
Other medicines for hiccups include:
- Chlorpromazine
- Gabapentin
- Metoclopramide
- Proton pump inhibitors (for acid reflux)
Talk to your doctor before taking any medications for hiccups.
Hiccups Pressure Point
According to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), putting pressure on certain parts of the body could ease your hiccups. Per TCM, your body is full of energy called Qi (pronounced “chee”). It flows through your body in river-like channels. When you’re sick or upset, the rivers become blocked and the Qi gets stuck. Acupressure can help you clear away the blockages.
Some acupressure points, like the dip just below the earlobe, are associated with hiccup relief. In TCM, this particular pressure point is indirectly connected to the diaphragm by energy channels. In Western medicine, the area of skin covering this pressure point is linked to the diaphragm through nerves.
Another part of acupressure is deep breathing. While you press, you need to take slow, deep breaths. This might be part of the reason acupressure helps with hiccups. Controlling your breathing helps relax your diaphragm, calming the hiccups.
There isn’t a lot of research to support whether acupressure really works. One study found that a few minutes of acupressure on the dip below the earlobe cured 97 out of 148 people with persistent or intractable hiccups. But, this study didn’t have a control group and might have been biased. For example, the benefits might have been caused by the belief that acupressure would help, rather than the acupressure itself. The deep breathing likely played a major role, too.
To try it out for yourself, you can press gently on your:
Jaw. Find the small dip just below your earlobe and behind your jaw bone. Put your pointer finger in the dip and press forward towards your jaw bone. Hold this position for 1–2 minutes while breathing deeply. It should feel tender, but not painful.
Chest. Find the round dip at the base of your neck, just above your collarbone. Put both pointer fingers there. Slide them down one inch. Then, move one finger an inch to the right, and one finger an inch to the left. You should find two small, sensitive pockets of muscle. Gently press them for 20–30 seconds while breathing deeply.
Upper lip. Put your finger in the dip between your nose and upper lip. Gently press for 20–30 seconds while breathing deeply.
Eyebrows. Put your pointer fingers on your eyebrows, directly above the inner corners of your eyes. Rub them in small circles for 1–2 minutes. Breathe deeply.
Avoid areas where you have:
- Any sores, swelling, or redness
- A tumor, especially bone cancer
- Recently had surgery
- A health issue that can be triggered by pressing your body (like arthritis, bone disease, or varicose veins)
When to See a Doctor About Hiccups
Hiccups typically aren’t anything to worry about because they usually go away without medical treatment. However, you should reach out to your doctor if your hiccups last more than 48 hours or cause problems with eating, sleeping, or breathing.
At your appointment, your doctor will ask about:
- Your medical history
- Existing health conditions
- Medications you take
- Other symptoms
- Recent surgeries
They might also run some tests, including:
- Blood tests
- X-rays
- CT scan of your abdomen
- Brain MRI
- Endoscopic tests, which explore inside parts of your body
- EKG (to measure your heart's activity)
Hiccups in babies
It’s common for babies to hiccup. Doctors think it’s because they might swallow a lot of air while eating, which causes gassiness. This is normal.
But if you also notice a lot of coughing or spitting up, call your doctor. These could be signs of acid reflux.
When to go to the emergency room
If you have hiccups in addition to signs of stroke or a pulmonary embolism, call 911 right away.
Some signs of stroke include:
- Numbness or weakness in your arms, legs or face (usually on one side)
- Sudden confusion or trouble speaking
- Trouble walking, balance problems, or loss of coordination
Some signs of pulmonary embolism include:
- Sudden breathing problems
- Chest pain
- Lightheadedness, dizziness, or fainting
- Irregular heartbeat
- Sweating
- Low blood pressure
How to Prevent Hiccups
You might be able to help prevent short-term, or transient, hiccups by:
- Slowing down while you eat or drink
- Eating smaller portions
- Avoiding very hot or cold foods
- Avoiding alcohol and carbonated (bubbly) drinks
You can't prevent hiccups that last longer or are caused by health conditions or medications. But you can talk to your doctor about treatments or changes to your medications.
Takeaways
Hiccups happen when your diaphragm (the muscle below your lungs) rapidly squeezes and lets go. They usually go away on their own in a few minutes. You might be able to speed up the process with home remedies such as putting sugar on your tongue, gargling ice water, or sucking on a lemon. But if they last longer than 2 days, contact your doctor.