How to stop hiccups: remedies that are always at hand

When hiccups come (and she always does it suddenly), everything you want — stop it as soon as possible. Convulsive "barking" breaths seem to draw the attention of everyone within a 100 meter radius to us, and it makes us feel awkward. But even when no one is around, hiccups don become more pleasant — prolonged attacks can lead to  severe dizziness, nausea and suffocation.

So how do you stop hiccups when you don't have anything to hand? You are wrong: you always have tools to help you with this.

• Sudden hiccups: why it occurs
• How to Stop Hiccups Quickly & Effectively
• What to do with prolonged hiccups

Sudden hiccups: why it appears

Hiccup — it is one of the many involuntary physiological reactions of our body, such as coughing, sneezing, and many others. It occurs in response to  irritation of a nerve that passes through the diaphragm and this nerve may respond with hiccups for the following reasons:

• Stomach full of food.

• Aerophagia (swallowing large amounts of air along with food).

• Eating in  uncomfortable positions (for example, sitting in  bed, when the area of ​​the diaphragm is "transferred" by the lower ribs).

• The action of substances that cause changes in the functions of the nervous system (alcohol, drugs from the group of tranquilizers).

• Prolonged hypothermia causing spasms of muscles and blood vessels.

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These are the most likely causes of hiccups, and the easiest way to prevent unpleasant episodes — stop the influence of provoking factors. Eat in a normal environment, don overeat, swallow food on the run or in a rush, and the main sources of the problem will be eliminated.

But what if hiccups appeared and need to deal with it as soon as possible?

Read also: 7 protective systems of our body

How to stop hiccups quickly and effectively

Advice to survive a sudden fright or drink water while holding your breath is not always applicable in practice. But you can do this instead:

• Series of quick tilts — left and right, forward and backward. Hiccups are often the result of skeletal muscle spasm in the chest area. Quick bends will help to return them to  the right tone and  release the nerve that is pinched by the muscles, "transmitting" diaphragm contraction signals.

• Suck your tongue. No, that's not a typo — press the tip of the tongue to the palate, as close as possible to the throat (the tongue will curl up) and make a few sucking movements. This will redirect the muscular tension from the diaphragm to the walls of the pharynx and stop the hiccups.

• Strong and slow exhalation. Plug your ears with your fingers and, taking a deep breath, exhale the air with effort through tightly clenched lips. This exercise causes short-term tension of the muscles involved in breathing and the diaphragm.

• Taste shock. If you can't do "anticote gymnastics", divert your nervous system to something else. A very sour lollipop, a slice of lemon, chewing gum with a strong menthol flavor are best. As a last resort (and if you're not prone to diseases of the upper respiratory tract), you can suck on a piece of frozen fruit or an ice cube.

• Open-mouthed throat .

  Another effective method — tilt your head so that your chin touches your chest, open your mouth wide and take a few sips in this position. Naturally, you need to swallow the "imaginary" water or food.

These methods will help to cope with  episodic hiccups. But if this condition occurs frequently or does not go away for a long time, the solution to the problem must be approached differently.

Proper breathing and its effect on health: 10 facts What to do with prolonged hiccups

Unfortunately, hiccups can be not just a temporary nuisance, but and a symptom of formidable diseases, and sometimes — emergency conditions, when every minute, without exaggeration, can be decisive. Therefore, with prolonged and & nbsp; causeless hiccups, which begins to literally "pursue" — you need to see a doctor as soon as possible and pass an examination.

Follow us on Telegram But contact doctor immediately if severe and prolonged hiccups have developed in a person who:

Suffered a head injury in the last few days.
Currently suffers from influenza, sinusitis (diseases that can lead to meningeal complications).
Suffers from hypertension in severe form.
Is confused or "weird" behaves (overly excited or, conversely, apathetic and  poorly reacts to  everything that happens around him).
Timely assistance will help to avoid adverse developments and eliminate not only hiccups, but and the condition or illness that caused it.

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