Home remedies might work, as can medication, and even surgery.
Hiccups can be a pain. According to online reports, the longest recorded case of the hiccups was suffered by Charles Osborne in Anthony, Iowa. The poor man started hiccuping in 1922, and kept on going for an awful 68 years. He eventually stopped about a year before he died in 1991 at the age of 97, with few moments of respite.
Rather astoundingly, Osborne hiccuped up to 40 times a minute, according to the BBC. He only slowed to about 20 times as he grew older. Torture!
What Causes Hiccups?
Osborne’s hiccups are said to have started when he was weighing a pig to be slaughtered. Most people aren’t busy with hogs and there are many other things that can trigger the common symptom. The Mayo Clinic lists sudden changes in temperature, stress, excitement, and eating too much as hiccup-causers. Drinking too much alcohol and carbonated beverages can also do the trick, as can chewing gum or sucking candy.
The more serious causes for hiccups include nerve damage or irritation, disorders of the central nervous system, and metabolic disorders and drugs. Men are more at risk for developing long-term hiccups than women.
Medication to Cure Hiccups
There are some medications that can be prescribed to take away your hiccups. Of course, these are most likely only assigned to more severe, long lasting cases. (Most cases of the hiccups eventually go away on their own). Baclofen, chlorpromazine and metoclopramide are among these.
Baclofen is a drug that is often given to patients with multiple sclerosis who suffer from muscle spasms. Chlorpromazine is marketed under the names Thorazine and Largactil, and is used to treat psychotic disorders in adults. Strangely enough, this drug is also used to treat vomiting, nausea, anxiety before surgery, and the symptoms of tetanus.
Related: How Your Baby’s Gut Bacteria is Related to Their Fears
For its part, metoclopramide is a drug often used to prevent chemotherapy and surgery patients from vomiting. It also treats severe diabetic gastroparesis.
Consult with your doctor if you think you may need medication to make your hiccups subside.
Home Remedies
There are some unproven ways to try and treat your hiccups. Will they work? Who knows! If medication isn’t for you, you can hold your breath, or drink some cold water. Furthermore, some people try gargling ice water, and others breathe into a paper bag. Experts recommend you eat in small amounts-no big meals-and stay clear of gassy foods and drinks. While these things may not bring about immediate relief, they could help.
Surgery
As a last resort, you may find you need surgery to make your hiccups stop. A procedure can be done that injects an anesthetic. This blocks your phrenic nerve, something which is involved in breathing. Some people even go so far as to have a battery-operated device inserted. This device stimulates your vagus nerve electronically helping to bring about relief.
For most people, a case of the hiccups subsides within a few hours. Wait it out, get some rest, drink water, and see what happens.
If your condition persists, contact your doctor for help.
photo credits: Piotr Swat/Shutterstock.com
