Download ArticleDownload ArticleThis article was medically reviewed by Shari Forschen, NP, MA. Shari Forschen is a Registered Nurse at Sanford Health in North Dakota. Shari has worked in healthcare since 1996 and her expertise lies in acute care bedside nursing on a medical oncology floor. She received her degree from Medcenter one College of Nursing in 2003 and her Family Nurse Practitioner Masters from the University of North Dakota in 2014. Shari is a member of the American Nurses Association.
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The cause and function of hiccups is unknown, but they can be brought on by drinking alcohol.[1] There aren't really any official cures for occasional hiccups, but many folk remedies can stop a case of the drunken hiccups quickly and easily. Trying one or more techniques will usually take care of the problem so that you can get back to living it up. In the future, you can try to prevent hiccups by avoiding excessive food and alcohol consumption, carbonated beverages, sudden changes in temperature, sudden excitement, and emotional stress. You should also stop consuming alcohol when you try to get rid of your hiccups; overconsumption of alcohol can have potentially fatal consequences, and stopping your drinking for the night will help you avoid the negative effects from drinking too much, including the hiccups.
Steps
Hold your breath. When you hold your breath, you stop your diaphragm from moving normally. Since hiccups seem to be associated with a reflex movement of the diaphragm, halting it can help to end them.- After holding your breath for a few seconds, swallow large breaths of air a few times. Repeat this process a few times to see if it can stop your hiccups.
Change your body position. Sit while pulling your knees up to your chest or bending over will compress your diaphragm.[2][3] Hiccups are related to diaphragm spasms, and compressing the diaphragm may reduce the spasms.- Be careful getting up and down--remember that your coordination and sense of balance might be impaired when you are drinking.
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Drink a glass of water quickly.[4] When you drink quickly and without stopping, your abdominal muscles are put to work and your hiccups might end in the process.- You can use a straw or two to help you drink the water more quickly.
- Make sure that is only water that you are drinking and not alcohol, which can cause hiccups.
Try coughing. Coughing forcefully uses a lot of abdominal muscle power, and the action might halt the hiccup reflex. Even if you don't actually have to cough, just make yourself do it.
Put pressure on the bridge of your nose.[5] Place your finger on the bridge of your nose and press as hard as you can. It's not clear why this technique works, but putting pressure put on a nerve or blood vessel often seems to help.
Make yourself sneeze.[6] Sneezing puts abdominal muscles to work, which can break up the hiccupping action and hopefully end it. To make yourself sneeze, try sniffing a little pepper, breathing in a dusty area, or walking out into bright sunshine.
Gargle with water.[7] Gargling requires you to concentrate, and the action can disrupt the way you are breathing and using your abdominal muscles. All of this together can help end a bout of hiccups.
Drink a shot of vinegar.[8] Strong substances like vinegar or pickle juice can “shock” your body into a bout of hiccups. However, if you already have them, they may also “shock” your body into ending them.- If this method does not work the first time, it is probably best not to try it again, since drinking too much vinegar can irritate your stomach and esophagus. If it doesn't work, just try a different method.
Ice the problem.[9] Take a small bag of ice and place it on the skin of your upper stomach, which is near your diaphragm. The cold can cause changes in your circulation and muscle activity in the area, which might stop the hiccups.- If your hiccups do not go away within twenty minutes, remove the ice and try a different method. Leaving the ice on too long can cause soreness.
Stimulate the vagus nerve. The vagus nerve is related to a number of bodily functions, and stimulating it can help end your hiccups. Try one of these tricks:
Seek medical treatment if your hiccups last more than 48 hours. Typically, you can cure hiccups with home remedies. However, if your hiccups last longer than two consecutive days and you've tried treating them at home already, it's time to see your doctor.
Try counting or other rote activities. If you have your brain concentrate on a moderately difficult activity, it might stop causing the hiccups. If you have been drinking, you might have to concentrate a little harder, but in this case that might actually help. Try one of these tasks:- Count backwards from 100.
- Say or sing the alphabet backwards
- Do multiplication problems (4 x 2 = 8; 4 x 5 = 20; 4 x 6 = 24; etc.)
- Say each letter of the alphabet and a word that begins with that letter
Focus on breathing. Normally, we don't think about breathing. If you concentrate on it, however, it might help end the hiccups.- Try holding your breath and slowly counting to 10.[12]
- Try inhaling through your nose as slowly and as deeply as you can, then exhale slowly through your mouth. Repeat this several times.
Increase the amount of carbon dioxide in your bloodstream. If there is an abnormally high level of carbon dioxide in your blood, your brain will focus on this, and the hiccups may stop. You can increase your bloodstream's carbon dioxide level by breathing abnormally:
Drink water in an uncomfortable position. You might try bending over as you drink, or drinking from the far side of the glass.[15] Since this is an unusual way to drink, you will have to concentrate not to spill the water. The distraction might help end the hiccups.- Make sure that is only water that you are drinking and not alcohol, which can cause hiccups.
Have someone scare you.[16] Being frightened is a good way to take you mind off of something, including hiccups. If you are really scared by something, your brain might focus on that rather than the hiccup reflex. For this to work, you will need a friend to help—ask them to leap out of the darkness or jump around a corner when you least expect it.
Expert Q&A
Video
Tips
- When all else fails, just be patient. Many bouts of hiccups will go away in a few minutes.[17] If you have hiccups for more than 48 hours, however, contact your doctor for professional help.[18]Thanks
- Alcohol can irritate the esophagus and stomach, so you can also help prevent hiccups simply by not drinking too much.Thanks
- You can help prevent hiccups by not eating and drinking too fast. When you consume food and drink too fast, air can be trapped between bites and gulps, and many experts believe this can cause hiccups.Thanks
References
- ↑ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8491309/
- ↑ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2868032/
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3504071/
- ↑ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/17672-hiccups
- ↑ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8491309/
- ↑ https://acaai.org/allergies/symptoms/runny-nose-stuffy-nose-sneezing/
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3325297/
- ↑ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25775370/
- ↑ https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000265.htm
- ↑ https://www.uofmhealth.org/health-library/tm6590spec%3C/ref%3E%20#*Tickle%20the%20roof%20of%20your%20mouth%20with%20a%20cotton%20swab.
- ↑ https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/hiccups
- ↑ https://www.uofmhealth.org/health-library/tm6590spec
- ↑ https://medlineplus.gov/hiccups.html
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3035062/
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3114667/
- ↑ https://wexnermedical.osu.edu/blog/when-are-hiccups-serious
- ↑ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/17672-hiccups
- ↑ https://ufhealth.org/hiccups
About This Article
Medical Disclaimer
The content of this article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, examination, diagnosis, or treatment. You should always contact your doctor or other qualified healthcare professional before starting, changing, or stopping any kind of health treatment.
To get rid of hiccups when you're drunk, try holding your breath for as long as you can. Then, take a few deep breaths. This will restrict your diaphragm and will help stop hiccups. You might need to try it a few times before they stop. Alternatively, sit with your knees pulled into your chest to compress your diaphragm. You can also drink a glass of water quickly, which will engage your abdominal muscles and can help stop your hiccups. Another thing you can try is pinching the top of your nose. This puts pressure on your blood vessels and can help stop your hiccups. For more tips from our Medical co-author, including how to stop hiccups using ice, read on!
Reader Success Stories
"I downed a glass of water as suggested. Did the job perfectly, but wasn't warned of the after-effect of throwing up some water on my boyfriend. Then I laughed my head off. Not sure if it was the water or the laughter that did the trick."..." more
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