In simple terms, hiccups are a contraction of the diaphragm, causing discomfort not only in the physical plane, but can also put a person in an awkward position in front of the people around him.
Just for this reason, you need to know how to behave so as not to get into such an unpleasant situation.
What to do if you hiccup: where does hiccups come from?
Perhaps, each of us at least once heard from one of our friends a hackneyed phrase, "I hiccup all day. Probably, someone remembers." It’s unlikely that it will be possible to find the person who came up with this strange prejudice, but today there are just a huge number of people who sincerely believe in it. Naturally, any coincidence can happen, but it’s probably not worth looking for a connection between these absolutely unrelated moments.
What is hiccups really about? In fact, everything is quite simple. Our body has an X pair of cranial nerves, referred to as the vagus nerve. It is needed in order to ensure the innervation of most muscles of the mucous membrane and the whole body. The vagus nerve is the connecting link between the internal organs and the central nervous system. From the chest into the abdominal cavity to other internal organs, it passes through a narrow hole in the diaphragm, the septum of which is very narrowed. This is precisely the main reason why people hiccup.
If the body has not had any food for a long time, and a person begins to hastily absorb large pieces of food, they pass through the esophagus and can injure the vagus nerve. When he is pressed, he begins to get irritated, which is fraught with impaired functioning of most internal organs. That is, if something is wrong with the vagus nerve, the body begins to send alarm signals to the nervous system that activate the nerve, which is responsible for the reduction of the diaphragm, which leads to sensations familiar to us with hiccups.
Simply put, hiccups are the result of the activity of the nerve of the diaphragm, which pulsates and leads to a sharp reduction. The process is also accompanied by a sharp overlap of the glottis, and in the end we can hear the sound characteristic of hiccups.
What to do if you hiccup: causes
In addition to a quick and rough meal, there are some other reasons why a person can hiccup, such as:
intake of a large amount of cold water;
binge eating;
uncomfortable posture, due to which the nerve can contract;
Fright (resulting in a sharp sigh);
in a small child, hiccups can begin if it is cold.
There are more serious causes of hiccups, for example, a weakened nervous system, very severe stress or a nervous breakdown. In addition to this, hiccups can be accompanied by unpleasant consequences such as nausea, abdominal pain and excessive salivation. This may be due to a person having a liver, gall bladder, pancreas, or ulcer disease.
What to do if you hiccup: disposal methods
From the point of view of medicine, getting rid of hiccups has not yet been invented, but there are a large number of methods with which you can get rid of it. Among them, the following techniques should be distinguished:
1) induce a vomiting reflex by ordinary pressing with a finger on the basis of the tongue;
2) try to hold your breath for as long as possible;
3) tilt the body parallel to the floor and in this position drink a cup of water in small sips;
4) eat some bitter or sour fruit;
5) make a mixture of 2 tbsp. l beer and 1 tbsp. l sugar and drink it;
6) breathe in a paper bag;
7) shake the press or push yourself off the floor, it often helps;
8) pull out the tip of the tongue with your fingers and hold in this position for 8-10 seconds;
9) ask someone to tickle or scare you;
10) put your hands in the castle behind you, stand on tiptoe and bend. Remaining in this position, you need to ask someone to drink water from a cup.
In fact, there are many more such tips; the most popular and effective ones are also presented here.
What to do if you hiccup: some more effective ways
Below are some more effective tricks to get rid of hiccups. Since this phenomenon often manifests itself due to pinching of the vagus nerve by the esophagus, using the following methods you can try to eliminate the effect on the vagus nerve.
1. You can try to get rid of hiccups by the method of exposure to the vagus nerve using special breathing techniques. You can do this this way: we draw the maximum amount of air into our lungs and try not to breathe for as long as possible. You can also inhale the air, bend your head forward and stop breathing for 15-20 seconds, then release the air and immediately drink plenty of liquid. You can also use a cellophane bag. To do this, you need to breathe a little into it, as a result of which the amount of carbon dioxide in the body will increase and hiccups will stop.
2. Try something to eat or drink. If you drink too much fluid at once, the hiccups can become even stronger. You can slowly drink cold or sweet water or eat something small, for example, a piece of bread. If no reaction follows, make a few more attempts.
3. Sometimes, to stop the hiccups, it’s enough just to stretch yourself well, hold your tongue or even rub your eyes. You can also curl up and lie down in such a position for a while, this is sometimes very effective.
4. Many centuries ago, folk healers recommended trying to sneeze a man who started hiccups. It looks very strange, but in some cases it can be very effective. But before using it, it is advisable to consult with a specialist.
All you need is to choose the most convenient and effective technique from the above methods. That, perhaps, is all you need to know if hiccups unexpectedly “attacked” you and how to quickly get rid of this problem.
