The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Holding the Breath Technique
Posted by Chelsie (Nashville, TN) on 05/08/2008
★★★★★
I hate the hiccups and upon getting them this afternoon, I quickly looked up this technique on EC.com --I am quite relieved to say, yes, it worked!!
Sugar
Posted by Brenda (Somerville, Ohio) on 04/11/2007
★★★★★
Rick from Vegas is absolutely right. I have been using the teaspoon of sugar remedy for hiccups for at least 20 years. You must try to swallow the whole teaspoon at once. For severe cases, it does sometimes take 2 spoons, but it always works for everyone.
Sugar
Posted by Rick (Las Vegas, NV) on 10/06/2006
★★★★★
Our son would get terrible bouts of hiccups. We tried "everything". One day while baking, my wife offered him a spoonful of sugar while he was hiccupping. He stopped within a minute! It's worked every time since, although a couple of times he needed a second spoonful.
Sugar
Posted by Brigitte (Houston, Texas) on 01/11/2008
★★★★★
Hiccups really do go away with sugar under the tongue. It works no matter what your age. I have used this technique on my children, my husband, and myself. It works great.
Holding the Breath Technique
Posted by Nestor (Sydney, Australia) on 05/25/2006
★★★★★
i don't usually have hiccups but when it does it really bothers me because it last for so many hours and even days. i tried so many remedies like holding my breath for as long as i can, but it didn't work, so i searched the net and this is what i found that cured my hiccups....take a deep breath using your mouth until your lung is full.. DO NOT BREATH (PINCH YOUR NOSE SO THAT NO AIR CAN ESCAPE) swallow, or pretend that you are swallowing something, inhale more air through your mouth while holding your breath, swallow, inhale then swallow..by this time you might be turning pale...release your breath through your nose.....it worked for me and i hope it will for you...if it does please let me know.
Holding the Breath Technique
Posted by Jess (PA) on 11/07/2006
★★★★★
Take three deep breaths, and then on the third breath, hold it as long as you can. I was told this by my anatomy teacher who says hiccups are nothing but your diaphragm having a spasm. So taking three deep breaths and holding the last one stretches your diaphragm, and therefore stops the hiccups. I have tried this many times, and it does work instantly.
Holding the Breath Technique
Posted by Vinny (Atlanta, GA) on 04/25/2006
★★★★★
Hi, Ever since when I was a little kid, I had heard many things but only one worked for me. I hold my breath for about 6 secs (if you hiccup while holding your breath start over) and continue doing this for about 4-5 times and it should be gone. Good Luck.
Pencil Technique
Posted by Ann (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) on 03/30/2006
★★★★★
Placing a pencil crosswise in your mouth and holding it with your teeth and then drinking water until you have to take a breath, stops hiccups.
Malt Vinegar
Posted by Graham (Toronto, Ontario) on 03/21/2006
★★★★★
My mother always gave me malt vinegar for hiccups, when I was a child, and it worked immediately every single time. Assuming it's available, these other weird and wonderful remedies (which don't always work anyway)can't touch vinegar for effect. I believe it works on the vagus nerve, and affects the diaphragm in some way.
Pickle Juice
Posted by Jennifer (Hattiesburg, MS) on 04/03/2007
★★★★★
My 4 yr old son had hiccups for over 4 hours until I gave him a drink of pickle juice. It worked instantly.
Water and the Help of a Friend
Posted by Lucinda (Perth, Australia) on 02/20/2007
★★★★★
A friend showed me this trick and I have never seen it fail. If some one has hiccups give them a large glass of water, six or seven hundred mls, put you hands over their ears firmly and tell them to drink and keep drinking until you say stop. Let them drink most of the water and then take your hands away. The hiccups will disappear. I get my husband to do this for me and it works every time. Makes a good party trick too.
Drink Water Without Breathing
Posted by C (PDL) on 02/11/2007
★★★★★
The remedy I have used for 20 years: Drink 10 swallows of water straight without breathing. Works every time.
Burp
Posted by Chris (St. Louis, MO) on 10/18/2006
★★★★★
Just force a burp or two. This worked every time for me.
Vinegar
Posted by Klars (Ottawa, Canada) on 03/31/2007
★★★★★
The only thing that has ever cured my hiccups has been to take a swig of vinegar. It burns terribly all the way down but instantly that looming hiccup feeling dissipates.
For those with real trouble with hiccups, who can hold their breath until they turn blue while standing on their head drinking water only to resume hiccuping afterwards, I can't recommend the vinegar highly enough. Often I get them when I've eaten too much and drinking water or eating peanut butter seems to just make them worse. I was skeptical, but elated to discover that vinegar works.
Vinegar
Posted by Dr Murtaza (Mumbai, India) on 04/19/2007
★★★★★
It's wonderful to know the amazing effects of Vinegar. One man 72 years old had constant hiccups for 2 days and more when he consulted me. I gave him this bit of advice to take 1 tsp of vinegar and his hiccups stopped instantly ... It's almost a month he has never had it again
