All of us have heard the “old wives tale” that giving a person a fright or Drinking water (from the wrong side of the glass or while standing on your head) will definitely cure your Hiccups.

Hiccups may not be deadly or fatal, but they can certainly be most annoying, especially if they continue for an extended period of time. Some people have hiccupping fits that last for a very long time and can be very violent in nature, which can also be very painful.

Hiccups occur as the result of an involuntary contraction of the diaphragm – a muscle that separates your chest from the abdomen. Because your diaphragm also plays a vital part in breathing, hiccupping can cause problems breathing. Each contraction as a result of an irritation in the body is followed by a sudden closure of your vocal chords, which produces the ‘hic’ sound.

Hiccups can be caused by a number of factors, such as acidity in the stomach, anxiety, certain medications, chewing gum, crying, coughing, eating too quickly, gas, indigestion, or stress. Hiccups generally last for only a short period of time – if they last for a prolonged period of time you should contact your doctor.

Methods of getting rid of hiccups that have been around since time-immemorial include diverting a person’s attention, giving that person a sudden scare, hitting them on the back, simply taking deep breaths, swallowing some granulated sugar, sucking a piece of lemon, or consuming a small amount of vinegar.

Downing a large glass or two of water is, by far, the most commonly advised method for curing hiccups but does it really work?

Actually, according to the experts, drinking a glass of cold water may well help if the case is not too severe. Quickly gulping down the cold water relaxes the momentum caused by the contractions in the diaphragm, and helps regularise normal movement thereby stopping the spasms.

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