Hiccups are a common problem that occur when a muscle at the base of your lungs, called the diaphragm, is irritated, causing spasms. Hiccups can be caused by a number of factors, from eating too quickly to drinking carbonated beverages to disease, and range in severity from mild acute cases to chronic severe cases. When dealing with a severe case of hiccups there are several home and medical remedies that may work.
Step 1
Drink a glass of ice water until the hiccups subside. You can also suck on an ice cube if your mouth can handle the cold.
Step 2
Swallow a tsp. of sugar without water. This may help relieve hiccups according to the MayoClinic.com.
Step 3
Talk to your doctor about medications for long-term hiccups. Medications used off-label for hiccup treatment including the muscle relaxant baclofen, the anti-psychotic chlorpromazine, and the anti-nausea medication metoclopramide
Step 4
Allow your doctor to inject an anesthetic near your phrenic nerve to block the hiccups from occurring. The phrenic nerve can be found in the cervical, or neck region, of the spine. The phrenic nerve is responsible for feeling and movement in the diaphragm. The anesthetic blocks the action of the phrenic nerve, forcing the diaphragm to relax.
Step 5
Undergo a more invasive procedure such as an implanted vagus nerve stimulator. When an anesthetic is unsuccessful at treating chronic hiccups, your doctor can implant a battery-operated device into your chest that allows you to hit the vagus nerve with an electrical pulse, helping relieve the hiccups.
Things You'll Need
- Glass of ice water
- Tsp. of sugar
