Hiccups are painful at any age.
For infants to whom this happens regularly, it is even more annoying.
On the medical level there is little to do, but I can reveal to you my little tricks that naturally stop the hiccups of young and old.
The hiccups come from a spasmodic contraction sudden and involuntary of the diaphragm .
It is triggered when the stomach is full of air or liquid and expands.
The diaphragm nerve stretches, the latter contracts in an uncontrolled and repetitive way, causing the vocal cords to move .
Now that we know what hiccups are, here are my natural tips to stop it.
The first thing I always try, and it works three-quarters of the time, is to do this:
I fill my lungs with air. I then release the air in short, spaced out strokes until my lungs are empty.
I do this exercise three times in a row and in principle the hiccups are gone.
If you prefer, there is a method that involves breathing into a paper bag.
This exercise will increase carbon dioxide of your body and thus stop the spasms.
A sweet and sticky food can also change the rate of breathing. There, you have the choice between several foods:
- a teaspoon of powdered sugar
- a tablespoon of peanut butter
- a teaspoon of honey (it is also good for sore throat)
- or again, a sugar soaked in vinegar (here it is the meeting of sweet and acid that will create contradictory sensory signals and change the breathing rate)
Hot water can help relax the diaphragm .
So, do not hesitate to drink a glass of hot or warm water very quickly.
In principle, one glass is enough to stop the hiccups.
This trick is to divert your attention hiccups, making you think and focus on a memory, so that it passes naturally. We explain it to you here.
A baby can have hiccups after a meal or after regurgitating . Often it is a reflux, very common in infants.
The muscular valve of his esophagus is not yet mature, so when the stomach is full, the acid content can go up.
Although the hiccups are not painful, your baby may get upset when they last.
Walk him around gently patting his back and rocking him. You can give him water (pure or sweetened) or milk to suckle.
Be careful that your baby does not swallow air while drinking his bottle and make him burp every 2 or 3 minutes if hiccupping daily.
If the hiccups continue, ask your pediatrician for advice on possible homeopathic treatment .
So here you are with some tips to try and get over your hiccups. Which are you going to try? Do you know any others? Of course, I await your comments.
